Reading time calculator
Estimate reading time at your chosen speed.
Reading time calculator
Type or paste to update the result automatically.
Your result appears here
Type, paste, or use an example. Copy your result when it is ready.
How to use Reading time calculator
Reading Time Calculator estimates how long a text takes to read from its word count and a reading speed you set. The default is 200 words per minute, adjustable from 50 to 1000, and the result appears in minutes and seconds alongside the word count and total estimated seconds. Words are counted with Unicode word boundaries, so punctuation is ignored.
- Type or paste your source, or load an example.
- Change the basic settings or open Advanced mode to fine-tune the result.
- Review and copy or download your result. Pause Live results to run manually. Sources or individual settings above 20,000 characters require an explicit run.
What this tool supports
Estimate reading time at your chosen speed.
- Reading speed (words/minute)
- Range: 50 to 1000
Limits and processing
Text operations generally accept up to 2,000,000 characters. Individual parsers, generators and formulas apply additional limits shown by their controls.
Example source
Hello world. A second line. Café, İstanbul, 日本語, and 👨👩👧👦.
Frequently asked questions
How is reading time calculated?
The word count is divided by your words-per-minute value, converted to seconds and rounded up to the next whole second. A 1,000-word article at 200 words per minute shows 5 min 0 sec.
Can I change the reading speed used for the estimate?
Yes. Set Reading speed to any whole number from 50 to 1000 words per minute; it starts at 200. The estimate scales directly with that value, so halving the speed doubles the reading time.
Can I use the reading time calculator to time a speech?
You can enter your speaking pace as the words-per-minute value, since the calculation only divides the word count by that speed. It does not account for pauses, slides or images, so treat the figure as an estimate.
Where is my input processed?
This operation processes its source in your browser. Copy and download are explicit actions; source input is not saved in an account or history.
What are the input limits?
Text operations generally accept up to 2,000,000 characters. Individual parsers, generators and formulas apply additional limits shown by their controls.