Word Count in Overleaf and LaTeX: What TeXcount Includes
Blog / ACADEMIC WRITING
Overleaf's File → Word Count command uses TeXcount to estimate the words in a LaTeX project. It is not simply counting every token in your source file. Before using the number for a submission, check which parts of the paper are included and which your journal or institution requires.
Run the project word count
Open the project and use File → Word Count. Overleaf runs TeXcount on the main document and follows files brought in with supported include and input commands. Its documentation says the main document should be at the top level of the project. Menu placement can differ in older interfaces, so consult the current official guide if your layout looks different.
In a multi-file paper, confirm which file is set as the main document before interpreting the result. An abandoned draft or test document can otherwise produce a plausible number for the wrong content. Give included files meaningful names and remove obsolete material from the compilation path rather than trying to infer project scope from the count alone.
Understand the default exclusions
Overleaf documents exclusions including references, headers, captions, floats, and displayed mathematics in its default count. That makes the result more useful than a raw source-file count, but it does not mean the total automatically matches a journal's rules. A journal may want captions or an abstract included even when the tool treats them separately.
Consider an illustrative paper with 2,400 words of main text, 120 words of captions, and a 300-word bibliography. A body-only total is 2,400; a body-plus-caption requirement is 2,520. Including the bibliography as well would make 2,820. Decide which total your instructions request before adding components or changing any TeXcount settings.
Why raw LaTeX word counting overstates prose
LaTeX source contains commands, labels, citation keys, package names, and formatting instructions. Copying the whole source into a general word counter can treat some of those as words. It answers how much source text you have, not necessarily how much natural-language content a reader will encounter.
Conversely, extracting text from a PDF is not a perfect replacement. Multi-column layout can reorder text, mathematical symbols may be lost, and headers can repeat across pages. Use TeXcount as a structured starting point, then inspect any required components it excludes. Do not assume that the larger of two totals is automatically the correct one.
Handle references with the documented method
The official Overleaf guide explains a bibliography-inclusion workaround for manual bibliographies and BibTeX. It also notes that this method does not support BibLaTeX. Follow the current instructions for your bibliography system rather than pasting a command from a guide written for a different setup.
Before altering source or counting configuration, save a separate version of the project. Check that the document still compiles and that the counting change affects only the intended material. If your publisher excludes references, adding bibliography counting can be unnecessary work and may make your reported total less appropriate.
Report a transparent submission count
Keep a short private note of your counting method: main text only, abstract included or excluded, captions included or excluded, and references excluded or included. This lets you explain the number if an editor asks. The note is a record of the rule you followed, not permission to invent your own word-limit policy.
Frequently asked questions
Does Overleaf use TeXcount?
Yes. Its Word Count command runs TeXcount on the main file and supported included files.
Are references included by default?
Overleaf's documented default excludes references. Its bibliography workaround has limitations, including no support for BibLaTeX in that method.