Create, edit, and format

Change how paragraphs and fonts look

You can edit the text, paragraphs, spacing, and font using the toolbar bar at the top of a document.

Format paragraphs

Change paragraph spacing or alignment

Change paragraph spacing

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the lines you want to change.
3. Click Format  Line spacing.
4. Select a line spacing option.

Change paragraph alignment

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the paragraph you want to change.
3. At the top, choose an alignment option.

Change paragraph borders or shading

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the paragraph you want to change.
3. Click Format  Paragraph styles  Borders and shading.
4. In the window that opens, change how you want your paragraph to look.
5. To remove paragraph borders or shading, click Reset.
6. When you are done, click Apply.

Format font

Change text case

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to change.
3. Click Format  Capitalization.
4. Select Lowercase, Uppercase, or Title case.

Choose a default font

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Highlight the text you want.
3. At the top, select the font you want.
4. Click Format  Paragraph styles  Normal text  Update normal text to match.
5. With the text still highlighted, click Format  Paragraph styles  Options  Save as my default styles.

After you choose a font, your new documents will use this font unless you change the it again.

Add fonts to your font list

In some languages, you can add new fonts to your font list.

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. At the top, click the font name to open the font list.
3. At the bottom of the list, click More fonts.
4. Browse or search for new fonts.
   • Click a font to add it to your "My fonts" list.
   • To sort your fonts or change how they appear in your list, use the "Show" and "Sort" arrows.
5. Click Ok.

Fonts are available in these languages

• Catalan
• Danish
• Dutch
• English
• Finnish
• French
• German
• Italian
• Norwegian
• Portuguese

Add a bulleted or numbered list

You can add and customize bulleted or numbered lists in Google Docs and Slides.

Add a list

1. Open a document or presentation.
2. Click a page or slide where you want to add a list.
3. In the toolbar, choose a list type. If you don't see the option, click More.
   • Numbered list ​
   • Bulleted list 
4. Optional:
   • To start a list inside a list press Tab on your keyboard. The new list will be indented.
   • To go back to the main list, press Enter twice on your keyboard. 

Edit a list

You can change the bullet type, indents, prefixes, and suffixes of a list.

Change list type and color

Change list type

1. Open a document or presentation.
2. Click a bullet or number.
3. At the top, click Format  Lists.
4. Choose a new bullet type:
   • List options: To make a custom bullet, click More bullets.
   • Numbered list
   • Bulleted list

Change list color

1. Open a document or presentation.
2. Click a bullet or number.
3. In the toolbar, click Text color .
4. Select a color.

Restart a numbered list

1. Open a document or presentation.
2. Double-click the first number.
3. At the top, click Format  Lists.
4. Click List options  Restart numbering.
5. Enter a new start number for your list.
6. Click OK.

Add text before or after a number

You can add text before or after a number in a list. For example, you can add "b" to the end of each number so the list looks like 1.b, 2.b, 3.b, etc.

1. Open a document or presentation.
2. Click a bullet or number.
3. At the top, click Format  Lists.
4. Click List options  Edit prefix and suffix.
5. Enter text before or after the number.
6. Click OK.

Change indents

Change bullet or number indents

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Highlight the list you want to indent.
3. In the toolbar, select an option:
   • Decrease indent 
   • Increase indent 

To indent in Google slides, highlight the list you want to indent and press Tab on your keyboard.

Change paragraph indents in Google Docs

You can indent one or more paragraphs at a time.

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to indent.
3. At the top, choose an indentation with the ruler.
• First line indent: To indent the first line, drag the blue rectangle on the ruler.
• Left indent: To change the left margin, drag the blue triangle on the left side of the ruler.
• Right indent: To change the right margin, drag the blue triangle on the right side of the ruler.
• Hanging indent: To indent everything except the first line, drag the blue triangle on the left side of the ruler. The entire paragraph will indent. Then, drag the blue rectangle back to where you want the first line.

Copy and paste text and images

You can copy and paste text and images between your files — even if you're going from one type of file to another.

Use the right-click menu or keyboard shortcuts

You might be able to copy and paste with the right-click menu, but for security reasons, most browsers don't allow web apps (like Docs, Sheets, and Slides) to use your computer's clipboard through menus.

If you use Chrome

To copy and paste, use the right-click menu or select "Copy" or "Paste" from the Edit menu in the toolbar.

If you use a different browser

To copy and paste, you can use keyboard shortcuts:

• PC: Ctrl + c for Copy, Ctrl + x for Cut, and Ctrl + v for Paste.
• Mac: ⌘ + c for Copy, ⌘ + x for Cut, and ⌘ + v for Paste.

