Google Docs is a powerful word processing software accessible through your web browser. Integrated with Google Drive, it allows you to store your documents in the cloud. Any user with a Google account can use Google Docs for free. It is also available with Google Workspace, Google’s suite of online productivity apps, which includes Gmail, Google Slides, Google Sheets, and more. Google Docs also has mobile apps for Android and iOS.
This comprehensive guide will help you familiarize yourself with the web application Google Docs and show you how to share your documents and collaborate with others.
Creating and Opening a Document
To create a new document or load a document already saved in Google Drive, you’ll need to sign in to your Google or Google Workspace account. If you’re not signed in yet, you will be prompted to do so when you click on any of the links below.
- From the Google Docs homepage: To create a new document, click on the blank thumbnail or select a template on the right. To see more templates, click on the Template Gallery button at the top right of the screen; click on any thumbnail to create a new document from that template.
- From the Google Drive homepage: To create a new blank document, click on the New button at the top left of the screen, then click on Google Docs. If you want to select a template to create a new document, click on New, then hover over the “>” symbol to the right of “Google Docs” and select From a template. The Google Docs homepage will open, displaying its full gallery of templates.
Documents already present in your Google Drive storage will appear on either of these homepages. Double-click on a document to open it in Google Docs. You can use the search bar at the top of each homepage to search for the name of your document or the text it contains. On the Google Docs homepage, you can also click on the folder icon above the list of documents. This opens a simplified version of your Google Drive in a sidebar.
To open a document that someone else shared with you via Google Drive: On the Google Drive homepage, click on Shared with me in the left column, then double-click on the document to open it in Google Docs.
Importing a Document or PDF to Edit in Google Docs
If you want to edit a document that is not already stored in Google Drive, here’s how to import it.
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From the Google Docs homepage: Click on the folder icon above the list of documents, then click on the Import tab on the screen that appears.
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From the Google Drive homepage: Click on New > File upload and select the document from your computer’s drive.
Using either of these methods, you can drag and drop a file onto your web browser screen or browse your computer’s storage and select a file.
Microsoft Word Documents
Traditionally, when you uploaded Microsoft Word files to Google Drive, they were automatically converted to the Docs format. This is still the case when you upload Word files via the Google Docs homepage.
However, since mid-2019, Google Docs also supports the ability to edit Microsoft Word (.docx) files in their original format. By default, all .docx files you upload via Google Drive remain in the Word format. You can edit and collaborate on a Word file directly in Docs, with any changes made by you or your collaborators saved directly to the Word file.
If you prefer Word files you upload via Google Drive to be automatically converted to the Docs format, click on the gear icon at the top right of the Drive homepage and select Settings from the dropdown menu. In the Settings dialog box, check the box that says “Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format.”
PDF Files or Images
You can also upload a PDF file or an image of a scanned document to Drive and convert it to be editable in Google Docs. The accuracy of this conversion depends on the readability of the text in the PDF or source image.
From the Drive homepage, click on New > File upload and select the PDF or image file. Once the file is uploaded, right-click on its name on the Drive homepage and select Open with > Google Docs. Drive will convert the PDF or extract the text from the image file and open the result in Google Docs for you to view and edit. This converted version will appear on your Google Docs homepage and your Google Drive homepage as a new Docs document. Note that only the text portion of the source file is converted; the images in your PDF will not be visible in the new document.
Working in a Document
When you open a new or existing document, here’s what you’ll see:
The toolbar at the top of your document contains buttons for commonly used word processing functions such as text and paragraph formatting, inserting links and images, spell checking, and printing.
The menu bar above this toolbar features the following dropdown menus:
- File: Lists commands for actions on the entire document, including layout, printing, renaming, and sharing.
- Edit: Allows you to copy, paste, undo, redo, find and replace, and more.
- View: Allows you to change your view of the document and how you interact with it.
- Insert: Where you go to insert a table, special character, header or footer, and more.
- Format: Allows you to format text, paragraphs, and other elements, including tables.
- Tools: Contains extras such as word count and document translation.
