Google Docs
Information on How to Use Google Docs
- How to use Google Docs
- Docs cheat sheet
- Change page setup of a Google Doc
- Switching to Docs from Microsoft Word
How to use Google Docs
Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format documents and work with other people. See our top five tips for Google Docs.
Step 1: Create a document
To create a new document:
- On your computer, open the Docs home screen at docs.google.com.
- In the top left, under "Start a new document," click New.
You can also create new documents from the URL docs.google.com/create.
Step 2: Edit and format
To edit a document:
- On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
- To select a word, double-click it or use your cursor to select the text you want to change.
- Start editing.
- To undo or redo an action, at the top, click Undo or Redo .
Note: To edit a document on a touchscreen device, like a Pixel Book, double-tap the document to start typing.
You can add and edit text, paragraphs, spacing, and more in a document.
Step 3: Share & work with others
Docs cheat sheet
1. Edit and add styles to your text. 
2. Work with different versions and copies of your document.
Make a copy: Create a duplicate of your document.
Download as: Download your document in other formats, such as Microsoft® Word® or Adobe® PDF.
Email as attachment: Send a copy of the document to people. You can change the format.
Version history: See all the changes you and others have made to the document or revert to earlier versions.
Publish to the web: Publish a copy of your document as a webpage, or embed your document in a website.
3. Enhance your document by adding features.
Image: Insert an image from your computer, the web, Drive, and more.
Table: Select the number of columns and rows to create a table.
Drawing: Create pictures, flowcharts, diagrams, and more.
Link: Add a link to a webpage or a header or bookmark in your document.
Chart: Add different types of charts, or add a chart from Sheets.
Bookmark: Add shortcuts to specific places within your document.
Table of contents: Create an autogenerated table of contents that links to each heading (where you’ve applied heading styles).
4. Click Share to share your document and then choose what collaborators can do. They’ll also receive an email notification.
Share or unshare | Edit content directly | Suggest edits | Add comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Can edit | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Can comment | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Can view |
5. Collaborate with your team in real time.
Change page setup of a Google Doc
- On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
- In the toolbar, click File
Page setup.
- Go to the setting you want to change:
- Orientation
- Paper size
- Page color
- Margins
- Make your changes.
- Click OK.
- Optional: To make new documents open with the settings you chose, click Set as default.
Switching to Docs from Microsoft Word
In Word... | In Docs... |
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Share your document using Microsoft® SharePoint® or OneDrive® |
For more details, see Get started with Docs. Share your document with Word users
For more details, see Work with Microsoft Office files. |
Collaborate in real-time in Word Online |
When you share a document, depending on their access, collaborators can edit documents, add comments, and assign tasks.
|
Access version history in SharePoint or OneDrive |
For more details, read See changes to your Drive files and folders.
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Track changes in a document |
Make suggestions in a documentAdd and assign comments in a document
|
Open a Word document |
Any changes you make are saved to the original Microsoft Office file. For more details, see Work with Microsoft Office files.
|
Access a document offline in OneDrive |
To learn how to access files offline from your desktop or mobile, see Access stored Drive files without the internet. |
Save a document automatically in SharePoint or OneDrive or turn on AutoRecover | |
Insert pictures in your document |
You can drag and drop images from your computer into your document. Or, click Insert For more details, see Add and edit images. |
Add an Excel chart to your document |
For more details, see Insert and edit charts. |