Information & Tips
Account Settings and Maintenance.
Once you have set up your own Google account you should take time to read these …
How to Secure Your Account
HowToGeek article and learn how to look after it and keep everything safe.
Your Account Settings and privacy options
Take a look at this link to see a summary of what information Google holds about you and control just who can see what !
Security Permissions
Take a look at this link to see the Apps that are connected to your account
How to Protect and Recover a Hacked Gmail Account
MakeTechEasier article from Nov 2023 that shows what steps to take..
Alerts : Get Google working for you.
See this TechRepublic article about creating and using 'alerts' for words or phrases relating to any topics you may be interested in. There is also an extra bit about how you can get the most from Gmail 'Inbox'.
Assistant : Get Google working for you.
See this TechRepublic article about Google Assistant - this is a guide [and a 'living document'] that is updated periodically.
See this 9to5google article which is a similar 'living' a guide to all that is new.
See this Google Blog that explains about “Personal to you”
See this section of a video clip that explains how to use the new Google Assistant Shortcuts on Android Phones
Bookmarking : Tips for saving ‘links’ or ‘bookmarks’.
See this TechRepublic article to find out how to use 6 tools {you may already know about} in useful ways for storing your favourite links.
Account Data Migration
Your Google Account is central to many services provided, however there may be a time when it is necessary to migrate information for various reasons - if so you may find this useful.
How to Migrate Your Google Account Data to a New Account
HowToGeek article and learn all the steps to be considered.
Calendar : Tips & Tricks.
Smartphone:
When you want to create a new event in Google Calendar from your phone, you can use the Google Search App to listen to your voice commands.
To set a calendar event from the Google homepage (search box), or even the Chrome browser’s omnibox, type in details of your event in the following format :-
create event [day of week]
at [time of day + AM/PM]
optional [event name or details]
Example:
create event monday at 6pm going out for a meal
Desktop:
Click here for a video demonstration that is well worth watching as it features a number of shortcuts and settings you have probably not heard about before. If you use Calendar a lot you'll like these - have a pen and paper handy so you can make notes !
How to recover a deleted Calendar Event:
Click here for a HowToGeek article that explains how to recover an event that has been accidentally deleted by mistake, or one you may have intended but then changed your mind about later.
Cheat Sheets.
Click here to view a 23 page eBook [pdf] shared in Dropbox.
Chrome Browser : Voice typing.
If you have the Chrome browser on your computer then you can save yourself a whole lot of typing by simply dictating your text to create your documents. Apart from doing a great job at processing the text you can also, optionally, use a number of special commands to format the document and text.
Click here for a Google support page with help laid out under easy to read sections
Click here for an article from Smore called"Voice Typing In Google Docs"
Click here for an article from HowToGeek called "How To Use Voice Typing In Google Docs"
Default Applications.
See this handy ItsFOSS tutorial
Docs : Arranging pictures as "Group Images".
Click here to read a HowToGeek article from April 2022 that shows you how to group together two, or more, pictures using the standard Drawing Tool.
Docs : Annotating Images with Captions.
Click here to read a HowToGeek article from Sep 2023 called "How to Add Captions to Images in Google Docs" that shows you different ways of going about it.
Docs : Inserting Horizontal and Vertical lines.
Click here to read a HowToGeek article from Nov 2023 called "How to insert a single line in Google Docs"
Docs : Change the default formatting settings.
It is a straightforward task to reset your default options ...
Prepare some sample text for your new requirements
Start by writing something then format it to look how you want to set up your new default settings.
It can be a paragraph, a sentence, a couple of words, whatever, really. Just write it and format it the way you want it look by choosing your ideal font, text size, and line spacing in the menu bar.
Update 'Normal Text'
Select your prepared text.
Go to the Format menu at the top of the screen (it should be just under your document’s title).
Click on Paragraph styles and navigate to Normal text.
Once you’re there, click Update ‘Normal text’ to match.
Reset Defaults
Finally, go back to the Format menu.
