How to use Google Docs

Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format documents and work with other people.

Step 1: Create a document

To create a new document:

1. On your computer, open the Docs home screen at docs.google.com.
2. 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:

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. To select a word, double-click it or use your cursor to select the text you want to change.
3. Start editing.
4. To undo or redo an action, at the top, click Undo  or Redo .

You can add and edit text, paragraphs, spacing, and more in a document.

• Format paragraphs or font
• Add a title, heading, or table of contents

Step 3: Share & work with others

You can share files and folders with people and choose whether they can view, edit, or comment on them.

Create, view, or save a file

You can create, look at, and save documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Your files are then available to edit, share, and work on with others.

Create a file

1. On your computer, open a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms home screen.
2. Click Create .

You can also create a document from a template.

View a file

To view files that you’ve created or opened on any computer and other documents like Microsoft® Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files:

1. On your computer, open a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms home screen.
2. Click the document, spreadsheet, or presentation you want to view.

Note: If someone else is working on the file, you’ll see the changes they’re making.

Rename a file

When you create a new document, spreadsheet, or presentation, it will automatically be named “Untitled document,” “Untitled spreadsheet,” or “Untitled presentation.” To rename the file:

1. Click the name at the top of the file.
2. Type a new name.
3. Press Enter.

Save a file

When you're online, your Google files will save as you type. You don’t need a save button.

If you aren't connected to the Internet, you can set up offline access to save your changes.

Note: On Google Sheets, you need to click outside of the cell you're typing in to save.

Make a copy of a file

1. On your computer, open a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms home screen.
2. Open the file you want to make a copy of.
3. In the menu, click File  Make a copy.
4. Type a name and choose where to save it.
5. Click Ok.

Download a copy of a file

1. On your computer, open a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms home screen.
2. Open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation.
3. At the top, click File  Download as.
4. Choose a file type. The file will download onto your computer.

Create a file from a template

Use templates to create formatted files like a resume, budget, or order form.

Note: Templates are only available in English.

Make a file from a template

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms

1. On a computer, go to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms.
2. To use a template, click the one you want.
3. To see more options, at the top, click Template gallery.

You can also use templates when you're in a file. Click File  New  From template.

Use a template from Google Drive

1. On a computer, go to drive.google.com.
2. At the top left, click New.
3. Next to the type of file you want to create, click the arrow .
4. Click From a template.

Use a template with add-ons

Some templates have add-ons included with them. Before you can use the add-ons with your document, you have to add them:

1. On a computer, open the template you want to use.
2. At the right, find the add-ons you want to use.
3. Click Add to Docs, Add to Sheets, or Add to Slides.

Learn more about add-ons.

Show or hide templates

You can choose if you want to see templates on your home screen.

Hide templates

1. On a computer, go to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms.
2. At the top right, click More .
3. Click Hide templates.

Show templates

Use templates when gallery is hidden

To use templates after you hide them:

1. At the bottom right, hold your mouse over Create .
2. Click the blue circle labeled 'Choose template.'

Show all templates

1. On a computer, go to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms.
2. At the top left, click Menu   Settings.
3. Click Display recent templates on home screens.

Insert items

Add, edit, or remove a link, bookmark, or page break

You can use links, bookmarks, and page breaks to help people find content or move around your file in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

Links

You can insert, update, or delete links in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

Create a link

1. Open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation.
2. Click where you want the link, or highlight the text that you want to link.
3. Click Insert  Link.
4. In the "Text" field, type the text you want to be linked.
5. In the "Link" field, enter a URL or email address, or search for a website.
6. Click Apply.

Change or remove a link

1. Open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation.
2. Click the link you want to remove.
3. To remove the link in Google Docs or Slides, click Remove. To update the link, click Change and choose a new link or text.
4. To remove a link in Google Sheets, right click the cell with the link and click Unlink. To change the link, right click the cell and click Edit link.

Link to a range of cells in a spreadsheet

1. Open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
2. Select the cell you want to link.
3. Click Insert  Link.
4. Click Select a range of cells to link . 
5. Select the range of cells you want to link to.
6. Click Ok.
7. Click Apply.

Bookmarks

To link within a document to a specific section or page, use bookmarks. Bookmarks are not available in Google Sheetsor Slides.

Create a bookmark

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click where you want the bookmark.
3. Click Insert  Bookmark. A bookmark will appear.

Link to a bookmark

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to link from.
3. Click Insert  Link.
4. In the window that opens, click Bookmarks. A list will show the bookmarks in your document.
5. Click the bookmark you want to link to. 
6. Click Apply.

To remove the link or bookmark, click it, then click Remove.

Page breaks

You can insert or delete page breaks in Google Docs. Page breaks are useful if you want to break up an idea or set an image apart from text in your document. Page breaks are not available in Google Sheets or Slides.

Add a page break

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click Insert  Page break.
3. The page break will be added to your document.

Delete a page break

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click underneath the page break.
3. On your keyboard, press Backspace or Delete until the page break is removed.

Insert or delete images or videos

You can add or remove photos or videos in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Add an image in Docs, Sheets, or Slides

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Slides.
2. Click Insert  Image.
3. Select from the following options:
   • Upload
   • Take a snapshot
   • By URL
   • Your albums
   • Google Drive
   • Search
4. Choose an image and click Open or Select.

Image requirements

Images must be less than 50 MB and one of the following file types:

• .gif
• .jpg
• .png

Delete an image

1. On your computer, open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
2. Select an image.
3. Press the Delete or Backspace key on your keyboard.

Advanced image or video options

Add an image from your desktop or the web

These features aren’t available on Google Sheets.

