Microsoft Word is an essential tool for many writers, bloggers, students, and professionals. However, one of the most common problems that a lot of users encounter is the word count not showing up. Word count is crucial, especially when it comes to academic writing, where strict rules on the number of words are often enforced. In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to fix word count not showing in Microsoft Word and suggest possible alternatives.

1. Check the Settings

Before you do anything else, make sure that your word count isn’t merely hidden behind a setting. You can check this by going to the “Review” tab, clicking on “Word Count”, and unchecking the “Don’t count textboxes, footnotes and endnotes” option. If the word count is indeed hidden, it should now appear once you’ve unchecked this option.

2. Use the Keyboard Shortcut

If the word count still isn’t showing up, try using the keyboard shortcut for it. Simply press the “CTRL” and “SHIFT” keys simultaneously while pressing “G”. A “Word Count” dialogue box should open up, displaying the total number of words in your document.

3. Repair the Microsoft Office Installation

If neither of the previous solutions works, then it may be time to repair your Microsoft Office installation. You can do this by going to the “Control Panel”, choosing “Programs and Features”, and selecting “Microsoft Office” from the list of installed programs. Right-click on it and choose “Change”. This should open a dialog box with two options: “Quick Repair” and “Online Repair.” Choose one of them and follow the prompts to complete the process.

Possible Alternatives

If you’ve tried all the solutions above and the word count still isn’t showing up, you may want to consider using an alternative word processing software. Here are some options you might want to try:

1. Google Docs

Google Docs is a cloud-based word processing software that’s free to use and accessible from any device with an internet connection. It has all the features you’d expect from a word processing program, including a word count tool that works seamlessly.

2. OpenOffice

OpenOffice is a free and open-source word processing software that’s compatible with Microsoft Word. It has a word count tool that’s easy to use, and it’s available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

3. LibreOffice

LibreOffice is another free and open-source word processing software that’s compatible with Microsoft Word. It has a user-friendly interface, and it also has a word count tool that works well.

Conclusion

Not being able to see the word count in your Microsoft Word document can be frustrating, especially if you’re working on a project that requires it. We hope that the solutions we’ve provided in this article help you fix the word count not showing up issue. If none of these solutions work, then you might want to consider using an alternative word processing software, and we’ve given you a few options to choose from.