If you want to flip an image in Google Docs, you’re (almost) out of luck. There’s no button you can press to flip an image, but you can use a few workarounds instead.

These include editing your images using the built-in drawing tool and third-party tools like Adobe Express online. You can also change an image in Google Slides and import it back into Google Docs.

Using the Drawing Tool In Google Docs

The Drawing tool in Google Docs isn’t designed to be the best tool for image manipulation, but it’ll do the job if you need to create diagrams or enhance images.

Technically, the Drawing tool is an extension of Google Drawings, a basic, standalone app for making diagrams and basic images. The Drawing tool allows you to make further changes to your images, such as rotating, cropping, and adding text.

Most importantly, one feature it does allow you to do is to flip images, which you can use to edit your Google Docs images. To flip an image in Google Docs, follow these steps.

1. Open your Google Docs document and position the cursor where you want the image to appear.

Press Insert > Drawing > New.

Choose the image icon within the Drawing dialog box to upload your desired picture.

Hover over Rotate, and then select either the Flip horizontally or Flip vertically options, depending on your requirements.

After flipping, click Save and Close to insert the modified image into your document.

Once you’ve inserted the modified image, it’ll replace the original in your document.

Using the Free Image Flipping Tool in Adobe Express Online

Adobe Express is an online, paid-for tool that you can use to edit images from your web browser. While much of its functionality requires payment, you can use some of its more basic features for free.

That includes the ability to flip images, and the process is straightforward. To flip an image using Adobe Express, follow these steps.

1. Open your web browser and navigate to the landing page for the Adobe Express image flipping tool.
2. Press Upload Your Photo to begin the process. If prompted, sign in with your Adobe account credentials.

3. Once you’ve signed in to Adobe Express, press the Upload from device button in the panel on the left.

4. Check if the image fits as intended, or use the corners to resize it accordingly.
5. With your image selected, use the options in the left panel to flip your image. You can choose Flip Horizontally or Flip Vertically based on your needs.

6. Once you’re satisfied with the orientation, press the Download button on the top-right corner to save the modified image.

7. Choose the file format you want to use, then press Download in the pop-up menu.

8. Next, open your Google Docs and press Insert > Image > Upload from computer.

9. Select your image from your PC. Once inserted, move and resize the image, as required.

Using the Flip Image Tools in Google Slides

Can’t flip your images in Google Docs? Switch to another Google app instead—Google Slides. While Docs doesn’t have a button to press to flip your images, Google Slides does, and you can use this feature to help you flip your images before moving them back to your Docs document.

To flip an image in Google Slides, follow these steps.

1. Open a new presentation in Google Slides.
2. Press Insert > Image and select your preferred method for inserting it (such as Upload from computer) to add the image you want to flip into the slide.

3. Select Arrange > Rotate and then select either Flip horizontally or Flip vertically.

4. Resize the image to fill the entire slide.
5. Once you’re satisfied with the flip press File > Download and choose either the JPEG or PNG options to save the image to your computer.

6. Wait for the image to download. Once it does, open your Google Docs document and press Insert > Image > Upload from computer to insert your flipped image into your document.

At this point, your flipped image should be ready for Google Docs, maintaining the changes you applied in Google Slides.

Editing Images in Google Docs

Google Docs isn’t designed as a fully-fledged image editing tool, but you can quickly flip an image in your Google Docs document using the steps above.

Have you got Microsoft Word? You can always flip an image in Word instead before importing the document (and your image) into Google Docs.

The post How to Flip Images in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Close and Relaunch Your Web Browser

The first fix to apply when your cursor disappears on Google Docs is to quit and re-open your web browser. This helps resolve minor glitches with your browser, some of which may be causing your cursor problem.

Make sure you’ve saved your unsaved work before quitting your browser.

You can restart your Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or another browser by selecting X in the browser’s top-right corner. Then, open your PC’s Start menu, find your browser, and select it in the search results. If a browser refuses to quit, use the Task Manager to force-close your browser.

Prevent Windows From Hiding Your Cursor When You’re Typing

Windows offers an option that allows you to hide your cursor when you’re typing something on your computer. You or someone else may have enabled this option, causing the cursor to disappear while typing on Google Docs.

In this case, turn off that option, and your issue should be resolved.

1. Open the Start menu, find Control Panel, and select the item with that name.
2. Choose Hardware and Sound in Control Panel.
3. Select Mouse in the Devices and Printers section.
4. Open the Pointer Options tab.
5. Disable the Hide pointer while typing option.

6. Select Apply followed by OK at the bottom.

Turn Off Hardware Acceleration in Your Web Browser

The hardware acceleration feature enhances your web browser’s performance, but sometimes, this feature causes issues. This option being enabled may be the reason your cursor disappears on Google Docs.

In this case, turn off the feature and see if that resolves your cursor issue.

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome, select the three dots in the top-right corner, and choose Settings to access Chrome settings.
2. Select System in the left sidebar.
3. Turn off Use hardware acceleration when available on the right.

4. Close and relaunch your web browser.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Launch Firefox, select the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner, and choose Settings.
2. Select General in the left sidebar and scroll down to the Performance section on the right.
3. Turn off the Use recommended performance settings option.
4. Disable the Use hardware acceleration when available option.

5. Quit and re-open your browser.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Edge, select the three dots in the top-right corner, and choose Settings.
2. Select System and performance in the left sidebar.
3. Turn off Use hardware acceleration when available on the right.

4. Close and re-open your browser.

Update Your Web Browser

If your web browser version is outdated, that may be why you have issues with the sites in your browser. Outdated browsers often have many bugs, which you can fix by updating your browser to the latest version.

Google Chrome

1. Select the three dots in Chrome’s top-right corner and choose Help > About Google Chrome.

2. Wait for Chrome to find and install the latest updates.
3. Restart Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Select the three horizontal lines in Firefox’s top-right corner and choose Help > About Firefox.

2. Allow the browser to check for and install the available updates.
3. Restart your browser.

Microsoft Edge

1. Choose the three dots in Edge’s top-right corner and select Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge.

2. Wait for Edge to find and install the latest updates.
3. Close and re-open your browser.

Change Your Cursor’s Color on Windows

If your cursor remains invisible on Google Docs, change the cursor’s color so you can easily spot it on your screen. Note that this is a universal change, meaning you’ll see your cursor’s new color everywhere on your system and not just on Google Docs.

On Windows 11

1. Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.
2. Select Accessibility in the left sidebar.
3. Choose Mouse pointer and touch on the right.
4. Select Black, Inverted, or Custom. If you select Custom, choose your preferred cursor color.

On Windows 10

1. Launch Settings using Windows + I.
2. Select Ease of Access in Settings.
3. Choose Mouse pointer in the left sidebar.
4. Select Black, Inverted, or Custom on the right pane. If you choose Custom, select the custom color for your cursor.

Change Your Google Docs Document’s Page Background Color

One reason you can’t see your cursor on Google Docs is that both the Google Docs page background color and the cursor color are the same. In this case, if you don’t wish to change your cursor’s color, you can switch to a different page color on Google Docs to ensure your cursor remains visible.

