In this article, we ‘ll answer the most normally asked questions about Google Docs .
What Is Google Docs?
Google Docs is Google ‘s browser-based news central processing unit. You can create, edit, and parcel documents on-line and access them from any computer with an internet connection. There ‘s evening a mobile app for Android and io .
What sets Google Docs apart from its chief background rival, Microsoft Word, are its collaborative features. Google Docs was one of the beginning parole processors to offer share on-line document edit .
Google has made it incredibly easy to share documents across platforms and sour on them in concert in real-time from a browser window. Your collaborators do n’t even need a Google account to view or edit Google documents you contribution with them .
furthermore, Google Docs add-ons let you expand the functionality and add missing features .
How to Use Google Docs
You can use Google Docs good like you would use Word documents. Create raw documents, use Google Docs templates, share documents with your team and collaborate in real-time. We ‘ll show you the basics here .
How to Create a Google Doc
To make a new Google Doc, first lead to docs.google.com and sign in with your Google account. once you ‘re on the Google Docs get down page, you can create a lacuna new document or choose a template .
MAKEUSEOF VIDEO OF THE DAY You can besides go to File > New > Document or File > New > From template to do the same from within an existing Google Doc .
From the File menu, you can besides change many aspects of the document, including the page orientation .
How to Save a Google Doc
As separate of Google ‘s on-line agency suite, you will never need to remember to save a document since Google automatically saves it to your Google Drive. Hence, you wo n’t find a Save button .
That said, from the File menu, you can Make a Copy, Email, or Download your Google Doc .
How to Download Google Docs
Google stores your documents on Google Drive. To download a Google Doc to your computer alternatively, go to File > Download and choose your desired charge format .
How to Email a Google Doc
If you want to download the document because you want to email it, you can do that directly from the document. Go to File > Email > Email this file / Email collaborators, choose the file format you want to attach, and fill in the standard e-mail details .
rather than emailing a document, however, we recommend sharing it. That ‘s because sharing allows everyone to see and work on the same version of the document. This way, you avoid creating conflicting copies or duplicating your influence. As mention previously, the recipient role does not need a Google history to view or edit the text file .
To plowshare a Google Doc from within the document, click the Share button in the top correct. now you have several options :
You can enter the names or email address/es of the desire recipient/s. note that the default option access horizontal surface with this method acting is Editor. Click the write icon to the correct to change this to Viewer or Commenter .
rather than sharing the document with individuals, you can share it with groups through a connection via the Get link menu. By default, your private Google Docs will be shared with Anyone .
If your Google account belongs to an organization ( here : MakeUseOf.com ), it will be shared within that organization. Click Change or Share with… to adjust those settings and provide users of the yoke with Viewer, Commenter, or Editor access .
When you ‘re done, snap Copy link in the bottom right. The link will be copied to your clipboard .
If you want to share a copy of your Google Doc with multiple collaborators because you do n’t want them to make edits to the original document, you can besides use this draw a replicate flim-flam to save yourself some employment .
How to Track Changes in Google Docs
When you make frequent changes to your Google Docs or once you have shared it with others, you will want to track changes .
Version History
Google Docs does this automatically by tracking your document ‘s version history. Go to File > Version History > See version history to expand a menu that lists all the changes Google has tracked for your text file .
You ‘ll see when changes were made, who made them, and they ‘re all highlighted in the text file .
You can even name the current version to well revert changes made subsequently. Either go to File > Version History > Name current version, enter a name, and click Save .
alternatively, go to the version history menu and click on the date or identify of a adaptation to rename it. In the version history menu, you can then enable a set to only show named versions ( see screenshot above ) .
Version history is the basic shape of tracking changes. You can restore a document ‘s versions by selecting it and clicking the Restore This Version button. What you ca n’t do is accept or discard individual changes within each translation. If that ‘s the functionality you desire, you have to use a different feature : modes.
Read more: 911 S5 Proxy
Suggestion Mode
Google Docs supports three different modes : Editing, Suggesting, and Viewing. Editing is the nonpayment mode. To switch to a different mode, go to View > Mode or click the penitentiary icon in the far right of the tools menu. To control individual changes, use the Suggesting .
When you make changes in Suggesting mode, you ‘ll see a gossip on the right side of the document, with the choice to accept or reject the suggestion. You can besides write a answer to discuss each change .
All changes made in this manner are tracked individually under the respective document version in the translation history. This manner, you have the choice to review and restore reject changes, though you ‘d have to restore that adaptation of the document, meaning you ‘d lose all follow changes .
Tip : To force your collaborators to use the Suggestion mode, set their access to can comment when sharing the document .
How to Print From Google Docs
Printing from Google Docs works merely like printing any other text file on your calculator. To print a Google document, open the document, then either go to File > Print or press the Ctrl + P keyboard shortcut or click the print icon in the tools menu .
Each of these actions will open your mark menu. From here, choose your printer and settings and print as you normally would .
How to Edit Google Docs Offline
To edit your Google Docs offline, you have to meet a few basic conditions. First, you have to be on-line while setting up offline access. You besides need to use Google Chrome outside of incognito mode, install and enable the Google Docs Offline Chrome extension, and have adequate free storage outer space to save your files .
once this is done, point to docs.google.com, click the hamburger menu in the top leave, go to Settings, and make sure the slider next to Offline is in the On position ( see screenshot below ) .
nowadays, every document you start working on will besides be available offline on your computer, at least temporarily. The cloud icon next to the document name indicates whether your document is available offline .
When your internet association drops, you ‘ll see a crossed-out cloud and the note “ Working offline. ” Any changes you make will be synced once you reconnect to the internet .
With the Google Docs Offline extension enabled, you can review the list of all your documents under docs.google.com, even while offline. All documents permanently available offline will carry a checkmark icon. Click the three-dot menu to control the Available offline choice .
The Google Docs Offline annex will besides cache all documents you open. Should you lose your internet connection, you ‘ll have entree even to those documents not explicitly available offline .
In that casing, you can permanently make the document available offline, tied though you ‘re not on-line. meanwhile, those documents not cached and not available offline will appear muted .
To back up and sync Google Docs files to your calculator or mobile, you can besides use the Google Drive Backup and Sync joyride .
Google Docs, Now Under Your Control
now you know the basics of how to use Google Docs. Next, it ‘s time to discover neat ways to create beautiful Google documents. You can then move on to exploring features relevant for business documents and part type in Google Docs .
How to Check the Word Count on Google Docs
Learn how to view the parole count for your entire text file or selected textbook in Google Docs .
Read Next
share
tweet
e-mail
About The Author
Tina Sieber
( 836 Articles Published )
While completing a PhD, Tina started writing about consumer engineering in 2006 and never stopped. now besides an editor program and SEO, you can find her on chitter or hiking a nearby trail.
Read more: How to Embed a Google Form: Flickroom
More
From Tina Sieber
Join our newsletter for technical school tips, reviews, free ebooks, and exclusive deals !
Click hera to subscribe