The title of the document appears at the top of the screen, above the menu bar. To change the title, place your cursor in the title and start typing.
Note that Docs automatically saves any changes you make to your document as you make them.
Editing, Suggestion, and Viewing Modes
When you create or open a document, it is presented in Editing mode, where you compose or edit your document as usual. You can also toggle to two other modes:
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Suggesting mode displays changes made to your document as colorful “suggestions” that can be accepted or rejected. This mode is particularly useful when collaborating with others.
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Viewing mode allows you to read the document without being able to make changes. It allows you to focus on reading a document without being tempted to stop and edit it. You can also share a document with others by limiting their access to Viewing mode.
To switch between modes, click on the pencil icon at the far right of the toolbar and make your selection. You can also select View > Mode from the top menu bar.
Sharing Your Document
You can share a document to allow others to view or edit it, whether it’s from Google Docs or Google Drive. On the Docs screen where you’re editing your current document, click on the blue Share button at the top right. Or, from the Google Drive homepage, right-click on the name of your document and select Share from the menu that opens. In both cases, a panel titled “Share with people and groups” will appear.
Google allows you to share your document privately by inviting specific people to access it, or publicly, meaning anyone with the link can open it. In most cases, business users will want to share their documents privately with specific colleagues, but there may be times when you need to share them publicly, such as when you want to get public feedback on a document.
Share Your Document Privately (Limited Access to Specific People)
In the “Share with people and groups” panel, enter the names or email addresses of the people you want to collaborate with on the document. You can also send them a short message.
By default, each person you add has Editor access to your document. You can change this by clicking on Editor on the right and selecting Commenter or Viewer.
- Editor means they can edit your document, add comments to it, and share it with other people.
- Commenter means they can view your document and add comments to it, but they can’t edit it.
- Viewer means they can view your document, but they can neither edit nor add comments to it.
Keep in mind that this setting applies to all people you are currently inviting to the document. When you’re done, click Send, and everyone you added will receive an email with a link they can click to access the document.
Modifying, Restricting, or Revoking Permissions
You can change the permissions for any individual’s access to a document at any time by clicking the Share button. The “Share with people and groups” panel reappears, listing all the people who have access to the document. Click on the dropdown menu next to their name to change their permission level or completely remove their access, then click Save.
You can also restrict general permissions for a document by clicking on the gear icon at the top right of the “Share with people and groups” panel. By unchecking the first box, you prevent people with Editor level access from sharing the document or changing the permission level of other collaborators. By unchecking the second box, you prevent anyone with Viewer or Commenter status from downloading, printing, or copying the document.
Setting an Expiration Date
As part of a Google Workspace subscription, you can also revoke access to a person who has been given Viewer or Commenter access to your document on a specified date. (If the person is designated as an Editor, they will be downgraded to Commenter on the specified date.)
To do this, click on the dropdown menu to the right of a collaborator’s name that shows their access title (Viewer, Commenter, Editor), and select “Give temporary access” in the panel that opens. Then, next to “Access expires…”, click on the current date to change the number of days you want this person to have access to your document.
Share Your Document Publicly (Accessible to Everyone)
At the bottom of the “Share with people and groups” panel, you’ll find a “Get link” area where you can copy the link to the document. By default, this link is limited to those you invite to the document. To change it to a public link, click on “Change to anyone with the link.” A link to your document will be generated.
By default, this link provides Viewer access. To allow people to comment on or edit your document, click on the Viewer dropdown menu to the right and select Commenter or Editor.
Click on the Copy link button to paste it into an email, direct message, document, or post it on a public forum or on social media. Anyone who sees and clicks on this link will be able to access your document.
You can disable this public access link to your document by reopening the “Share with people and groups” panel and clicking on “Change link” in the “Get link” area. Then, click on the “Anyone with the link” dropdown menu, select “Restricted,” and click Done.
Status of Your Shared Documents
On your Google Drive or Google Docs homepage, your documents shared with others are marked by an icon depicting two silhouette heads. (If you have set the Google Drive homepage to “Grid view,” this icon will not appear with the thumbnail or file name of a shared document.)
