5 Google Docs features you might not know

3 years ago 490

From astute chips to checklists, these 5 features fto you enactment much efficiently and springiness you greater power successful Google Docs

@ astute chips, Present to conscionable icon, Control placement, Image control, and Checklists.

Even if you work each Google Workspace update, it's casual to miss, hide oregon place a diagnostic if you don't usage it often. But Google keeps improving Docs by adding astute chips (that fto you @ insert each sorts of items), helping you negociate tasks with checklists—giving you greater power implicit printed substance placement—and by letting you spot images down oregon successful beforehand of text. Not to notation the present ever-present Present to Meet option.

SEE: 20 bully habits web administrators need--and 10 habits to interruption (free PDF)

As of precocious July 2021, each of these features are disposable erstwhile you usage Google Docs successful Chrome connected a computer. Where specifically mentioned below, you besides whitethorn entree these features successful Google Docs mobile apps. Everything you request to cognize is covered below.

1. How to @ adhd Smart Chips successful Google Docs

Type the @ cardinal into a Google Doc portion successful Chrome connected the web and a database of smart chips options displays (Figure A). The database mightiness see people, files, dates oregon upcoming calendar events. Type 1 oregon much further characters and the displayed items database changes arsenic you location successful connected the point you mean to @ include.

Each astute spot displays applicable information erstwhile selected and offers a nexus to the included content. A interaction astute spot displays further accusation astir the idiosyncratic (See How to link to radical wrong a Google Doc for much details). Files likewise shows a mini preview pane, with a fewer details astir who owns the files and caller changes. Dates show and supply entree to a calendar and a Book Meeting option. Event chips nexus straight to the lawsuit connected Google Calendar.

Figure A

Screenshot of @ astute spot options, with 2 people's email addresses listed, 2 Google Docs files listed, 4 day options, and 1 upcoming calendar lawsuit displayed.

2. How to make checklists successful Google Docs

Google Docs present supports checklists. Select the icon (Figure B) to adhd a caller checklist successful your document, past participate idiosyncratic items, each connected their ain line. An bare container displays adjacent to each item. Check the container to people a task implicit and strikethrough the line's text. Uncheck the container to region the strikethrough formatting and check. In the Google Docs mobile app connected Android oregon iOS, portion editing a Doc, the Checklist icon displays arsenic an enactment to the close of the left- and center-text icons.

Figure B

Screenshot of Google Doc with the checklist icon circled (to the near of the slug constituent icon), with 5 lines, each with a checkbox to the near (Task 1, Task 2, etc.). Task 2 has a cheque successful the container to the near and, arsenic a result, Task 2 has strikethrough formatting applied.

3. How to power paragraph placement betwixt pages successful Google Docs

Sometimes, you privation to marque definite that document substance remains together–that you don't person a heading without a paragraph, that you don't divided a paragraph, oregon that you don't permission a azygous enactment from a paragraph by itself (Figure C). Select the substance you privation to support together, past prime Format | Line & Paragraph Spacing, past prime from the options:

Keep with next, to support a heading and paragraph together,
Keep lines together, to forestall a paragraph from being divided betwixt pages, or
Prevent azygous lines, to guarantee that a lone enactment doesn't dangle connected a antithetic page.

While your Google Doc whitethorn show a leafage interruption arsenic you and your squad edit, your substance volition beryllium grouped arsenic selected erstwhile you print.

Figure C

Three images that exemplify however the Format | Line & paragraph spacing | Prevent azygous lines enactment ensures substance prints properly, truthful lines (or headings and paragraphs) aren't printed connected antithetic pages.

4. How to furniture images supra oregon beneath substance successful Google Docs

You whitethorn adjust an inserted image successful a Google Doc to beryllium a inheritance oregon an overlay for substance (Figure D). An representation down substance mightiness marque an fantabulous masthead for a newsletter. This besides allows you to spot captions, for example, straight connected apical of an image. Just marque definite to usage a contrasting colour to guarantee the visibility of your text! Conversely, an representation successful beforehand of substance mightiness marque words look to turn retired of an representation oregon bent beneath it.

SEE: How good does Google Docs spelling and grammar cheque work? (TechRepublic)

To modify the furniture of an inserted image, click (or tap) connected it to prime it, past prime either the Behind Text oregon In Front of Text icon. Alternatively, prime an representation past take Format | Image | Image options | Text wrapping, past prime the benignant (i.e., Behind Text oregon In Front of Text). In Google Docs connected Android, portion editing a Doc, pat connected an image, prime the three-vertical dots paper | Image options | Image | Text Wrap, past prime either Behind Text oregon In Front of Text.

Figure D

Screenshot of a Google Doc, with sidebar Image options | Text wrapping options displayed, with some Behind substance and In beforehand of substance options circled. Those aforesaid options besides show to the little near of an inserted representation erstwhile the representation is selected.

5. How to contiguous to a gathering with Google Docs

When utilizing Chrome connected a computer, the enactment to present a Google Doc to Google Meet displays successful the precocious close (Figure E), by the bluish Share button. After you articulation a Google Meet league connected your machine (e.g., successful different tab successful Chrome), prime the Present to a Meeting icon. The strategy should auto-recognize that you're successful an progressive gathering and show a "Present Tab to Meeting" button. Select that fastener to contiguous your Doc wrong Meet.

SEE: How to usage the caller Google Docs comparison feature (TechRepublic)

If you aren't successful an progressive Google Meet session, you whitethorn prime the Present to a gathering icon and the strategy volition amusement upcoming scheduled Google Meet calendar events for the day. All of these Present to Meet features enactment successful Google Sheets and Google Slides wrong Chrome connected the web connected a computer, arsenic well.

Figure E

Screenshot of the precocious close information of a Google Doc, with a Google Meet tab progressive successful the background. The Present to Meet fastener has been selected, and a Present tab to gathering fastener is displayed, acceptable to beryllium selected.

What diagnostic bash you usage most?

Which of these features bash you usage astir often? Or, is determination different comparatively caller Google Docs enhancement you value? How often bash you usage the @ astute spot option? Let maine cognize what your acquisition with Google Docs successful Chrome connected the web and these features has been—either successful the comments below, oregon connected Twitter (@awolber).

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