More paste options

Copy and paste charts

1. On your computer, open a chart in Google Sheets.
2. In the top right corner of the chart, click More .
3. Click Copy chart.
4. To paste the chart, click Edit  Paste. If you are pasting outside of the spreadsheet, you will be asked whether or not to link the data to the copied chart.

Copy text formatting (paint format)

You can copy the formatting of text, cells, or an object with the paint format tool.

1. On your computer, open a Google file.
2. Select the text, range of cells, or object you want to copy the format of.
3. In the toolbar, click Paint format .
4. Select what you want to paste the formatting onto.
5. The formatting will change to be the same as the formatting you copied.

Keyboard shortcuts

To copy the formatting of selected text:

• Press Ctrl + Alt + c (Windows or Chrome OS) or ⌘ + Option + c (Mac).

To apply the formatting you copied to a different text selection:

• Press Ctrl + Alt + v (Windows or Chrome OS) or ⌘ + Option + v (Mac).

Use paste special in a spreadsheet

You can use paste special to decide which formatting gets copied when copying cells.

Paste special works only within a single spreadsheet. You can't copy cells from one spreadsheet and use paste special in a spreadsheet open in another tab.

1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
2. Copy the data you want to paste and put your cursor in the cell you want to paste into.
3. Click Edit  Paste special.
4. Choose from the following:
   • Paste values only: Pastes only the text from the original range of cells.
   • Paste format only: This option is identical to using the paint format tool -- it only copies cell formatting, and won't change existing text or formulas.
   • Paste all except borders: Pastes everything except cell borders.
   • Paste formula only: Pastes the formulas contained in a copied range of cells, not the resulting calculations of the formulas.
   • Paste data validation only: Pastes a data validation rule over a range of cells without changing existing formatting, formulas, or text.
   • Paste conditional formatting only: Only applies conditional formatting rules to a range of cells.
   • Paste transpose: Pastes a rotated version of the copied cells. For example, if you copy a column of cells and use paste transpose, it will paste them into a row, and vice versa.

Choose a format after pasting content

You can format the content after you paste it.

1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
2. In a spreadsheet, copy the content you want to paste.
3. Paste the content in the same spreadsheet.
4. By default, the original formatting of the content will stay the same. To change the formatting, click Paste .
5. Choose an option:
• Paste values only: Pastes only the text contained in the original range of cells.
• Paste format only: This option is identical to using the paint format tool -- it only copies cell formatting, and won't change existing text or formulas.

Edit and view text from right to left

Right-to-left controls turn on automatically when you open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation with right-to-left text, or when you add text in a right-to-left language. You can also turn on right-to-left controls manually.

Turn on right-to-left language controls

To set up Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for right-to-left languages:

1. On your computer, go to a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides home screen.
2. In the top left corner, click Menu   Settings.
3. Click the box next to "Always show right-to-left controls."
4. Click OK. The setting now applies to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Use right-to-left language controls

After you turn on right-to-left controls, you can change the layout of documents with text in a right-to-left language. 

Google Docs

Change paragraph direction

1. On your computer, go to Google Docs.
2. Open a document containing text with text in a right-to-left language.
3. To change paragraph direction, on the toolbar, click Paragraph direction .

Change table direction (column order)

1. On your computer, go to Google Docs.
2. Open a document.
3. Click Table  Table properties.
4. In the "Column order" section, choose Right-to-left or Left-to-right.

Google Sheets

Change the direction of the columns for a particular sheet

1. On your computer, go to Google Sheets.
2. Open a spreadsheet with text in a right-to-left language.
3. On the toolbar, click Direction .

Note: This change will only apply to the current sheet, not all sheets in the spreadsheet.

Change the direction of text inside of a cell

1. On your computer, go to Google Sheets​.
2. Open a spreadsheet with text in a right-to-left language.
3. Click the text you want to change.
4. On the toolbar, click Cell direction .

Note: If you type text into a cell using a right-to-left language, Google Sheets will automatically change the text direction to right-to-left. It will switch back if you start to type in a left-to-right language.

Google Slides

Change paragraph direction

1. On your computer, go to Google Slides .
2. Open a presentation with text in a right-to-left language.
3. Click the text you want to change.
4. On the format toolbar, click Paragraph direction 

Add a title, heading, or table of contents in a document

You can organize your document with text styles like titles, headings, and a table of contents. You can customize the font and size of the text styles and set your styles as defaults.

Add, change, or delete a table of contents

You can see your document structure with a table of contents. Each item in the table of contents links to your document headings or title.

Add or delete a table of contents

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click where you want the table of contents.
3. Click Insert  Table of contents.
4. Choose how you want the table of contents to look.

To delete it, right-click and click Delete table of contents.

Edit your table of contents

The table of contents reflects the titles and headings in your document.