Navigate to Paragraph styles and through to Options. (you should see something like “Save as my default style”)
Click it.
Docs : Inserting Video.
Click here to read a HowToGeek article from July 2022 that explains how to use video in your documents and the options available.
Docs : Templates.
Click here to see a cloudHQ extension for your Chrome browser that includes Business plans; Resumes and cover letters; Lesson Plans; Invoices; Brochures; Menus; Flyers; Timelines; Newsletters; And so much more!
Drive : Collaboration in Docs / Sheet / Slides.
Click here to see a HowToGeek article that is full of good tips for personal or shared use.
Drive : 5 useful tips.
This handy little article has been put together by the guys at “shakeup learning” and covers ....
Publishing your Google Document to the web
Searching for Images Without Leaving Google Docs
Editing Images in Docs and Slides
Using Google Drive Offline
Editing Microsoft Office Files in Google Drive
Drive : Add-ons.
The ‘Add-ons’ menu, located between ‘Table’ and ‘Help’ when editing a file, offers a number of really handy features.
Click ‘Add-ons’ and then select ‘Get add-ons’. In the pop-up window you can search for, and select, entries ranging from diagrams, charts, mind mapping, bibliography creators, writing aids, music notation, and so much more.
You can peruse these to discover what you think would help to make your Google Drive experience even more powerful and efficient.
After you install an add-on, it will appear in the ‘Add-ons’ menu.
Plus more information in the official article at Google Support
Drive: Add-on to create a custom-size Google Doc
A Google Doc only allows you to choose from varying page sizes, none of which correspond to conventional envelope dimensions. Instead, you might select Add-Ons | Get Add-Ons | type Page Sizer in the search box, then press then enter or return key.
Click on Page Sizer, then Install. Review the details, select Continue, and then select your associated account. Review access details, and if you accept and agree, select Allow.
Once installed, the Page Sizer Add-On lets you set a custom page size for a Google Doc with the add-on.
Select Add-Ons | Page Sizer | Set Page Size, then enter a custom page width and height in inches, millimeters, or points, and select Apply.
Note: If you're not sure what size to enter, you might refer to the Wikipedia envelope sizes entry, which lists many commonly used envelope dimensions.
Drive : Access by Apps : Keeping Control
Click here to see a 9to5google article called "How to delete app access to Google Drive and why you should" that is well worth a read.
Drive : Adobe Acrobat & PDFs.
Click here to learn how to use facilities incorporated into Drive for marking up and modifying PDFs.
Drive : Android Backup - Manage Your Devices.
Read this TechRepublic article to learn how you can easily manage the way in which your Google Drive can be used by Android devices to carry out backups of key information.
Drive : Blocking Tips from Google.
See this Support page that explains how you can block nuisance users from depositing spam in your Drive.
Drive : Blocking Tips by Review Geek.
See this useful article for another take on how to better manage and protect yourself from spam in your Drive.
Drive : Check Storage Allowance and Do Housekeeping.
See this TechRepublic article for freeing up space on your Google Drive storage allowance.
Drive : Evernote alternative.
See this TechRepublic article to see how to switch from Evernote [that is now applying restrictions to ‘free’ accounts] to using Drive for different file storage.
Drive : Files and Folders : Changing Ownership.
See this HowToGeek article that explains the steps required to transfer ownership of files held in your Drive to another user's account.
Towards the bottom of the article there is the following entry ...
Note: If you change the ownership of a folder, only the folder [not any of the files inside] will transfer to the new owner.
... not sure if this is what you would expect, but it's best to be aware of it and don't get caught out.
Drive : Files and Folders : Sharing.
See this TechRepublic article for a handy wee tutorial for managing permissions for documents and folders by using ‘Groups’ created in your Gmail / Contacts list.
Drive : Keyboard Shortcuts.
Standard shortcuts (for features like cut, paste, select all, print) all work as expected, but there others that can be very useful ...