1. Launch your Google Docs document.
2. Select File > Page setup from the menu bar.
3. Choose Page color and select your preferred color.

4. Select OK to apply your changes.

If you’ve changed your page’s color to black and your document’s text has become invisible, change your font color to see your text again.

Bring Back Your Disappeared Cursor on Google Docs

There are various reasons for your cursor errors when you’re working with Google Docs. You can try basic fixes like restarting your web browser to potentially fix your problem. If that doesn’t work, you have a few other ways to resolve your issue.

The post How to Fix Mouse Cursor Disappearing on Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

About Line Numbers in Google Docs

There are a few things to remember when inserting line numbers in Google Docs.

• You can see the line numbers in blue on the left side of each line, including subtitles, headers, blank lines (after pressing Enter or Return), and in a table of contents or bibliography.
• You cannot change the style, color, or size of the line numbers as of this writing.
• You can use continuous numbering throughout the document, start fresh on each page, or number document sections.
• You can only use line numbers in the Pages format. If you use the Pageless format by default, you can switch by selecting File > Page setup > Pages.

How to Add Line Numbers in Google Docs

When you’re ready to insert line numbers, open your document in Google Docs on the web. The feature is not currently available on Android or iPhone’s Google Docs mobile app.

1. Select Tools in the menu and choose Line numbers.

2. When the sidebar opens on the right, check the box at the top for Show line numbers.

3. You should then see the blue numbers to the left of each line.

Tip: You can add line numbers in a Microsoft Word document too.

Customize Line Numbers in Google Docs

You’ll notice different options for your line numbers in Google Docs.

You can choose one of the Line Numbering Modes for how to number your document, including the entire document, or restarting at 1 on each page or section.

In the Apply To section, you can choose between the entire document or the section where your cursor is located.

The second option is grayed out if you don’t have designated sections in your document, which we’ll explain next.

How to Add Line Numbers to Sections

If you have a document where you only want to number lines in certain sections rather than the entire document, you’ll start by adding those sections.

1. Place your cursor where you want to create a new section.
2. Select Insert in the menu and move to Break. Choose the type of section you want to insert, whether continuous on the same page or a new page.

3. If you want to see the location of your section break, you can select View > Show non-printing characters in the menu.

4. Return to the Line Numbers sidebar. You can reopen it by selecting Tools > Line numbers if you’ve closed it.
5. Then, do one of the following depending on how you want to number the sections.

Restart in Each Section

Select Restart on each section below Line Numbering Mode to start each section at number 1.

Number the Current Section

Select This section below Apply To if you only want the line numbers in the section where your cursor is placed.

Then, place your cursor in each other section and uncheck the Show line numbers box in the sidebar.

You can follow these same steps to number other sections in your document the same way. Then, refer to the line you need by specifying the section and line number within it.

Tip: You can also add page numbers for references in your document.

Remove Line Numbers in Google Docs

If you want to remove the line numbers in your Google Docs document later, it’s as easy as unchecking a box.

Open the sidebar by selecting Tools > Line numbers. Uncheck the Show line numbers box at the top of the sidebar.

If you numbered particular sections, place your cursor in the section to display the marked checkbox and uncheck it.

For a simple way to reference specific lines, sentences, or paragraphs in your documents, you now know how to add line numbers in Google Docs. For related tutorials, look at how to remove section and page breaks too.

The post How to Add Line Numbers in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

This free Word art tool lets you turn a regular document into a more visually appealing piece. Here’s where you can find this somewhat-hidden Drive feature and how to use it.

How to Create and Insert Word Art in Google Docs

You can only insert Word art in the web version of Google Docs and not the mobile app. Open Google Docs in your browser and then create a new document or open the document you want to insert the Word art in.

1. Click the Insert option in the menu bar.
2. Hover your cursor over the Drawing option in the dropdown menu and then select New from the sub-menu.

3. The Drawing window will appear. You’ll see a checkerboard which you can draw on, as well as several options in the header menu. Click Actions and then select Word art from the menu.

4. Next, enter the text that you want to turn into Word art in the text box that appears. You can add multiple lines by pressing Shift + Enter. When you’re ready to save, press Enter.

5. Your text will now appear on the checkerboard as Word art. You can then customize it using the options in the header menu, like changing its color, border weight, and so on. Click Save and Close once you’re finished customizing the Word art.

The Word art will then be inserted in the Google Docs document.

Aligning Word Art With Your Text

The way your Word art interacts with surrounding text can be a bit tricky, and may sometimes cause an undesirable layout shift. There are a few options available for positioning the Word art with your text.

• In line: This option is the default option and makes the Word art behave the same as a character written in the text. It sits directly on the line of the text.
• Wrap text: This allows your text to wrap around the Word art. In other words, the Word art remains in place while the surrounding text adjusts to it.
• Break text: This makes your Word art essentially act as a barrier in your document.The text will stop above the Word art and continue below it.
• Behind text: This places the Word art behind your text. This is a good idea for art such as a watermark. Be sure there’s enough contrast between the Word art and text, though.
• In front of text: This places the Word art in front of your text.

You can find these options in the menu that appears when you click the Word art in your document.

Choosing the right wrapping option can have a big impact on the visual implications of the document, so choose carefully.

Bring Visual Potential to Your Document

Google Docs, aside from its many other features, offers creative potential with Word art. This allows users to transform ordinary text into a visual element, drawing attention to important details when necessary.

The available wrapping options also allow you to place your Word art appropriately while keeping in mind the content of the document.

The post How to Insert Word Art in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Using Google Workspace, you can transcribe Google Meet calls into Google Docs easily. From there, simply open the document, download it, or share it with those who couldn’t attend.

About Google Meet Transcriptions

Before you get started with transcriptions in Google Meet, please review the following requirements and details.

• You must have a supported Google Workspace edition: Business Standard or Plus, Enterprise, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, or Education Plus.
• You can only use the feature in Google Meet on your desktop or computer, not the mobile app.
• The transcription feature is enabled in Google Workspace by default; however, you’ll need to start it for each meeting (described below).
• To allow others to use the transcription feature, you must turn on Google Drive and grant permission to create new files in Drive for those users. Sign into the Google Admin console and go to Apps > Google Workspace> Drive and Docs to review or enable these settings.

• Transcriptions automatically save to the Meet Recordings folder in Google Drive, so you must have enough available storage space in Drive for the transcriptions.
• The meeting organizer, transcription initiator, and meeting hosts automatically have access to edit the transcription document. However, if the meeting has fewer than 200 invitees, everyone has Edit access.

Start Transcription During a Google Meet Meeting

When you’re ready to transcribe a meeting in Google Meet, it takes only a few steps to start. You might also consider letting your participants know before the meeting begins that you’ll be transcribing it.

1. Select the Activities icon (shapes) in the lower right corner and pick Transcripts in the sidebar that displays.

2. Choose Start transcription on the subsequent screen.

3. Read the details in the pop-up window regarding notifying participants that you’re transcribing the meeting and select Start to continue.

4. When your participants land on the screen to join the meeting, they’ll see a message that the call is being transcribed.

5. Additionally, everyone should see the Transcription icon on the top left of the meeting window.

To stop the transcription at any time during the meeting, select the Activities > Transcripts and choose Stop transcription.

You do not have to stop the transcription when the meeting ends. You can simply leave the meeting as normal and the transcript saves automatically.

Access Google Meet Transcripts

You have a few different ways to access the Google Meet transcript. You can open it using the email link, calendar event, or directly in Google Drive or Google Docs.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• In most cases, you can access the transcript within a few hours after the meeting ends; however, it can take up to 24 hours.
• Remember that the transcript is computer generated, so you may see minor errors.

Access the Transcript Via Email

After the meeting, you’ll receive an email to your connected Gmail account with the transcript as will the host, co-host, and transcript initiator. You can then either select the attachment or the link to open the transcript in Google Docs.

Access the Transcript in Google Calendar

If the meeting was organized using Google Calendar, the transcript is conveniently attached to the calendar event with the same name as the event.

If you select the meeting on the main Google Calendar page, you’ll see the transcript in the Attachments section.

If you open the event detail page, you’ll see the transcript attached to the Description section.

Choose the attachment to open the transcript in Google Docs.

Note: For recurring meetings, the transcription is attached to the calendar event each time.

Access the Transcript in Google Drive

You can also visit Google Drive to open the transcript document. If you didn’t organize the meeting through Google Calendar, the file name will be the meeting code with the date and time.

When you sign into Google Drive, you may see the transcript in the Suggested section at the top of My Drive.

Alternatively, open the Meet Recordings folder and select the transcript to open it in Google Docs.

You can also use the Search feature or one of these ways to find a file in Google Drive.

Access the Transcript in Google Docs

Finally, you’ll see the transcript right in Google Docs and can open it from there too.

Sign into Google Docs and you’ll see the transcript at the top when you sort by date.

If you prefer, you can use the Search box at the top. Enter “transcript” and choose the document from the results.

Disable Transcriptions in Google Workspace

If you want to disable the transcription feature later, you can turn it off if you have any of the supported Google Workspace plans except for Business Standard.

Sign into the Google Admin console and go to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Meet.

Open the Meet video settings and select Meeting transcripts to turn off the feature.

When you want to log everything said during a meeting, keep in mind that you can transcribe Google Meet calls into Google Docs in just a few steps. The transcribed file makes an excellent reference for everyone.

For more, look at how to record a Google Meet.

The post How to Transcribe Google Meet Calls Into Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Instead of hassling with add-ons or third-party apps, you can improve your workflow when creating various types of documents with the Variable Smart Chip functionality.

Note: As of this writing, the Variable Smart Chip is available to Google Workspace Business Standard and Plus, Enterprise Standard and Plus, Education Plus, and Nonprofit customers. Hopefully, Google will bring the feature to personal Google accounts at some point.

About Variable Smart Chips

As mentioned, the Variable Smart Chip is a text placeholder that you can insert in your document. This is ideal for text you want someone else to add like first or last name, address, or phone number. You can also use Variables for things you need to add but are waiting for like a product title, date, or website address.

Whether you use Variables for yourself or another you’re sharing with, they allow you to create your document and add those items later.

Once you add a Variable, you can assign its value, the text, at any time. Then, every spot you use the Variable in the document updates with that value.

Let’s look at how to insert and use Variables in Google Docs with a couple of examples.

How to Insert a Variable Smart Chip

To add a Variable Smart Chip to your document, follow these simple steps.

1. Place your cursor where you want it and then do one of the following:
2. Select Insert > Smart chips and choose Variables in the pop-out menu.
3. Type the @ (At) symbol and choose Variable from the drop-down menu.

4. In the small window that appears, select Insert new variable.

5. Give your Variable a name in the subsequent pop-up window. You can also use the default naming convention, Variable 1, Variable 2, and so on. Select Create.

6. You’ll then see the Variable with its name in your document and in the Variables sidebar that opens on the right.

You can add more Variables for other items to your document the same way. Just keep in mind that the additional Variables should be used for different items. For example, you can create one Variable for name and a second Variable for address.

Reuse a Variable Smart Chip

The purpose of the Variable is to place it in your document where you need it and then update it with its value when you’re ready.

To insert the same Variable in another location, do one of the following:

• Select Insert > Smart chips, choose Variables, and pick the Variable name from the pop-up list.
• Type the @ (At) symbol, choose Variable, and pick the Variable name from the pop-up list.
• Open the Variables sidebar, hover over the Variable you want to use, and select Insert.

Assign a Value to a Variable

Once you add a Variable to your document, you can assign its value at any time. The value is the text you want to use. You can do this in the Variable itself or in the sidebar.

Add Text Using the Variable

To assign a value to the Variable in-place, select the Variable and enter the text you want to use. This automatically saves the value to that Variable.

Add Text Using the Sidebar

To assign a value in the Variables sidebar, either select the Variable and use the Open in sidebar icon in the toolbar that appears or go to Tools > Variables in the menu.

Select No value below the Variable name. You’ll see the Variable in your document empty and ready for you to enter the text. Once you do, use Enter or Return to save it.

After you assign a value to your Variable, you’ll see this update in every location you place the Variable in your document, which is the intent of the Smart Chip.

Rename a Variable

Because the default names for Variables are not obvious, you may want to give them more meaningful names. This is especially helpful if you create several Variables for your document.

Open the Variables sidebar, hover your cursor over the Variable you want to rename, and select the Edit name icon (pencil).

When the rename pop-up appears, give it a new name and select Save.

You’ll then see the updated name in the sidebar, list of variables to insert, and inside the Variable itself until you assign its value.

Remove a Variable

If you decide you no longer want to use a Variable, you can delete it. Keep in mind that this will remove the Variable, and its value if assigned, from every location in your document.

Open the Variables sidebar, hover your cursor over the Variable you want to remove, and select the Delete variable definition icon (trash can).

In the confirmation pop-up, select Delete to remove the Variable.

Example Uses for Variables in Google Docs

If you’re wondering how to use Variables for your own purposes, we have a couple of examples.

Marketing Copy

Here, we’re creating a document for our client’s new product. We don’t have the product name or the website address yet, so we insert Variables for those two items instead. With the Variables sidebar open, you can see them with blue borders throughout the text.

Once our client provides us these details, we simply assign the values to the Variables and our document automatically updates. Those variables then display the text and gray borders.

When you close the Variables sidebar, you’ll notice those Variables look just like the rest of the text without any borders.

Shared Documents

In this next example, we have a document we want someone else to complete with their details. We set up Variables for first name, last name, address, phone number, and date.

When we share the document, the recipient simply selects each Variable and enters their information. The Variables that are used more than once update automatically.

We then have our completed document where the Variables appear like any other text.

Note: If you share a document using Variables with more than one person, the assigned values will update with each change. To avoid this, you may ask each of your recipients to make a copy for their changes.

