OneNote does not word count natively, but you can get it to word count with the Word Count Add-In.
How to see word count in OneNote?
As of December 2023, OneNote hasn't yet added support for natively counting words and likely won't add such support soon, but if you are looking to be able to word count directly within OneNote, we have put together this blog post, especially for you!
OneNote Add-Ins
You may not be familiar with it, but OneNote Add-Ins are small extensions that enhance the functionality of Microsoft OneNote experience.
The goal of them is to allow you to integrate various tools and services directly within your notes, or add functionality that natively isn't supported by OneNote, like counting words.
Word count Add-Ins options
There are two main word count Add-In options available in the market. The first and most mentioned is Gem for OneNote, while the second is Onetastic Word Count. Both Add-Ins count words, with the main difference being that Gem for OneNote counts other things like Paragraphs besides just words.
Gem for OneNote also seems able to word count the entire NoteBook, while Onetastic Word Count only counts the words of a single section (as of today).
We will focus on installing and using Gem for OneNote, but choosing the option that best suits your needs is up to you. Since Gem for OneNote is a toolkit of add-ins, you will get multiple different features when you install it, but we will solely focus on its word count functionality. Installing any of those Add-Ins in your OneNote app should be a similar process.
Installing Gem for OneNote
To install the Gem for OneNote add-in, you have to go to the download page and download the version of the Gem for the version of your OneNote.
Once the .zip file is downloaded, extract its contents and then run the .exe to install it, like you would do any other normal software.
Once the installation finishes, open OneNote and go to the Gem tab, you will see the option Count
OneNote Gem tab
Once you click that button it will give you the options as to how it should count the words on your Notebook. Choose the option that makes more sense for you, and the next thing you will see is the word count of it!
Gem for OneNote word count of current page
Gem for OneNote also has installation instructions for you to follow, so if you face any issues, check the instructions, and if needed, contact their support for help!
Conclusion
Seeing the word count in OneNote is possible, but not something OneNote supports natively and likely won't support.
Add-ins like Gem for OneNote are great, but they may add more features than you need, so going with lighter options like Onetastic Word Count may be better if you don't need to word count across an entire notebook.
Word count: 485 words, 2742 characters by word counter