Shift + t: create new text document
Shift + p: create new presentation
Shift + s: create new spreadsheet
/: search your Drive
d: show/hide details pane
n: rename selected item
Plus many more in the official article at Google Support
Drive : Keyboard Shortcuts & Cheat Sheet
Click here for a MakeTechEasier article with a lot more handy information.
Drive : Offline Working.
You can download copies of files and documents you're working on while still connected to the internet and then continue to work with them offline. When your device next connects to the internet any changes you have made will be automatically synchronised with the originals.
To do this ...
tap the 'i' or Options icon for a file in Google Drive
then tap the switch next to 'Keep on Device'
You can do this to as many files as you like [space permitting], letting you work on them while away from the cloud.
Drive : Privacy : Putting You In Control
Click here to see support page called "How Drive protects your privacy & keeps you in control"
Drive : Spreadsheet Tips
Click here to see a video by Jeff Su called "15 Google Sheets Formulas Working Professionals Should Know!"
Drive : Spreadsheets with Macros
Click here for a makeuseof article "The Advantages and Limitations of Using Macros in Google Sheets" that gives you the Pros and Cons.
Drive : Top Tips.
See this TechRepublic article for 5 everyday useful tips.
Drive : Watermarks in documents.
Adding a watermark to a document can be a good way to personalise or label it as your own.
Unfortunately Google Docs doesn’t offer a built-in way to do this but there is a workaround you can try instead using the Google Drawings tool that you use to create charts, diagrams, and basic images that you can use inside other Google apps. If you already have a logo or other image that you’d like to use as a base for your watermark simply click on the “Image” icon in the tool's menu bar or press Insert > Image instead.
See this HowToGeek article that explains it all and give it a go.
Duo : Video Calling.
Take a look at these links to learn about this great App that is available on Android & iOS, and as a Web App in any browser ...
See Howfinity video that walks you through the key points and features
and ...
See TechRepublic review
and ...
See CNET How To Get Started with 4 quick tips
and ...
See CNET Product overview
and ...
See TechRadar article to get going
and ...
See this Google Support Page for full details
Explore Feature : Artificial Intelligence
When editing your work using Docs, Sheets or Slides you can now make use of the ‘Explore’ button [in bottom right hand corner of window] that will activate the AI engine to retrieve “Topics, “Images” and “Related Research” it deems appropriate to the content of the information you are working on - for more details on its’ use see this TechRepublic article.
Gmail : Advanced Searching & Filters
Click here for a HowToGeek article that takes you through basic searching to more complex searches to help you get the most out of your Inbox and folders. It also then shows you how to set up filters to automate the organisation of your incoming mail to targeted folders or labels.
Games : Artificial Intelligence
Click here to see a ReviewGeek article called "Google Has a Bunch of Free Games On It's Home Page" to learn more about which free games are available.
Gmail : Contacts List.
If you discover unwanted entries in your Contacts List it’s more than likely they have been put there due to one of the default settings. To stop this from happening open Gmail > click on the Settings cogwheel > select ‘Settings’ from list > scroll down to the entry for "Create contacts for auto-complete" and select the option for “I’ll add contacts myself”
Gmail : Delegate to another user.
You should never share your password with anyone. But you can share an inbox with someone. If you grant someone access to your Gmail account, they can sort emails with filters, archive emails and use labels to organize emails. They can also send, read and delete email messages.
To add a delegate, open Gmail on your computer and head to Settings > See all settings > Accounts and Import or Account > Add another account.
Enter the email address of your delegate and hit Next Step > Send email to grant access.
Gmail : How to Customise Gmail on the Web
Many Gmail users have probably honed their skills over the years simply by 'trial and error' and poking around the different options and settings without really knowing what they are doing. The browser interface is actually very flexible and if you know what to look for, and how to do it properly, you can help improve your overall experience.
Click here for a great HowToGeek article that goes through many of the customisation options in detail - take a look and try some out [you don't need to apply them all at once] and see how they work for you.
Click here for another HowToGeek article "How to Clean Up the Gmail Sidebar" that focuses on keeping the content of your sidebar under control.
Gmail : How to force your account to log out of all devices.
