Word Count in WordPress: Find the Outline Panel
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In the WordPress block editor, open List View and select the Outline tab to see the document's word count. WordPress.com's current editor guide identifies Outline as the panel containing the title, headings, character count, and word count.
Open the post rather than the public page
From your dashboard, open the post or page for editing. Use the editor's List View control, then switch to Outline instead of looking through the block list.
If you are revising a travel itinerary, this gives you a working document count while you edit. Opening the public article alone does not expose the editor's Outline panel.
Know which text you are comparing
An editor count and a count of copied public-page text can differ because you may have selected different material. A public-page selection might include a navigation menu, author biography, or related-post headings.
For a restaurant review, compare only the review body if that is what your brief measures. Keep the title, captions, and disclosure separate when the commissioning editor has given separate inclusion rules.
Use the outline for a structural check
WordPress's Outline panel also exposes headings, which makes it useful for reviewing organization alongside length. A large count does not reveal whether the article answers the reader's question efficiently.
An itinerary might repeat transport advice beneath every destination. Consolidating that material into a clear planning section can improve the draft without chasing an arbitrary word target.
Troubleshoot without installing unnecessary tools
If your interface looks different, confirm which editor you are using and consult its matching documentation. The List View and Outline instructions apply to the block-editor interface described by WordPress.com.
For an independent check, copy the intended prose into the word counter. That is useful for a selected passage, but it should not be presented as a site-wide total or assumed to include dynamic content absent from your selection.
Frequently asked questions
Where is word count in the block editor?
Open List View, then choose Outline to view the document statistics.
Do I need a plugin to check a draft?
Not for the word count available in the block editor's Outline panel.
Does one post's count tell me my site's total?
No. A document count covers that document, not every post and page on the site.