Navigation and Getting Started
There are several ways you can start a Google Doc!
Directly from your Google Drive
From your app launcher (waffle)
Going directly to docs.google.com
Read the labeled items below to understand the navigation of the Google Docs interface.
Click into the title to rename the document.
Click the star icon to add the file to your Starred list in Google Drive.
Click the folder icon to move the file into the desired folder in your Google Drive.
🔸From the File menu, you can:
Share the file
Make a Copy
Download the file as a PDF, PNG, etc.
Publish to the Web
Access Version History
Print
🔸From the Edit menu, you can:
Undo/Redo
Cut/Copy/Paste
Find & Replace
🔸From the View menu, you can:
Change the Mode of the file
Show/hide the ruler and other toolbars
🔸From the Insert menu, you can add:
Images
Shapes
Tables
Charts
Equations/Special characters
Links
Headers/Footers
🔸From the Format menu, you can adjust:
Text, image, and table properties
Spacing, indents, and columns
Page orientation and page numbers
Headers and Footers
🔸From the Tools menu, you can access:
Spelling & grammar
Explore feature
Dictionary
Voice typing
Accessibility Settings
🔸From the Add-Ons menu, you can:
Get, access, and manage add-ons that enhance Google Docs
🔸From the Help menu, you can access:
Help, training, and updates on Google Docs
Keyboard shortcuts for Docs
Google Doc's quick access toolbar allows you to format your document easily. The image above describes the function of each icon.
Comment History - Clicking the comment icon will allow you to review any/all comments made within the document, alter comment notifications, and/or create a new comment.
Share - Clicking the blue share button will allow you to share the document with individuals or as a link with viewer, commenter, or editor rights.
Google Doc's Document Mode provides three different viewing/editing options for users:
Editing - allows those with permission to edit the document.
Suggesting - allows the ability to suggest edits, while not altering the original content. Suggestions get recorded in green text and also placed as comments in the side margins for review.
Viewing - allows the ability to view the document as though it was published.
The Document Outline button provides access to a table of contents based on text that is linked as headings.
Clicking a linked item in the document outline will navigate the user directly to the section in the document.
The Explore feature allows users to search for content without leaving the document.
Content found using the Explore feature is part of the Creative Commons library.
Users can use the built-in citation feature for web content, which places the citation in the footnote of the document.
Images can be dragged and dropped directly into the document and remains linked to the source it comes from.
The toggle arrow on the far right side of the toolbar hides the upper menus of Google Docs.
Click the arrow once to hide the menus. Click it again to show the menus.