Click here for a usatoday article "How to sign out of Gmail and Google on PC, Android and iPhone" that tells you how to ensure you have not left a device signed into your account.
Gmail : How to use, and find, 'Archived' emails.
It's likely that most Gmail users are probably not aware of the 'Archive' facility in Gmail and how useful it can be.
Click here for a Ghacks article that tells you all about this handy feature and why you should understand, and use, it.
Gmail : How to take a variety of Screenshots and other tricks
If you use Chrome then there is a clever extension from CloudHQ that can take screenshots and forward them in a number of different ways.
Click here for a feature guide by Support at CloudHQ which you might find useful.
Gmail : Inline Images.
If you are creating an email and intend including one or more pictures then you can make the whole thing look a lot better by embedding your pictures ‘inline’ alongside the text that refers to them - read this LifeWire article to find out how.
Gmail : Keyboard Shortcuts.
If you would like to be able to move through Gmail lists quickly by simply pressing the ‘j’ key to move down the list or the ‘k’ key to move up the list then open Gmail > click on the Settings cogwheel > select ‘Settings’ from list > scroll down to the entry for "Keyboard shortcuts" and select the option for "Keyboard shortcuts on"
Click here for an article "Gmail speed boosters let you fly through your inbox" by the fastcompany that lists a whole load of other time saving and convenience tips.
Gmail : Keyboard "Custom" Shortcuts.
Click here for an Android Police article "How to customise Gmail's keyboard shortcuts" for added convenience.
Gmail : Kim Komando Tips.
Click here for "10 hidden Gmail features you should be using" that are worth a read.
Gmail and Google Docs : Format text fast with shortcuts
Here is an extract from an article by a guy at androidintel.net that is worth a read if you use Gmail and Docs a lot and would like to work quicker and smarter ....
"Not to brag, but I consider myself a bit of a Gmail keyboard shortcut champion".
I mean, when I'm using Gmail on the desktop, I just fly around my inbox without ever touching my mouse. (How's that for nerd pride?!) But it dawned on me the other day that almost all the shortcuts I use and remember are related to the actual Gmail interface and not the act of formatting text while I'm writing an email.
When I'm composing a message and want to get all fancy with bullet points, for instance, I always end up clicking that little text formatting icon in the compose tool and then clicking the bullet points option. Once I'm done, I have to click the text formatting icon again to make the menu go away. It's a lot of extra steps and not at all efficient.
Out of nowhere, I remembered: Hey, there's a keyboard shortcut for that command! And then something occurred to me.
In a handful of instances, the same text formatting shortcuts available in Gmail are also available in Google Docs (where, for some reason, I've similarly failed to memorise and take advantage of them).
That means you can learn 'em once in one app or the other, and you'll have a powerful new time-saving tool you can then use across both Google services.
Here are the most useful cross-service-compatible text formatting shortcuts to burn into that beautiful noggin of yours (and if you're using a Mac, just replace Ctrl with Cmd in each of these instances):
Ctrl-Shift-8 will start a bulleted list in either app.
Ctrl-Shift-7 will give you a numbered list.
Ctrl-[ will indent your current paragraph further, while Ctrl-] will decrease its indentation.
Ctrl-Shift-L will align the text to the left, Ctrl-Shift-E will centre it, and Ctrl-Shift-R will introduce a right alignment.
Ctrl-\ (the backspace key) will remove any and all formatting on whatever text you have highlighted.
Two services, one set of shortcuts. That's the kind of ratio I like to see.
Gmail and Google Docs : Sharing options
See this excellent MakeTechEasier article that goes into several methods of sharing your documents..
Gmail : Secure your account.
See TechRepublic article for how to keep your account secure.
Gmail : Unlink accounts.
See LifeWire article for how to ‘unlink’ an account.
Home : Log of recent articles for the AI device
06/01/2017
05/01/2017
See PCAdvisor rumours for U.K. availability and pricing.
Earlier …
more background
and even more background
Keep : Versatile Note Taking Application
If you've not used "Keep" before it is well worth taking a look at this cross-platform tool. It is very flexible and provides just about everything needed to easily make Notes - but in a sleek way. Although there are many facilities they do not "get in your face" and you only need to use as few, or as many, of them as required to get things done 'your way'.
Click here to see how well Keep integrates with other Google products to make organising your data easier.
N.B. The following Google Support pages have tabs near the top for "Computer", "Android" and "iPhone / iPad" to highlight the differences between platforms.
Click here for a Google Support page "Use Google Keep in a document or presentation" that covers integration with Google Docs and Google Slides.
Click here for a Google Support page "Archive notes & lists" that deals with 'Archiving Notes' and 'Taking Notes out of the archive' as well as 'Deleting Notes' and 'Recovering Deleted Notes' [within a 7 day time limit] and 'Emptying Trash'.
Keyboard : The ultimate guide to Google’s time-saving keyboard shortcuts
Click here for an article by the fastcompany that shows you 33 shortcuts that will save you precious seconds in Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube, and beyond.
Maps : Searching
Read this AndroidPit article to learn about using the standard Google Search Box to enter your destination and how to use the other features effectively. Apart from basic text entry you can, if your device supports it, use voice input to obtain maps and directions.
e.g. simply type, or say, command “Navigate to xxxxxxxxx”
Now : Commands.
To learn 12 useful commands see this AndroidPit article.
Personalised Ads : How to ‘opt out’
Photographs App
Click here for an AndroidAuthority article from May 2022 that shows you how to "Master Google Photos with these lesser-known features" - there is probably a ton of stuff covered here that you never even heard about !
Personalised Ads : How to ‘opt out’
See HowToGeek article for instructions
Photographs : Apps and editing tools.
See CNET article for details of updates in November 2016
Play Music : Tips for Online / Offline modes.
See TechRepublic article for how to manage the way you listen to your favourites. When your devices is connected to the internet you can click here to access your own online media.
Play Store : Tips & Tricks.
See AndroidPit article for how to use the Play Store and how to access ‘Indie Corner’ and why you should.
Privacy : Results About You
Summarised notes from a Gizmodo article issued 28th September 2022.
Results About You isn’t a feature hidden away in Google’s maze of a website. It’s available in the Google app.
All you have to do is tap on your profile picture in the App and choose Results About You from the drop-down menu.
If you’re a Safari user you can also access Results About You on individual search results.
N.B. Once the feature is fully rolled out, it will be available on Android, iOS, and on the web.
Background:
For those who aren’t dedicated to covering tech, and even for those of us who are, Google’s policies around content removal can inspire many exploding head emojis.
The company has a byzantine web of policies—from the removal of non-consensual images and fake porn to rules for doxing content or websites that charge you to remove your personal information.
All of these policies can make it difficult to know which one to cite or which process to go through when you request content removal.
That’s something Results About You aims to change as it asks you what type of content you’re reporting for removal.
Is it personal contact info or outdated info? Or is it something more serious, perhaps illegal?
This allows Google to match the type of information you’re reporting to its policy on removing that content, the company told Gizmodo.
A previous version of this article stated that Google’s new tool will allow users to request removal of their Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and login credentials.
However it appears that the tool, and its alerts, only cover individuals physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.
QR Codes : Tips & Tricks.
See HowToGeek article to learn how to create and share your very own QR Codes.
Search : Tips & Tricks.
Click here to launch a search of TechRepublic articles for getting the best, most accurate, results from Google's search engine.
See Google blog article from April 2024 called "4 ways to use Search to check facts, images and sources online"
Sheets : Tips for Functions.
Click here for a HowToGeek article called "13 Google Sheets Date and Time Functions You Need to Know".
Sheets : Beyond Excel
Click here for an instructional video that shows you how to do some really smart things with a spreadsheet that are not available in Microsoft Excel.
Sheets : Scraping web pages
Click here for a great article by SearchEngineJournal that shows you how to use IMPORTXML to scrape structured data from webpages — no coding knowledge required.