Drag an image

To move an image into your document or presentation, drag it from your desktop or a website. It may take a moment for your image to appear.

Copy & paste an image

Copy an image from your desktop or the web and paste it directly into your document or presentation. It may take a moment for your image to appear.

Replace an image

You can replace an image without changes to the size or layout of the original image.

1. On your computer, open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
2. Click the image you want to replace.
   • In a document, presentation, or drawing: Right-click, and select Replace image.
   • In a spreadsheet: In the top right corner of the image, click More  Replace image.
3. Choose an image to replace the original.
4. Click Select.

Add a video to a presentation

1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
2. Click the slide where you want to add the video.
3. Select from the following options:
   • Search YouTube
   • By URL
   • Google Drive
4. Choose a video and click Select.

Add an image to spreadsheets using formulas

You can add an image to a spreadsheet using a formula.

• Size to fit: This formula scales the image to fit inside the selected cell.
  • Type =IMAGE("URL") or =IMAGE("URL", 1) into the cell with the image URL.
• Stretch to fit: This formula stretches the image to fit inside the cell.
  • Type =IMAGE("URL", 2) into the cell with the image URL.
• Original size: This formula adds the image into the cell at its original size.
  • Type =IMAGE("URL", 3) into the cell with the image URL.
• Custom size: This formula adds the image into the cell with your custom size.
  • Type =IMAGE("URL", 4, height, width) into the cell with the image URL, and your custom height and width (in pixels).

Note: When you insert images or videos, follow the image usage guidelines.

Add headers, footers & page numbers

Add dates, titles, or names to every page in a document using headers and footers. You can do this with Google Docs, but not Google Sheets or Slides.

Add or change headers & footers

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. In the top left, click Insert, then choose Header or Footer.
3. Enter text into the header or footer.
4. To make the first page header or footer different from the other pages, check Different first page header/footer. You can’t add different headers or footers to every page.

To remove the header or footer space, change your margin size.

Insert automatic page numbers & total page count

You can add page numbers and the number of total pages to a document.

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. In the top left, click Insert and choose from the menu:
   • Page number: Choose where you want the page numbers to go, and whether you want the first page to be skipped.
   • Page count: The page count will be added wherever your cursor is placed in the document.

The page numbers or page count will be added automatically.

Add a footnote

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Click where you want to insert a footnote.
3. In the top left, click Insert  Footnote.
4. Type your footnote.

Insert special characters

You can add special characters into your documents and presentations, like arrows, shapes, or accent marks

1. On your computer, open docs.google.com/ or https://docs.google.com/presentation. You can’t insert special characters directly in Google Sheets.
2. Open or create a document or presentation.
3. At the top, click Insert  Special characters.
4. Find the character you want to insert:
   • Pick from categories.
   • Enter the character's Unicode value.
   • In the box on the right, write the character.
5. To add a character to your file, click it.
6. Optional: If you want to add the special character to a spreadsheet, copy it and paste it in a cell on the sheet.

Link a chart, table, or slides to Google Docs or Slides

When you insert a chart, table, or slide to Google Docs or Google Slides, you can link them to existing files.

Learn how to add and edit tables that don’t link to Google Sheets.

Add a new chart to a document or presentation

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click Insert  Chart.
3. Click the chart type you want to add.

When you add a new chart:

• It will link to a new Google Sheet.
• To update the chart, update the numbers in the Google Sheet.
• Learn how to edit chart data.

Embed tables, charts, & slides

To keep charts, tables, and slides up to date across files, you can embed:

• Tables and charts in Google Docs and Slides.
• Slides from one Google Slides presentation in a different one.

Add a chart from Google Sheets

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click Insert  Chart  From Sheets.
3. Click the spreadsheet with the chart you want to add, then click Select.
4. Click the chart you want to add.
   • If you don't want the chart linked to the spreadsheet, uncheck "Link to spreadsheet."
5. Click Import.

Add a table from Google Sheets

1. On your computer, open a sheet in Google Sheets in Google Chrome or Firefox.
2. Select the cells you want to put in Docs or Slides.
3. At the top, click Edit  Copy.
4. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
5. Click where you want to put your table and click Edit  Paste.
6. Choose "Link to spreadsheet" or "Paste unlinked" and click Paste.

Insert slides from another presentation

1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
2. Select the slides you want to embed.
3. At the top, click Edit  Copy.
4. Open a different presentation in Google Slides where you want to insert these slides.
5. At the left, click the slide where you want to insert them.
6. At the top, click Edit  Paste.
7. Click Link slides.

Edit, update, or unlink a chart, table, or slides

Edit a chart, table, or slide

Open and edit a chart, table, or slide

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click a chart or table to select it.
3. In the top right corner of the chart or table, click Link options   Open source.
4. You can now change the original file.

Change the cell range in a table

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click a table to select it.
3. Click Link options   Change range.
4. Type the range you want, then click OK.

Update a chart, table, or slides in a document or presentation

Update the data in your chart or table

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. In the top right corner of the chart, table, or slide click Update.

Update the data in your chart or table

1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
2. In the top right corner of the chart, table, or slide click Link options   Update.

If you don't see "Update" in the top right corner:

• Your chart, table, or slide may not be linked.
• Your chart, table, or slide may already be updated.

Format your table to match your spreadsheet

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click a table to select it.
3. In the top right corner of the chart or table, click Link options   Match spreadsheet data and formatting.

Unlink your chart, table, or slides from the original file

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Select a chart, table, or slides you want to unlink.
3. In the top right corner of the chart or table, click Link options   Unlink .