Save Time, Minimize Errors, and Organize

Google has introduced several new Smart Chips in the last year since the introduction of the Smart Canvas feature. You can add a calendar event using a Date chip, link to a file name with the File chip, and include contact details with the People chip.

Now, you can save time from typing the same text over and over as well as reduce the risk of typos and organize your document using the Variable Smart Chip in Google Docs. Keep this handy feature in mind for your next document.

For more ways to save time in Google apps, look at how to use a drop-down list in Google Sheets.

The post How to Insert Variable Smart Chips (Placeholders) in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Maybe you want to enhance a table’s appearance by including a title row or improve its readability by spanning the column headers. You can do both of these things easily by merging cells in your Google Docs table.

How to Merge Cells in Google Docs on the Web

If you’re working in Google Docs on the web, merging table cells takes only a couple of steps. Keep in mind that you can only combine adjacent cells, but you can merge vertically or horizontally.

Start by selecting the cells you want to merge. You can do this by selecting the first cell and dragging your cursor through the rest. You’ll then see the cells highlighted.

Right-click one of the selected cells and choose Merge cells in the shortcut menu.

That’s all there is to it—you should see your cells merged into one.

Unmerge Cells in Google Docs on the Web

Should you decide later that the combined cells aren’t working out, you can unmerge them just as easily. Remember that you can only unmerge cells that you’ve previously merged.

Right-click the merged cell and choose Unmerge cells in the shortcut menu.

You’ll then see your cells return to their original states.

How to Merge Cells in Google Docs on Android

If you take advantage of working with your Google Docs on the go, you can also merge table cells in the app on Android. Plus, you have two different ways to do it.

1. Open your document and select the table cells you want to combine. You can do this by dragging the blue dot through the cells.

2. Select the Edit button (pencil) if necessary and then do one of the following to merge the cells:

• Tap the Merge cells button in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

• Tap the three dots in the floating toolbar that appears on the screen and select Merge cells in the drop-down menu.

3. You’ll then see your merged cells, ready for you to work.

To unmerge the cell later, follow the same steps and either deselect the Merge button or choose Unmerge cells in the three-dot menu.

How to Merge Cells in Google Docs on iPhone and iPad

Similar to Android, you can merge cells in the Google Docs app on iPhone and iPad and can use one of two methods.

1. Open your document and select the table cells you want to combine by dragging the blue dot through the cells.

2. Select the Edit button if necessary and then do one of the following to merge the cells:
3. Tap the Merge cells button in the toolbar at the bottom (iPhone) or top (iPad) of the screen.

4. Tap the Format button (underlined A) at the top, select the Table tab in the pop-up menu, and turn on the toggle for Merge cells.

5. You’ll then see your cells merged into a single cell.

To unmerge the cell later, follow the same steps and either deselect the Merge button or turn off the Merge cells toggle.

Whether a title, headings, or other data, you can merge cells easily in a Google Docs table. For more, look at how to remove a border from a table in Docs.

The post How to Merge Cells in a Google Docs Table first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

You need to structure the document so it’s easy to display information and scan for details. So, let’s look at several key features for organizing your next Google Doc.

1. Scan the Document With a Summary and Outline

One of the simplest ways to create an overview of your document details is with the summary and outline features. These handy tools sit outside the content so they don’t distract and can be shown or hidden with a click.

These organizational features let you summarize the contents of your document and skip to the section you need with the automatically generated outline.

Show and Close the Summary and Outline

To display the summary and outline, head to the View tab and select Show outline.

You’ll then see the Show document outline icon on the top left of the document space. Select it to expand it.

When you finish with the summary and outline, use the Close document outline arrow to hide it and display the Show document outline icon again.

Add a Summary and Outline

To add a summary, use the plus sign to open the box and enter your text.

To change it later, just select the Edit icon (pencil).

To use the outline, add headings to your document (explained below), and they’ll appear in the outline automatically. You can then select a heading to jump to that section of the document.

You can remove a particular heading from the outline if needed by selecting the X to the right of it in the outline.

2. Include and Customize a Table of Contents

If you want something within the content that your readers can use to navigate your document, you can insert a table of contents in Google Docs. This feature was basic, but Google has enhanced it over time to make it customizable and attractive.

Insert a Table of Contents

To create a table of contents, structure your document section with headings. Enter text for a heading, select it, and then pick a heading level from the Styles drop-down box in the toolbar. These headings automatically appear in the table for you.

When you’re ready to insert the table, place your cursor in the document where you want it. Then, open the Insert menu, move to Table of contents, and pick a style from Plain Text, Dotted, and Linked.

Choose the design you want to use, and you’ll see the table appear.

Customize a Table of Contents

You can adjust how your table of contents looks and works in Google Docs, which is a nice feature.

To open the editing tools, select the table to display the small toolbar. Then, use the three dots on the toolbar to pick More Options.

When the sidebar opens, you’ll see two sections for Formatting and Heading Levels.

• Formatting: Choose a different table style, show or hide the page numbers, and optionally use a tab leader like dots, dashes, or lines.
• Heading Levels: Pick the headings you want to display in the table and optionally adjust the indents.

You should see your adjustments update in real time.

3. Work Efficiently With Collapsible Headings

Google added a super helpful feature to Docs in early 2023 that allows you to work with lengthy documents a bit easier. You can collapse and expand the headings. This is great for focusing on sections of the document you’re using while collapsing those you aren’t.

As of this writing, the collapsible headings only work when you use the Pageless layout. It’s unclear if the feature will eventually carry over to the Pages layout.

To use the Pageless layout in a new or existing document, go to File and select Page setup. Then, choose Pageless at the top and OK at the bottom.

You should see arrows to the left of the headings in your document. Simply use those arrows or right-click to collapse and expand the headings.

4. Track Info Easily With Building Blocks

Building Blocks in Google Docs give you quick and convenient ways to display information using tables, text entries, and drop-down lists. Simply insert one of these prepackaged blocks and enter your details in one spot.

You can currently choose from four premade blocks, including a product roadmap, review tracker, project assets, and launch content tracker. You can use the Building Block as-is or customize it to suit your needs.

To insert a Building Block, select a location in your document and go to Insert > Building blocks. Choose the type you want to use from the pop-out menu.

You’ll see the block pop into your document, ready for you to use. If you want to change the headings to match your content, you can edit them like any other text.

5. Create and Reuse Custom Blocks

If you have a supported work or school Google account, you can set up custom Building Blocks in Docs. This allows you to create a block, save it, and reuse it. The block is saved to your Google Drive as a Google Docs file type, so you can use it in new documents down the road as well.

1. Go to Insert > Building blocks and pick Custom building block in the pop-out menu.

2. When the pop-up message appears in your document, choose New custom building block.

3. Select the content you want to use as the custom block and choose Save in the blue bar at the top.

4. Enter the name for your block and, optionally a description. Then, select Create. You’ll receive a confirmation that your block has been saved.

To use your new block, type the @ (At) symbol followed by the block’s name and choose it from the list that appears.

