Set up a word counter on this computer
Choose the word counter door that matches the machine in front of you. Windows should take WordCounter-*-win64.zip from GitHub Releases. macOS and Linux should expect a Python source path because no binary ships on the current tag.
Install WordCounter 0.5.0
Windows
Paste into PowerShell or Command Prompt:
WordCounter-*-win64.zipPackage: GitHub Releases Windows zip WordCounter-*-win64.zip on michaelbeijer/WordCounter (tag v0.5.0 on this review date). Extract anywhere and run WordCounter.exe. No winget package id was found on microsoft/winget-pkgs on this review date; do not invent one. Zip extract and exe launch UNVERIFIED on a real Windows machine..
Other Windows commands
Or download the file directly from the official GitHub release:
Download Windows 64-bit zipWindows 64-bit desktop. Prefer WordCounter-*-win64.zip from the current michaelbeijer/WordCounter tag. Extract the zip and run WordCounter.exe; no Python or Java install is required for the bundled Windows build.
macOS
Paste into Terminal:
pip install python-docx python-pptx openpyxl pdfminer.sixPackage: No macOS release asset ships on michaelbeijer/WordCounter (current tag). Upstream documents a Python 3.10+ source install in the README. Homebrew cask was not found on formulae.brew.sh on this review date; do not invent one. Source install UNVERIFIED on a real Mac..
Other macOS commands
Or read the official setup notes:
Open the macOS install docsmacOS with Python 3.10+. No prebuilt macOS asset ships on the current tag; follow the README source path.
Linux
Paste into your terminal:
pip install python-docx python-pptx openpyxl pdfminer.sixPackage: No Linux AppImage, .deb, Flatpak, or snap ships on michaelbeijer/WordCounter (current tag). Upstream documents a Python 3.10+ source install in the README. Source install UNVERIFIED on a real machine; do not invent a package id..
Other Linux commands
Or read the official setup notes:
Open the Linux install docsA desktop Linux session with Python 3.10+. No prebuilt Linux asset ships on the current tag.
Every file comes from michaelbeijer/WordCounter v0.5.0 on GitHub, the project's own release, unmodified.
Windows desks
Download the win64 zip, extract it, run WordCounter.exe, then prove a small .docx batch. No winget id was found on this review date. Keep the Releases URL on the machine ticket so updates stay honest.
Detail: Windows install. Safe path: download safely.
macOS desks
There is no Homebrew cask and no dmg on the current tag. If you still need this word counter on a Mac, follow README Python 3.10+ dependencies and run from source. Record the run as UNVERIFIED until you complete it yourself.
Guide: macOS install.
Linux desks
No AppImage, Flatpak, or snap was published for this product on the current tag. Use the same README source path, or keep a Windows VM when you need the named release zip for parity with agency machines.
Guide: Linux install.
What to prove before billing
- Window opens and shows Count controls
- One batch finishes with word totals
- CSV or Markdown export writes somewhere you control
- Update door written beside OS version
First hour checklist: installed. First run narrative: first run.
When to keep another counter
Keep AnyCount if a client workflow still depends on that vendor. Keep browser counters for quick paste jobs on locked-down machines. Keep this word counter when you need offline batch files and MIT source on a Windows zip.
Compare: vs AnyCount. Switch: switch from AnyCount.
Shared and travel machines
Portable zip folders travel well when the whole tree moves together. Do not copy only the exe. On travel laptops, store documents and the app folder on the same volume you control.
After every reimage, re-download from Releases instead of restoring an unknown mirror from old bookmarks.
This computer only needs one honest door. Pick Windows zip or documented source, prove a batch, then stop shopping for mirrors.
Related: home, releases, guides.
Desk notes that prevent drift
Write the GitHub Releases URL on the machine ticket beside the OS version and the zip filename you actually extracted. When a teammate later searches for word counter again, that note stops them from grabbing a random portal mirror. Agencies that skip the note usually rediscover adware download portal pages during a rush job.
Keep a tiny sample folder of non-confidential .docx and .pptx files for smoke tests after every update. Proving a word counter batch on known files is faster than debugging rates on a live client delivery. Store exports next to the sample set so you can compare CSV rows across versions.
If SmartScreen or another gate blocks the first launch, return to the official Releases URL instead of downloading a second copy from search ads. Duplicate folders are how desks end up quoting from the wrong build. Uninstall means deleting the extracted tree you no longer trust, then re-extracting once from the tag you pinned.
For macOS and Linux operators who still need counting, document that the current tag is source-only. A Python virtual environment with the README dependencies is honest. Pretending a missing dmg or AppImage exists is how install docs go stale and fail audits.
Finally, keep commercial tools available as a fallback when a client contract still names them. A local MIT word counter can sit beside AnyCount without forcing an overnight migration. Switch when the batch path and exports cover the jobs you actually bill.
Operational checklist for busy weeks
Before a rush delivery, confirm the word counter folder still launches, the sample batch still finishes, and exports still open in your spreadsheet tool. Rush weeks are when people grab the first search result and break a carefully pinned Releases habit.
After holidays or laptop swaps, re-read the machine ticket. If the zip path vanished, download again from GitHub Releases instead of restoring an unknown copy from a USB stick with no provenance. Provenance is part of counting quality when clients audit how numbers were produced.
Teach freelancers the difference between the product name WordCounter and the search phrase word counter. The phrase describes the job; the Releases asset is the install door. Mixing those ideas is how adware download portal pages win clicks.