How to Create a Word Count Button in Microsoft Word

If you need to use Microsoft Word’s Word Count feature frequently, it can become tiresome to continually have to click-scroll-click every time you need it. If you would like to save yourself some hand movement, clicking, and time, an easy solution is to create a Word Count button for your Microsoft Word document toolbar.Word Count allows you to check not only the word count of your document, but also the number of pages, characters with no spaces, characters with spaces, paragraphs, and lines.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microsoft Word

1. Open up your Microsoft Word program and click on “Tools." A dropdown list will open.

2. Click on “Customize." This will open up a box.

3. Click on the “Commands” tab.

4. Scroll down the “Categories” list in order to locate and select “Tools."

5. Scroll down the “Commands” list in order to locate and select “Word Coun.t”

6. Click on “Word Count." While holding down the mouse button, drag “Word Count” up to your Microsoft Word toolbar. Position “Word Count” where you want it to appear on the toolbar. A handy location is immediately to the right of the “U” (underline) button. Release the mouse button. Your “word count” button is now created and ready to be used with any Microsoft Word document you create.

Tips & Warnings

• If you need to know the word count of a particular section of your document rather than the whole, simply select the section and click on your word count button.
• Another way to add a word count or other button is to go to the far right end of the Microsoft Word toolbar. Click on the drop down box at the very end. Click on “Add or Remove Buttons” and then “Customize.” From there, follow the above instructions that follow the “Customize” box being opened.
• Every new button you add to your toolbar will push all the buttons to the right of it further to the right on the toolbar. This can easily push buttons you use often off the bar where they are easily seen into the drop down box at the far right end of the toolbar. Use care when selecting where to place your new buttons and which ones you add.