FileTally makes one of the products compared here. Competitor facts were checked on October 6, 2026 against the sources linked on this page.
The free method
- Open the folder in File Explorer and switch to Details view.
- Right-click the column headers, choose More, tick Pages and click OK.
- Copy the numbers into Excel and add them up.
Steps from the ILTA tip of the week.
The facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | The Pages column is blank for files that don't have a page count, such as text and graphic files | ILTA |
| Scope | The column setting applies to the current folder unless applied to all folders | ILTA |
| Cost | Free, plus staff time | Built into Windows |
Where it falls apart
- Subfolders. You visit every folder yourself.
- Blanks. Images, text files and many other files show nothing, so you open them one by one.
- TIFFs and email. No page count in the column.
- Typos. Every number you retype is a chance to get it wrong, and no one can check the result against the files later.
FileTally, for comparison
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Counts | PDF, Word (DOC, DOCX), Excel (XLS, XLSX, printed pages by print area), PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX), multi-page TIFF, JPG/PNG/BMP, MSG and EML email, TXT; supported ZIPs extracted locally | FileTally features |
| Statuses | Every result Exact or Estimated; files it can't count cleanly listed as Action needed with the reason | FileTally |
| Exports | CSV, XLSX and a printable PDF summary | FileTally |
| Privacy | Runs 100% locally on Windows 10 and 11. No upload, no account | FileTally security |
| Price | $24.99 one-time, 12 months of updates, 7-day trial from first scan | FileTally licensing |
Use the manual method when
- You have a handful of Word files in one folder.
- The number is for your own reference.
- There is no budget at all.
Use FileTally when
- The folder has subfolders, PDFs, TIFFs or email.
- Someone else will rely on the number.
- Your time costs more than $24.99.
Step by step: count pages in multiple Word documents. Back to all comparisons.
Questions people ask
Is there a free way to count pages in many files?
Yes. In File Explorer, use Details view, add the Pages column and copy the numbers into Excel. It works for files that store a page count, one folder at a time.
Why is the Pages column blank for some files?
The column shows a page count stored in the file's properties. Files that don't store one, such as text files and images, show a blank value.
When is a paid page counter worth it?
When folders have subfolders or mixed formats, or when someone else will rely on the number. FileTally costs $24.99 once and produces a per-file export you can check.
Can FileTally count pages in Word files that show blank in Explorer?
Yes. FileTally counts Word documents with Word automation when Office is installed, or from document metadata otherwise, and labels how each count was made.