Counting words in a PDF can be tricky because PDF files are not designed for easy text editing. Here is how to do it quickly and for free.
Unlike Word documents, PDFs do not have a built-in word count feature. The text is often stored as separate elements, which makes it difficult to count words using simple methods. This is why you need a dedicated tool.
The easiest way is to use our free PDF word counter. Just upload your PDF, click Count Words, and you will instantly see the word count, character count, and page count. It is fast, free, and your file never leaves your device.
You can open the PDF in a reader, select all the text, copy it, and paste it into a word counter. This works for text-based PDFs but not for scanned documents.
You can convert the PDF to a Word document and use Word's built-in word count feature. However, this can change the formatting and is slower than using an online tool.
Ready to count words in your PDF? Try our free PDF word counter - it is fast, private, and requires no sign-up. Your file is processed entirely in your browser.
