Word count isn’t just something your teachers care about when marking essays or bloggers obsess over for SEO. It can actually be a factor that can make or break your next business or school presentation, too.
If you cram too much text onto a single slide, your audience’s eyes might squint (or worse, they’ll just stop reading).
On the other hand, if there’s barely anything there, you might leave them wondering what exactly you’re trying to say.
Keeping tabs on your world count helps you find that sweet spot between too little information and overloading everyone.
So, whether you’re piecing together a pitch or trying to put together a report that keeps everyone engaged, knowing how to check word count on Google Slides will keep things nice and clear.
Google Slides doesn’t make this easy, but with these quick workarounds, you’ll see just how to find word count on Google Slides.
Does Google Slides Have a Word Count Tool? (Spoiler: It Doesn’t)
If you’ve been poking around trying to figure out where on earth how word counting works in Google Slides, you’ve probably hit a brick wall—and that’s why you’re here.
Unlike Google Docs, where the word count is easily accessible, Slides skips over this completely.
We’re not sure why they do this, but it may have something to do with Google Slides focusing on visuals rather than text.
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Just because it’s not there doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. There are super simple workarounds for this. Using Google Workspace itself is one way, and so is using third-party tools.
Let’s take a look at how to get it done in three easy steps.
The Workaround: How to Check Word Count on Google Slides in 3 Simple Steps
As you have probably already figured out, Google Slides does not come with a word count tool.
But with some creativity and know-how, it’s quite easy to figure out how to view the word count on Google Slides.
Here’s a quick and easy way to do it:
1. Export or Copy Your Text
You have two options here. Depending on how long your slideshow is, you may prefer one over the other.
For shorter presentations, you can simply copy the text from each individual slide by highlighting it, right-clicking on it, and selecting copy.
This method is quite time-consuming if you have a lot of separate sections in your presentation, so exporting the entire thing to a text file may be easier.
To do this, simply click on the File button in the top left corner, then go to Download, and finally select Plain text (.txt). Save the text file for the next step.
This method does copy literally everything, even the page numbers, so while it’s faster, it can be less accurate.
2. Paste Everything into Google Docs
Open up a blank Google Doc and paste all the copied text in there. You can do this by right-clicking in the whitespace and selecting paste.
If you opted to export to a text file, you’ll need to open it in Notepad if you’re using Windows, or TextEdit if you’re using macOS, then highlight and copy all the text.
Why use Google Docs for this? Because it’s one of the best word count tools out there, and while you’re already using Google Workspace anyway, it just makes sense.
3. Use the Google Docs Word Count Tool
This is the final step in how to do the word count on Google Slides.
Once you have pasted your text into Docs, click on Tools > Word Count and hit the shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows, Command+Shift+C on Mac).
Google Docs will count the word count instantly, along with some additional stats.
Getting the word count does involve a few extra steps, but it’s quick, painless, and gets you the word count without involving any third-party applications.
Alternative: Using Online Word Count Tools
If copying and pasting into Google Docs seems a bit tedious, you can use a free online word counter instead.
These handy websites let you check the word count in a few easy steps and can even give you some extra statistics that Google Docs doesn’t like the readability level and whitespace count.
You can either copy your slides one at a time or export your presentation as a text file, as in step 1.
Next, head over to a trustworthy online word counter.
We recommend using our Undetectable word counter, WordCounter.net, or EasyWordCount.com.
No sign-up is required, and all have a clean and easy-to-use interface.
Just paste your text into their box, and they will provide an accurate word count in seconds.
Tips for Improving Your Google Slides Presentation
Hitting that sweet spot for your presentation’s word count isn’t the only factor when making really effective Google Slides.
There are a few tips and tricks you can use to not only keep your audience tuned in but make the slides work for you.
Here’s how:
1. Pick Fonts That Actually Work
There’s so much more than Times New Roman in the world. Fonts set the vibe for the entire presentation.
Stick to fonts that are clear and easy to read from a distance—something like Arial or Roboto.
It also means staying clear of serif fonts with fancy tails and cursive-like appearances if you want more than just the front row to be able to read them.
You can diversify your font selection throughout the presentation but don’t go font-hopping on every slide. Too many styles can make the presentation feel messy and distracting.
2. Keep Text Blocks Short and Sweet
Have you ever seen a slide so packed with text that you needed binoculars to read it? It’s best to keep slide text to a minimum.
Trim your slides down to the bare essentials—use bullet points and short sentences, not paragraphs.
Your slides are there to back up your speech and presentation, not to take away the spotlight from what you’re trying to say.
3. Make it Easy to Skim
People don’t read slides like they read novels. They tend to focus on headings and bullet points and then skim the rest.
Use bold headers and bullet points to break up ideas and call attention to the information you want the audience to absorb the most.
Organize them logically so the main points can be grasped at a glance, with information presented left to right. Simple structure makes a big difference.
4. Write Like a Human
If you have used generative AI like ChatGPT to create the bulk of the text on your slide, you might find the tone and style is quite robotic.
You’ll want to use an AI humanizer tool like Undetectable.AI to add some personality and human touch to your writing. Click below to test it out in just one click!
This way, when your audience reads the content on your slides, they’ll feel as though they’re having a conversation with you, not a textbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Check Word Count Directly in Google Slides?
Short answer: No. Google Slides hasn’t yet included a native function that can count how many words you have in your presentation.
This is most likely due to Google viewing Slides as more of a visual affair rather than a written one.
Often word counts aren’t on the top of everyone’s mind when creating slide show presentations, so perhaps this is why Google skipped it.
That said, you’re not without options. You can copy your text in Google Docs, Microsoft Word (Windows), or Pages (macOS) to get the accurate number.
It does add a step or two, but it can save you from overloading your slides with too much information.
Is There a Shortcut for Word Count in Google Slides?
Not directly, but there are several fast alternatives for those who prefer their keyboard shortcuts to the old-school right-click.
The quickest option is to copy the text from your slides and paste them into Google Docs.
You can use the word count tool (Tools > Word Count or hit Ctrl+Shift+C) to quickly bring up a word count.
If you want to skip the whole Google Docs workaround and just use an online tool, you can export the slideshow by using the File > Download > Text file (.txt), then copying its contents into an online word counting tool like Undetectable Word and Sentence counter.
Conclusion: Quick Fixes for Better Presentations
Unfortunately, Google Slides still doesn’t include a word count tool for their presentation creation platform, but figuring out how to do word count on Google Slides is easy with our three steps.
Sure it does take a little extra time, but using Google Docs or an online word-counting tool means you’ll have a better idea how your slides read to your audience.
Tracking the word count helps to keep your slides concise and engaging without drowning the audience in text. After all, they’re there to hear you out, not read your thoughts on slides.
Pair these tips with an AI humanizer like Undetectable.AI and your presentation slides will read more naturally and be far more relatable.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about counting words but creating presentations that stick. We wish you all the best!