6. Enter Programming Snippets With Code Blocks

If your document contains programming code like Java, JavaScript, or Python, you can take advantage of the code Building Block. This allows you to structure your code neatly in your document.

Go to Insert > Building Blocks, move to Code block and choose the language in the pop-out menu.

When your block appears, simply enter your snippet. If you want to change the programming language, use the drop-down box on the top left. To update the colors, use the Refresh icon on the top right.

7. Collaborate on Emails, Calendar Invites, and Meeting Notes

Another cool tool to organize items in Google Docs is a built-in template block. These are especially useful if you’re collaboratively working together on emails, calendar invites, and meeting notes.

For emails, you can fill in the recipients, subject, and message. Then, select the Gmail icon to create the draft directly in Gmail.

For calendar invites, enter the title, guests, start and end times, location, and description. Use the Calendar icon to open the event in Google Calendar.

For meeting notes, choose an event from the drop-down list, and you’ll receive a block with the title, date, and attendees with bullets for notes and checkboxes for action items. Use the Email icon to create a draft with the meeting notes in Gmail.

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To use one of these templates, go to Insert > Building Blocks and pick an option from the pop-out menu.

8. Enter Details Using a Drop-Down List

Using the Building Blocks above for tracking information, you can take advantage of Google Docs’ premade drop-down lists. However, you can create a drop-down list of your own just like in Google Sheets. This is handy for you, your readers, or your collaborators to enter the details you need easily.

Place your cursor where you want the list, open the Insert menu, and choose Dropdown.

To use a premade drop-down list, choose one from the bottom section.

To create your own, choose New dropdown. Then, enter the name and list of options. You can choose a color next to each list item, add more items, and rearrange the order using drag-and-drop. When you finish, select Save.

You’ll then see your new drop-down list, which you can reuse repeatedly. Simply select it from the Insert > Dropdown menu.

To make changes later, open the drop-down list and choose Add / Edit Options.

9. Pop In Information With Smart Chips

To list and view contacts, events, files, locations, and dates clearly, you can insert Smart Chips in your documents. These nifty tools stay condensed but expand to show the details and allow you to perform actions with a click.

You can insert a Smart Chip by typing the @ symbol followed by the item’s name or by going to Insert > Smart chips and picking one from the pop-out menu.

Once you insert the chip, hover your cursor over it or select it to view a preview. Each chip contains different details and actions depending on the chip type. For example, with a File Smart Chip, you can preview the file, copy a link to it, or open it.

If you have a supported Google Workspace account, you have access to additional Smart Chips, including a stopwatch, timer, and reusable variables.

Take advantage of these Smart Chips to include the information you need while keeping your content short and sweet.

10. Insert Equations With Ease

One more good tool Google Docs offers is for equations. Whether a student or professor, you can stop searching for the correct symbols and then format them to fit your document. Just use the equation editor.

To open the editor, go to View > Show equation toolbar. You can also select Insert > Equation. You’ll see the editing toolbar appear at the top of your document.

Use the drop-down boxes within the toolbar to add your symbols. You can use Greek letters, math operators, relation symbols, and arrows.

You’ll then see your equation appear in a nice and neat text box within your document.

From a summary to a tracking table to a drop-down list to a detailed chip, you can organize your Google documents in a variety of ways to meet your needs. Which of these features will become your fast favorite?

For related tutorials on other Google apps, look at how to set an expiration date on your Google Drive files.

The post 10 Ways to Organize Documents in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Using free itinerary templates, you can simply pop in your own details or adjust the dates, times, and activities to suit your travel plans, road trip, or upcoming event.

Vacation Itineraries

Vacation planning can be exciting but also takes organization. From flights to accommodations to activities, you can schedule in time for everything with a vacation itinerary template.

1. Alaska Travel Itinerary

Planning a cold weather vacation like skiing or snowboarding? This Alaska Travel Itinerary template is a cute option with its colorful appearance and warmly dressed character. Include the destinations and activities for each day of your trip to a cold-weather state, country, or region.

2. Sunny Itinerary

If you’re heading someplace warm on your vacation instead, this yellow and orange Sunny Itinerary template is just what you need. Enter your flight details for your departure and return, information for accommodations, and then activities for each day with times and locations.

3. Vacation Itinerary

Maybe you want an itinerary for planning activities down to the hour. This Vacation Itinerary template is a clean and simple way to go. Add the travel dates and locations at the top with each day, time, and activity beneath. You can also use the handy checkboxes to mark off events as you go.

Travel and Business Trip Itineraries

When you’re traveling for business or something other than a fun-filled vacation, making sure you have an itinerary in hand ensures you have all the details you need for a smooth trip.

4. Business Itinerary

For an inclusive and intuitive planner, this two-page Business Itinerary template is awesome. Add your departure flight details, accommodation information, and then your travel schedule for three days with times, locations, and details. Wrap it up with details for your return flight home.

5. Bright Meeting Itinerary

To lighten up your business trip, look at this Bright Meeting Itinerary. Add your departure and return flight information, dates, times, and locations for your business meetings, and include additional trip details that you may need at the bottom.

6. Perfect Bright Travel Itinerary

For another vibrant planner, this Perfect Bright Travel Itinerary is great for a five-day trip. Include the destinations, where to eat, leisure activities, and methods of transportation for each day.

7. 3 Meal and Activity Travel Itinerary

This last template is suitable for most any type of travel. It offers attractive pastels with a casual font for your three-day getaway. Add the destination, dates, and times. Then, schedule your activities and meals for each day.

Party Itineraries

Some parties are more than just simple get-togethers. Maybe it’s a weekend-long celebration or one where activities must take place at certain times due to reservations or bookings. These party itinerary templates can help you keep everything in order.

8. Birthday Itinerary

This Birthday Itinerary template is terrific for keeping everything organized for your party. Start with lunch, move onto the pool party, and include drinks and clubbing. You can also completely customize the template for your own party activities.

9. Pastel Birthday Itinerary

For a more elegant party template, look at this Pastel Birthday Itinerary. It’s not just for birthdays, use it for a graduation celebration, anniversary party, or bridal shower. It has an eye-catching yet stylish image on the top and bottom with easy-to-read font for the events, times, and locations.

10. Vivid Birthday Itinerary

Planning a weekend celebration for a birthday, engagement, or bachelorette party? This Vivid Birthday Itinerary gives you vibrant colors with a whimsical theme. Add the activity or location for each day, Friday through Sunday, and let the fun begin.

Event Itineraries

Event planning takes organization and time. If you are setting up a multi-day conference or just a one-night event, these itineraries help you organize it all.

11. Contrast Event Schedule

If you’re in charge of a conference or five-day seminar, you’ll appreciate this Contrast Event Schedule template. Place your company logo and contact information in the bold red space on the left. Then, add the dates, titles, and details for each day of your event on the right.

12. Flat Event Schedule

When you host an evening event, you want an itinerary to match. This Flat Event Schedule is decorated with a cocktail glass and gives you places for hourly activities. You can use the various spots to include dates, locations, a website, and phone number for a nicely detailed schedule.

