Last updated: December 30, 2024 • 8 articles • 10 min read
Welcome to CiteCount!
CiteCount is a powerful, privacy-focused word counting tool designed specifically for students working on academic assignments. Whether you're writing an IB Extended Essay, a university paper, or any academic document, CiteCount helps you manage word counts accurately while excluding citations.
💡 Why CiteCount?
Unlike traditional word processors, CiteCount automatically detects and excludes in-text citations from your word count, following IB and academic standards. Plus, everything runs locally in your browser—your documents never leave your device!
Quick Start Guide
Open CiteCount: Navigate to citecount.com in your web browser (works on desktop, tablet, and mobile).
Add Your Text: Choose one of three ways:
Type directly in the editor
Paste from your clipboard (Cmd/Ctrl + V)
Drag & drop a .docx or .pdf file
View Your Counts: CiteCount automatically analyzes your text and displays:
Words without Citations (the key metric for IB)
Total Words
Characters without Citations
Total Characters
Number of Citations detected
Manage Citations: Click on the Citations panel to:
See all detected citations
Click a citation to jump to it in your text
Toggle citations to include/exclude from count
View citation occurrences and word counts
Save Your Work: Enable AutoSave in Settings (⌘,) to automatically save your text as you type. Your work is saved locally in your browser.
Understanding the Interface
Top Navigation Bar
📁
Documents (Docs)
Access your projects and folders (Beta feature)
❓
Help
Open this help center
⚙️
Settings
Customize CiteCount (⌘,)
🎯
More Apps
Access other CiteCount tools
Counter Display
The top bar shows real-time statistics as you type. You can customize which counters appear in Settings → Counter Display.
Text Editor
Rich text formatting: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough
Live citation highlighting: Citations appear in red/green
Spell checking: Native browser spell check (can be toggled)
Welcome message: Appears when editor is empty
Citations Panel (Desktop)
On desktop, the Citations panel appears on the right side showing:
Citations tab: List of all detected citations
Word Count Details tab: Detailed breakdown of counts
Search: Find specific citations quickly
Sort: Organize citations alphabetically
📱 Mobile Users
On mobile, click the "Citations" button in the toolbar to access the Citations panel in a full-screen overlay.
Importing Documents
Supported File Types
Microsoft Word (.docx): Full support with text extraction
PDF (.pdf): Text extraction (images and equations removed)
Three Ways to Import
1. Drag and Drop (Easiest)
Simply drag your file from your computer
Drop it anywhere on the CiteCount editor
Text is automatically extracted and analyzed
Works with multiple files at once
2. Choose File Button
Click "Choose File" on the welcome screen
Browse and select your document
Upload multiple files by selecting them together
3. Paste from Clipboard
Copy text from any source (Word, Google Docs, PDFs)
Click "Paste Text" or press Cmd/Ctrl + V
Text is instantly analyzed
⚠️ Important Notes:
Images, equations, and special formatting are removed during import
Only plain text content is extracted
Your files are processed locally—nothing is uploaded to servers
For best results, use .docx files
First-Time Setup Tips
Recommended Settings
Press ⌘, (Mac) or Ctrl, (Windows) to open Settings and configure:
✅ Enable AutoSave: Never lose your work
✅ Enable Warn on Leave: Get warnings before accidentally closing
✅ Enable Spell Check: Catch typos as you type
Adjust Font Size: Make text comfortable to read
Choose Font Family: Select your preferred typeface
Customize Counter Display
In Settings → Counter Display, you can:
Show/hide specific counters
Reorder counters with arrow buttons
Add Speaking Time and Reading Time
🎨 Theme Support
CiteCount automatically adapts to your system's light/dark mode preference. No manual theme switching needed!
Common First-Time Questions
Do I need to create an account?
No! CiteCount works entirely in your browser without any account or sign-up. Just open the website and start using it.
Where is my text saved?
Your text is saved locally in your browser's localStorage. This means:
✅ It's private and secure on your device
✅ No server uploads or cloud storage
✅ Persists when you close and reopen the browser
❌ Not accessible from other devices/browsers
❌ Can be lost if you clear browser data
Can I use CiteCount offline?
Partial support: Once you've loaded CiteCount, the app can work offline for basic text editing and word counting. However, features like file import may have limitations offline.
Is there a mobile app?
CiteCount is a web application that works great on mobile browsers. There's no separate app to download—just visit citecount.com on your phone or tablet!
Next Steps
Now that you know the basics, explore more features: