About this reading time calculator
Reading time is the number of words divided by how many words per minute you read. Adults reading silently average around 225 words per minute, careful study is slower, and skimming is faster, so this calculator offers focused, average, skim, and custom speeds. Dense technical or study material takes longer than a light article, so you can add a 10% or 25% buffer, and every image, chart, table, or diagram adds 12 seconds. Paste text to also see which paragraphs take the longest, or type a word count if you only know the length.
How to estimate reading time
- Add your text or a word count. Paste text into the box, or type a number in Word count (optional). A word count you type replaces the pasted text.
- Set the speed and density. Choose a Reading speed, or pick Custom speed and enter your own words per minute. Choose a Reading density to add time for harder material.
- Add visuals. Enter how many images, charts, tables, or diagrams the reader will look at in Images, charts, tables, or diagrams.
- Press Calculate reading time. You get the total in minutes and seconds, the time at all three standard speeds, progress markers at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, and the longest paragraphs.
Frequently asked questions
How is the reading time calculated?
Words divided by words per minute, multiplied by 60 for seconds and by one plus the density buffer, plus 12 seconds for each visual. At 225 words per minute, 900 plain words take four minutes.
What reading speed should I choose?
Use 225 for ordinary articles, 180 for material the reader should absorb, such as instructions or study notes, and 300 for skimming. If you know your audience’s speed, choose Custom speed.
What does the density setting do?
It adds a percentage to the reading time for harder text: 10% for moderate detail and 25% for dense study material. The percentage applies to the text, not to the time added for visuals.
Which one wins if I paste text and also enter a word count?
The word count you type. It replaces the pasted text, which is useful when you only know the length of a document. The paragraph breakdown is only shown for pasted text.
How are Chinese and Japanese words counted?
Every Chinese or Japanese character counts as one word, because those languages do not put spaces between words. Readers move at a different pace in those scripts, so treat the result as a rough guide.