Wedding Itineraries

If there’s one day where chaos can ensue without warning, it’s your wedding day. Every bride and groom want their special day to be absolutely perfect. This is the ideal time to use an itinerary for yourself, your bridal party, and even your guests.

13. Wedding Itinerary

This minimalistic Wedding Itinerary template is a simple yet attractive option for your weekend ceremony and celebration. Include the rehearsal details, location of each wedding day event, and a farewell breakfast, brunch, or lunch. There’s also a spot at the bottom for additional details you may want to include.

14. Floral Wedding Itinerary

Maybe you prefer an itinerary for the big day rather than a whole weekend. This lovely Floral Wedding Itinerary template starts with prepping and ends with the bouquet toss at the reception. You can send or print and hand out this pretty itinerary to your bridal party.

15. Watercolor Wedding Itinerary

If you’d like an itinerary you can share with guests in addition to the bridal party, this charming Watercolor Wedding Itinerary template is ideal. Create the schedule for your wedding day starting with the ceremony and ending with fireworks.

Organize It All With Planning Templates

Using customizable templates for trip planning, a flight itinerary, or a wedding day schedule can ease the job of organizing your travel or event. They can also be handy if you’re a travel agent making arrangements for a client.

Keep this list of free itinerary templates bookmarked and for more, look at Google Sheets templates you can use every day.

The post The Best 15 Free Itinerary Templates for Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

In this blog post, we will explore how easy it is to add additional pages to a Google Docs document in simple steps. We will also give you tips on removing page breaks, inserting page numbers, and adding a table of contents to give you all the tools you need to work on your project. Also, if you plan on becoming a Google Docs power user, check out our guide on Google Docs keyboard shortcuts.

How to Add a Page in Google Docs on Desktop PC

Google Docs decides when you’ve reached the end of the page, and it’ll automatically start a new blank page as you type. However, if you want to create a new page at a custom spot instead of letting Google Docs decide, all you have to do is insert a page break. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your document.
2. Select the point where you want to insert a page break with a mouse click.
3. Go to Insert in the toolbar menu.

4. Select Break from the drop-down menu, and then Page break from the side menu.

Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts to insert a page break. Just press Ctrl + Enter on your keyboard.

You’ll notice more options in a side menu than just a Page break. You can also select Section break (next page) to add a page. However, a Section break (continuous) is not a good option as it’ll only start a new section on the same page instead of adding a new one.

Page Break is an excellent option if your document has a heading or if you are close to the bottom of the page but need to start a new paragraph. You can also use it to divide your documents into topics or categories and have each one of them start on a new page.

How to Add a Page in Google Docs on a Mobile Device

Adding a Page break in Google Docs on a mobile device is just as simple as doing it on a desktop. However, the steps are slightly different:

1. Open the Google Docs file on your Android or iOS device.
2. Go to the little pencil icon in the lower left corner of the screen.

3. Tap the screen on the document where you’ll insert a page break. This’ll place a cursor on that spot.
4. Tap the plus button at the top of the screen.

5. The Insert menu will pop up. Scroll down and select Page break.

Congrats, you added a new page to your Google Docs document on your smartphone! As you can see, the process is straightforward. Now you can manage the layout of your documents on the go.

How to Remove Page Breaks

So you decided that you need to remove the page break. Place your cursor below the break and press Backspace on your keyboard to delete the page break. That’s it!

Organize Your Ideas in Google Docs

Working in Google Docs can be a great way to organize multiple ideas into one shared document. By taking the time to add pages during the document creation process, you can use it as a digital hub for even more content. This will make it much easier for you to format and organize your thoughts and make collaborations with others simpler and quicker. Although using multiple pages adds complexity to a Doc, they are an invaluable asset if you’re working on extensive projects or writing long-form pieces of any kind. Also, don’t forget you can insert page numbers as well to keep everything better organized.

The post How to Add Pages to a Google Docs Document first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

If you’ve ever found yourself struggling with awkward page breaks that disrupt the flow of a document or with section breaks that create unwanted whitespace or page numbering issues, you probably know how frustrating they can be.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to remove page breaks and section breaks in Google Docs so that you can regain control over your document’s formatting.

How to Remove Page Breaks in Google Docs

Google Docs makes it easy to add manual page breaks to your documents and push content to the next page without repeatedly pressing the Enter/Return key. There are several ways to do that:

• Use the Ctrl + Enter (Windows and Chromebook) or Command + Enter (Mac) keyboard shortcut.
• Select Insert > Break > Page Break on the Google Docs menu bar.
• Tap the Add icon and select Page break on mobile app (iPhone, iPad, and Android).

However, if you insert a page break that you no longer need or add one accidentally, it’s important to know how to remove it. To delete a page break in Google Docs:

1. Position the cursor on the start of the section after a page break.

2. Press the Backspace key (Windows and Chromebook) or the Delete key (Mac, iOS, and Android). Press Backspace/Delete repeatedly if there’s vacant space between the cursor and the page break.

On desktop devices, you can also:

1. Position the cursor at the end of the final paragraph before the page break.

2. Press Delete (Windows), Fn+Delete (Mac), or Alt+Backspace (Chromebook). Press the key or keys repeatedly if there’s vacant space between the cursor and the page break.

If you want to read through the contents of a Google Docs document without manual or automatic page breaks interrupting the flow, try switching the page setup to the Pageless format. To do that:

1. Open the File menu and select Page setup.

2. Select Pageless.

3. Select OK.

The Pageless format also hides elements like headers, page numbers, and watermarks. To switch back to the default Pages format, open the File menu, select Page setup, and choose the Pages tab.

To enable and disable Pageless format on the mobile version of Google Docs, you must:

1. Tap the More icon (three dots) on the top right of the screen.
2. Tap Page setup.
3. Enable the switch next to Pageless.

How to Remove Section Breaks in Google Docs

Like Microsoft Word, Google Docs on desktop devices allow you to add section breaks to documents. There are two types of section breaks:

• Section break (next page): Starts a section break on a new page.
• Section break (continuous): Starts a new section within the same Google Docs page.

To add a section break, open the Insert menu and select Break > Section break (next page) or Section break (continuous).

Section breaks help separate different sections of your document in Google Docs. However, unlike regular page breaks, it can be frustrating to remove section breaks unless you know how.

To remove a section break in Google Docs:

1. Position the cursor at the end of the paragraph before the section break.

2. Press Delete (Windows), Fn+Delete (Mac), or Alt+Backspace (Chromebook).

If you have trouble locating section breaks in a document:

1. Open the View menu and select Show section breaks/Show non-printing characters. You should then see section breaks throughout the document as dotted lines.

2. Position the cursor above the section break’s horizontal line and press Delete (Windows), Fn+Delete (Mac), or Alt+Backspace (Chromebook) to remove it.

To hide section breaks again, open the Insert menu and remove the checkmark next to the Show section breaks/Show non-printing characters option.

Take Control Over Your Google Documents

Removing unwanted page breaks and section breaks in Google Docs is crucial for creating a polished and well-organized document. Although it may take a few attempts to get the hang of the methods above, you’ll soon be able to do it with ease.