Slides : Croping Images
Click here for an article by HowToGeek called "How to Crop an Image Into a Shape in Google Slides" that shows you a few tricks you might not know.
TakeOut : Back Up all, or part of, your online Google Data
The fastest way to back up all your data, or a subset like Google Photos, is by using Google’s Takeout facility that provides the tools you need to export all kinds of user data have saved on Google apps, like Keep Notes, Mail messages, Google Chrome history, and more.
To invoke a Google Takeout, users need to go to takeout.google.com > log in to a chosen Google account > Create a New Export.
Now, clicking ‘Create a New Export’ will open a list of checkboxes which will let you select the content you want to download from each of Google’s services.
If you only want to download photos, deselect everything except Google Photos or click ‘deselect all’ under the ‘select data to include’ tab, then go ahead to select Google Photos from the list. Checking the Google Photos box will include your image library in the download.
Alternatively, if you click the button labelled “all photo albums included,’ a pop-up will let you select or deselect specific albums in your library as well as entire years.
After selecting albums, click OK > Next Step. This will open a range of export options.
There is a ‘Delivery Method’ drop-down menu where users can opt for receiving a download link on their email. There is also an option to transfer the data on another cloud platform like Dropbox, OneDrive, or Box.
Users can also select between one-off or periodic exports, and select the desired file type. There is also the option of selecting the maximum size of download files.
For example, if the total data is 12GB, and the user selects 1GB as the maximum size of download as 1GB, Google will send 12 separate download links for each 1GB file.
Once all of this is done, users need to click “Create Export," after which Google will show a message saying ‘Google is creating a copy of files from Google Photos.’ Google will then start creating your backup and send you download links as soon as it is ready.
N.B. The whole process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on the volume of your data, connection speed etc.
Tasks : Top Tips
Click here fto see a video by Jeff Su called "Top 5 Google Tasks Tips to Stay Organized (in 2021)!"
YouTube : Subscriptions
When you are logged on to the main Youtube site you have a panel down the left hand side. Near the bottom there is a section called “SUBSCRIPTIONS” where you can save a list of things that interest you. For example you might want to check out new things related to Google Chrome now and again - click here to see what is currently there.
YouTube : Usability Tip : Saving Frames to your device
Click here to see the full Chrome Unboxed article from Jan 2024 called "Chrome 121 Beta allows users to save frames from YouTube videos directly"
As a reminder, you need to first right click on the video, and then right-click once again somewhere else on the video frame to get the sub-menu to appear. After that, choose the ‘Save video frame as…’ feature and you’ll be good to go!
YouTube : Usability Tip : 'Frame By Frame' viewing or by '5 Second' Chunks
Click here to see a HowToGeek article from May 2024 called "How to Go Frame by Frame on YouTube" by pausing a video then using the "," and "." keys for frames, or the "<" and ">" keys for chunks.
YouTube : Theater Mode {Full Screen} Tip
Click here to see a HowToGeek article from May 2024 called "I Use This Trick to Remove the Sidebar Clutter From Every YouTube Video" that describes using the "T" key to toggle screen into "Theater Mode", Alternatively you can make this the default viewing mode with the "Theater Mode for YouTube" extension for popular browsers.
YouTube : Top Usability Tips
Click here to see a HowToGeek article from Aug 2022 called "10 YouTube Features You Should Be Using"
YouTube : Simpletivity Tips
Click here to run a 'potted search' at the Youtube site for educational videos produced by a regular vlogger called Scott Friesen who [amongst other things] shows you how to get the best productivity when using your favourite Google tools and services.
YouTube : Upload Your Video Clip
Click here to see a HowToGeek guide from September 2021 entitled "How to Upload a Video to YouTube From iPhone or Android".
YouTube : Upload Your "Shorts" Video
Click here to see a HowToGeek guide from May 2022 entitled "How to Upload YouTube Shorts".
YouTube : Video Playlists
See Google Support Guide for help on how to set up your personalised Playlists for easy access.