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. Add a heading in your document.
3. Click Refresh . The change will update in your table of contents.

Make a title or heading

Change the text style

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to change.
3. Click Format  Paragraph styles.
4. Click a text style:
   • Normal text
   • Title
   • Subtitle
   • Heading 1-6
5. Click Apply ‘text style.'

Use a custom text style

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select text with the style you want to use.
3. Click Format  Paragraph styles  Normal text or Heading 1-6  Update ‘Heading' to match.
4. All of the text in your document with the same text type, such as "Heading 4" or "Normal text," will be updated to match your initial selection.

Note: If you change the style of normal text, the heading fonts will also change to the new style.

Set and change a default style

On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.

• Set a default style: Click Format  Paragraph styles  Options  Save as my default styles.
• Apply a default style: Click Format  Paragraph styles  Options  Use my default styles.
• Restore original to the Google style: Click Format  Paragraph styles  Options  Reset styles

Delete a document, spreadsheet, or presentation

You can delete a document, spreadsheet, or presentation from the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides home screens

Put a file in the trash

To remove a file, you can put it in your trash. Your file will stay there until you empty your trash.

If you're the owner of the file, others can view it until you permanently delete the file. If you're not the owner, others can see the file even if you empty your trash.

1. Open Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
2. Next to the file you want to delete, click More   Remove.
3. The file will be moved to the trash section of Drive. Learn more about finding and recovering files in the “Trash” sectionof Drive.

If you delete a shared document, spreadsheet, or presentation that you own, it will be completely removed from Drive for all collaborators, and they will no longer have access to the document. Before deleting a document, you may want to make someone else its owner so that others can still access it.

Other ways to delete a file:

• With the file open: Click File  Move to trash.
• In Drive: Click the name of the file, in the top right, click Trash 

Suggest edits in Google Docs

You can suggest changes to a document without changing the original text. If the owner approves your suggestions, they replace the original text.

Suggest changes to a file

1. On your computer, open a document at docs.google.com.
   • In the top right, if you don’t see "Suggesting," click Editing  Suggesting. If you don’t see this option, ask the file owner to let you suggest changes.
2. Edit the document.
   • You’ll see your change in a new color. Anything you delete will be crossed out.
   • To add more detail, click your suggestion and type a comment. Then click Reply.
3. The owner of the file will get an email about your suggestions and can decide whether to keep them.

Learn how to add a comment to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

Accept or reject suggestions

Accept suggestions one by one

1. On your computer, open a document at docs.google.com.
2. Choose a comment.
3. Click Accept  ​ or Reject .

To see all edits, go to the top right and click Comments.

Accept or reject all suggestions

1. On your computer, open a document at docs.google.com.
2. Click Tools  Review suggested edits.
3. A box will appear in the top right.
4. To preview what your document will look like with or without the changes, click the Down arrow  and choose an option.
5. Click Accept all or Reject all.

Manage your suggestions

Let others suggest changes

People can suggest edits when you give them permission to comment on or edit your document.

Learn how to share your file.

Import a document with tracked changes

When you convert files between Google Docs editors and Microsoft Office:

• Any tracked changes in Microsoft Office become suggestions in Google Docs editors.
• Any suggestions in Google Docs editors become tracked changes in Microsoft Office

Edit and use a document outline

You can structure documents with the document outline in Google Docs. The outline detects titles and headings to help frame your document.

Open a document outline

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. To open the outline, click Tools  Document outline. The outline will open on the left.

Close a document outline

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. On the left side of the document next to "Outline," click Close . The outline will stay closed until you open it again.

Add headings to an outline

Google Docs will automatically add headings to the outline, but you can also add them manually.

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to make a heading.
3. On the toolbar styles menu, click Normal text.
4. Click a heading style. The heading will be added to the outline.

Note: Subtitles will not appear in the outline.

Remove headings from an outline

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. On the document outline, point to the heading you want to remove. Click Remove from outline .

Note: You can add a heading back to the outline. Select the text, right-click, and click "Add to document outline."

Use an outline to move around in a document

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click the heading you want to go to in the document. You will move to that place in the document

Add or delete columns in a document

You can insert or remove columns in a document in Google Docs.

Make text into columns

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to put into columns.
3. Click Format  Columns.
4. Select the number of columns you want.

Change column formatting

1. Select the columns you want to change.
2. Click Format  Columns.
3. Click More options.
4. Make your changes and click Apply.

Remove column format

1. Select the columns you want to change.
2. Click Format  Columns  1 column .

Add a column break

Column breaks make the next text start at the top of the next column, similar to a page break.

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click the part of the column where you want to add a break.
3. Click Insert  Column break.

If the column break option isn’t available, put text into 2 or more columns.