The post How to Remove Page Breaks and Section Breaks in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Turn on the Text-to-Speech Tool in Google Docs

If you already have a screen reader, you’ll need to turn on the accessibility tool in Google Docs to hear your document read to you.

1. Open your document in Docs and select Tools in the menu.
2. Select Accessibility.

3. Check the box at the top for Turn on screen reader support. Optionally check the additional boxes per your preference.
4. Select OK.

You should then hear “Screen reader support enabled.” You can use the controls for your screen reader or those in the Accessibility settings to listen to the document content.

Use Screen Reader for Google Chrome

If you’re looking for extension options, the first to check out is Screen Reader (ChromeVox) by Google for the Chrome browser. The tool also comes with Chrome OS for text-to-speech on that platform.

After you install the add-on, it begins speaking the web page you’re visiting immediately, including the document in Google Docs.

To manage the Chrome extension’s settings, select its button in the toolbar and select Options. You can then adjust settings for the voice and mouse actions and review the available keyboard shortcuts.

To turn off the Screen Reader, select the toolbar button and choose Manage Extension. Then, disable the toggle.

Use Read Aloud for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

Another solid browser extension is Read Aloud. It’s free for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

What’s nice about this option is that you control when you want it to play. Head to your document in Google Docs, select the add-on button in the toolbar, and use the Play button to listen to your document.

You’ll hear your document and see the highlighted text in the extension window. At the top of that window, you have buttons to pause, stop, go forward, or go back.

To adjust the add-on’s settings, select the gear icon. You can then change the voice, speed, pitch, volume, and text highlighting.

Use VoiceOver on Mac

If you use macOS, you can take advantage of Apple’s accessibility feature, VoiceOver. Follow the steps at the beginning of this how-to to turn on the Google Docs accessibility feature. Then, turn on VoiceOver with the following steps.

1. Open System Preferences and select Accessibility.
2. Choose VoiceOver and then turn on the VoiceOver toggle.

3. Confirm you want to enable the feature by selecting Use VoiceOver.

4. Then, head to your document in Google Docs. If necessary, place your cursor in the document for the reader to begin. You’ll hear and see the text from your document.

To turn off VoiceOver when you finish, use the X on the top left of the VoiceOver window.

You may have a visual impairment that makes it difficult to read your document, or you might want to hear your Google Doc read aloud as you do other things. Either way, these text-to-speech options should have you covered.

For more, look at how to use the text-to-speech feature on TikTok.

The post How to Get Google Docs to Read Documents Aloud first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to insert a table and adjust its properties as well as how to edit a table in Google Docs, sort the table data, and remove a table you no longer want.

Insert a Table in Google Docs

You can add a table to Google Docs by simply selecting the number of rows and columns you want.

1. Place your cursor in the spot where you want the table.
2. Select Insert > Table from the menu.
3. In the pop-out box, choose the size for the table. Use your cursor to pick the number of columns and rows and keep in mind that you can also adjust this later.

Note: You can also select Table templates and pick a premade option if you prefer.

You’ll then see your table in the location you selected and can start entering your text into the table cells.

Set the Table Properties

You may want to make some changes to the appearance of your table before adding data to it or after. You can adjust row, column, alignment, and color properties for a Google Docs table.

Right-click the table and pick Table properties in the shortcut menu.

When the sidebar opens on the right, expand the section for the item you want to adjust.

• Row: Set a minimum row height, choose or change the header row, and allow rows to overflow across pages.
• Column: Adjust the width for all columns.
• Alignment: Choose the cell vertical alignment, table horizontal alignment, set the indent measurement, and adjust the cell padding.
• Color: Add or remove a table border, change the border width, select a border color, and pick a background color for a cell.

You’ll see any changes you make to your table in real-time. When you finish, use the X on the top right to close the sidebar.

Add or Remove a Column or Row

You have a few ways to add and remove both columns and rows from your table in Google Docs.

To quickly add a column or row, hover your cursor over the table to display the small toolbar. You’ll see a toolbar for each column and row. Select the plus sign to add a column to the right or row below.

To add a column to the left or row above, right-click a cell in the column or row. Then, choose an Insert option from the shortcut menu.

To remove a column or row, right-click a cell in it and choose Delete row or Delete column from the shortcut menu.

Pin a Header Row in a Table

If you create a table with a header row, you can pin it to the top to keep it in place. This is helpful when rearranging rows or sorting the table as we’ll discuss below.

Hover your cursor over the row to display the small toolbar and select the pin icon.

Alternatively, right-click the row and pick Pin header row.

To remove a pinned header row, choose the pin icon in the toolbar which has a line through it after you pin a row or right-click and pick Unpin header row.

Rearrange Columns or Rows

With the flexible features for tables in Google Docs, you don’t have to cut and paste to rearrange rows or columns. Just use the toolbar.

Hover your cursor over a column or row to display the small toolbar. Select the grid icon on the left side of the toolbar and then drag the column left or right or the row up or down.

Sort a Table in Google Docs

You may want to display your table in alphabetical or numerical order. You can do so by the column of your choice one of two ways.

Hover your cursor over the column and select the filter icon in the toolbar. Then, pick Sort ascending or Sort descending.

You can also right-click the column, move to Sort table, and pick Sort ascending or Sort descending in the pop-out menu.

Merge Cells in a Table

You may want to combine two cells into a single cell that spans several columns or rows. You can merge two or more cells in your table in a few simple steps.

1. Select the cells you want to merge by dragging your cursor through them. You can merge horizontal cells, vertical cells, or a block of cells. Just remember, you can only merge adjacent cells.

2. Right-click the selected cells and pick Merge cells in the shortcut menu.

3. You’ll then see your merged cells as a single cell.

If you decide to unmerge these same cells later, right-click the merged cell and choose Unmerge cells.

Split Cells in a Table

You can also do the opposite in a table and split cells rather than merge them. This is one of the new features that Google added to Docs in October 2022.

1. Right-click the cell you want to split and choose Split cell in the shortcut menu.

2. In the pop-up window, enter the number of columns or rows you want to split the cell into. You can also use the arrows to move up and down in small increments.
3. Select Split.

4. You’ll then see your cell transform into more than one cell.

If you want to unsplit cells, you can select them and use the Merge cells feature described above.

Delete a Table in Google Docs

Should you decide later that you no longer want a table in your document, removing it is easy.

Right-click the table and choose Delete table from the shortcut menu. Keep in mind that this removes the data in the table as well.

Tables are useful tools for giving your document a structured appearance. If you’d like another helpful way to use them, take a look at how to make a fillable form with tables in Google Docs.

The post How to Add, Edit, Sort, and Split a Table in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Google Docs may not have much in the way of brochure templates, but customizing a template to fit your needs is simple. You can also create a tri-fold pamphlet yourself, or use a third-party template to make it even easier. Let’s get started.

How to Make a Brochure On Google Docs

1. Open Google Docs on your web browser by navigating to docs.google.com. Of course, you should be logged in to your Google Account for this to work.

2. You can already see some common templates at the top, but select the Template Gallery option to view them all at once.

3. There are many different types of templates in the gallery – scroll down until you see a couple of options for brochures.

4. Selecting the template opens a new document with the formatting already in place and filled with dummy text.

5. Now just replace the text with your own content, and add images with your brand logos.

This gives a pretty decent brochure with proper margins and a nice layout. You can start printing these out if you are satisfied, or customize them further.

Customizing Your Brochure Template in Google Docs

You can easily edit a template to add any written or visual content you want, but what about formatting the page itself? That’s easy too.

Open any brochure template and select File > Page Setup. Here you can customize all aspects of your pamphlet’s page formatting.

Orientation

The page orientation is set to Portrait by default, which is ideal for simple brochures. For creating a tri-fold brochure, however, you need the horizontal layout of the Landscape orientation.

Margins

The existing margins leave sufficient space on all sides, but you can always adjust them to your personal requirements. It’s generally not a good idea to remove margins entirely unless your layout already leaves enough empty space at the edges.

Page Size

Clicking on the drop-down menu below Page Size brings down a list of page sizes. Each entry has a name and dimensions in inches. Letter is usually the right option, though feel free to pick any other size from the list.

Page Color

Google Docs brochure templates have a white background, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to it. Promotional materials can benefit from some background color, and pamphlets are no exception.

How to Create a Tri-Fold Pamphlet in Google Docs

The Google Docs template gallery is great for multi page business brochures, but you will not find any templates for the far more common tri-fold pamphlet. Instead, you can create one yourself with a simple tweak.

1. First, open Page Setup from the File menu.

2. Set the orientation to Landscape. You will need the extra space to accommodate a trifold layout.
   

3. You may want to reduce the margins as well, especially on the Left and Right. With a pamphlet, our goal is to fit as much information as possible.
   

4. Select OK to apply the changes to the current document.
   
5. Now head to Format > Columns and select the three-column option on the right.

6. If you have any content on the page, it will be automatically sorted into three columns. You can adjust the margins between the columns with the little blue arrows, making sure you have enough space to fold.

Depending on your inserted images and general design, you may want to play around with the page and the column margins until they match up nicely. Then just print out the pamphlets and start folding.

You can use the same process to create a bi-fold pamphlet as well. Just pick the double-column option in step five and adjust your margins accordingly.

Using Third-Party Templates

Google Docs templates can be pretty bland, and there aren’t even that many to choose from. If you don’t have any cool design ideas in mind, try starting out with a third-party template.

There are many websites offering brochure templates for Google Docs. For this tutorial, we are going to try out a brochure design from GooDocs.

The site offers an incredible variety of pamphlet designs for absolutely no cost, covering all kinds of business needs. Templates compatible with Google Docs will sport its blue icon and can be imported directly.

1. Head to GooDocs’ brochure templates to find a design you like.

2. Selecting a template opens its specific page, with a clearer view of what the brochure looks like. Click on the EDIT TEMPLATE button on the right to use the template.

3. This template has only one size, but some might have multiple options. Confirm your desired size to proceed.

4. After waiting a few seconds, you’ll be taken to Google Docs. If you are signed in to your Google account on the web browser, you can now Make a copy in Google Docs for your use.

5. The template will open in a fresh document with all the formatting in place. Just replace the contents and you are ready to start printing.

What is the Best Way of Making a Brochure or Pamphlet in Google Docs?

Customizing a Google Docs brochure template with your own content and formatting is the most straightforward way of creating a pamphlet. Whether you need a two-page brochure or a trifold pamphlet, you can create them both yourself.

That being said, it might be easier to import a third-party template that already has these features. You can copy a nice trifold template from a site like GooDocs and just edit the content.

This allows you to use any Google Docs add-ons you need and save the document to your own Google Drive. Keep an eye on the margins, and start printing the pamphlets when you are satisfied.

The post How to Make a Brochure or Pamphlet in Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Here’s how you can print envelopes using Google Docs.

How to Print Envelopes Using Google Docs

There are several envelope add-ons for Google Docs that enable you to create and print envelopes. For this tutorial, we will be using the Mail Merge add-on.

Note: Mail Merge will enable you to perform 20 merges of up to 30 rows in their free trial.

Step 1: Open Your Document

Open a Google Docs document by going to the Google Docs web app (or smartphone app) and clicking New Google Doc.

Step 2: Open Mail Merge and Choose Envelope Size

If you don’t have the Mail Merge add-on yet, you can install it with the following steps. If it’s already installed, skip to step 5.

1. Click Extensions in the toolbar, then select Add-ons > Get Add-ons.

2. In the Google Docs add-ons menu, where it says “Search apps” type Mail Merge. Select Mail Merge from the list.

3. Click the Mail Merge app and select Install.

4. Select Continue then confirm your account and give Mail Merge the permissions it requires.

5. Once installed click Extensions > Mail Merge > Envelopes. Alternatively, select Mail Merge from the sidebar and select Envelopes.

6. Wait for the pop-up to load, then select your Envelope Size from the drop-down menu or set a custom page size. Click Save to finalize.

Note: If you can’t create an envelope template this way, select File > Page Setup. Here, you can set the Orientation and Paper size before moving to the next step.

Step 3: Customize Your Envelope

The next step is to edit your document to add the required fields, including the recipient’s address and your return address. To do so, use the Google Docs editing tools as you would in a normal document. For example:

Note: Add custom fonts, colors, and branding to personalize your envelope.

Step 4: Add Merge Fields

If you’re printing a series of envelopes from a mailing list, you can add merge fields to speed up the process by creating a Google Docs envelope template (rather than adding individual details to each envelope). To do so:

1. Click Extensions > Mail Merge > Start.

2. Select Open Spreadsheet.

3. Select your Google Sheet. If it doesn’t appear in the drop-down menu, select Google Drive and use the search box to locate the document. If you used Microsoft Excel to create the spreadsheet, you can easily convert this to a Google Sheet.

4. Place your cursor where you’d like to insert a merge field. In the Merge Field drop-down, select the field you’d like to add (e.g., Recipient Name). Click Add.

5. When you’re done, select Letters in the Merge To drop-down box. Then click Merge.

6. Mail Merge will display how many envelopes you want to create. Click Yes if this is correct.

7. Your envelopes will be generated according to the values from your spreadsheet.

Step 5: Open the New Document and Print

Once the process is completed, open the envelope document. This will show all of your newly created envelopes in a list. Double-check that everything is formatted correctly.

If so, it’s time to print:

1. Select File > Print.

2. Select More Settings and ensure that the Paper Size and other settings are correct.

3. Select Print.

Sending Mail Has Never Been Easier

With this tutorial, you should be able to easily print as many envelopes as you would like. We used Mail Merge as it’s one of the most popular and well-known Google Docs add-ons. However, there are plenty of free options if you use the free trial and find the pricing too steep.

The post How to Print on an Envelope Using Google Docs first appeared on Online Tech Tips.