8 Google Docs Power Tips Every User Should Use

By discovering the hidden tips and tricks, Google Docs has to offer; you get things done faster. By knowing where to look, you can take advantage of features such as Offline Access, Voice Typing, E-signature, and automatic substitution.

There are many other features Google Docs has to offer, and they are there just waiting for you to discover them. These hidden Docs features are easy to use and find.

1. How to Add an Image in Google Docs

Adding images will add some life to your Google Docs document. To insert an image, click on Insert at the top, followed by Image. Various options will appear in the side-windows with the option to search for an image online.

In the search bar, type the kind of image you’re looking for and the results will appear to your right. To insert the image, click on it and the file will be selected. Click on the blue Insert button at the bottom, and the image will be insert your document.

There is also an option to add an image by using a URL. Go to Insert > Image and the URL option will appear in the side-window that opens. Paste the URL of the image in the insert image box and click the insert button.

2. How to Move Around Large Amounts of Text in Google Docs

After proofreading your document, there’s a chance that you might need to move some text around to improve it. The problem with trying to move text around in a large document is that you can rasily end up creating duplicate content.

To prevent that from happening, Google Docs has a trick to help you out. Highlight the text you want to move around and press the Shift+Alt keys. Without letting go of the Shift and Alt keys, press the up and down arrows to move the text around.

This is a much easier way of moving text than the traditional copy and paste method.

3. How to Add a Doodle/Signature in Google Docs

Adding a doodle or a signature to your document is also an easy task. Click on Insert at the top, followed by the Drawing option. When you place the cursor on this last option, a side-menu will appear, click on the New option.

You should now be looking at a big blank window. Click on the line option’s drop-down menu, that’s the one next to the cursor icon. Find and click on the Scribble option.

Draw your signature and click on the blue Save and close button at the top right. Your signature will be inserted into the document automatically.

4. Keyboard Shortcut to Access More Options

To get access to more contextual menu options, press the Alt and/ keys on your keyboard. A new window will appear from the Help tab with a search option, help options, and keyboard options.

5. How to Change Editing Permissions on a Google Docs Document

When you share a file on Google Docs, you have the option of limiting what users can do. For example, when you add someone to the share list by clicking on the blue share button at the top right, a new window will appear.

After entering the email address of a user, you have the option of assigning that person permissions. Click on the drop-down menu next to the pencil icon and choose whether the person you added can only edit, comment, or view on the document.

Google Docs also lets you change this permission later on. To change the consent you gave before, click on the blue share button again and look for the name of the user under the bar where you entered their information.

You should see a text that says shared with and the person’s name. Click on the user’s name, and a Shared setting window will appear. To the right of the user’s email address, click on the pencil icon’s drop-down menu, and choose the new permission.

This time, there will be an option to make that specific user the owner. Click on the X to the right to stop sharing the document with that user.

6. How to Use Voice Typing in Google Docs

For those times, when you don’t feel like typing, you can use the Voice Typing feature. To access it, click on Tools, followed by Voice Typing. For faster access next time, you’ll see a keyboard short in the Voice Typing feature after clicking on Tools.

To start using the feature, click on the Click to speak option. If you get an error message, click on the link you’ll be provided with. The link has tips you can try to fix the mic issue.

7. Create Shortcuts for Frequently Typed Sentences

If for some reason, you find yourself typing the same words or phrases over and over, this tip is for you. It’s possible to only have to type a shortcut and have Docs type the rest for you. To give this tip a try go to Tools > Preferences.

In the Preferences window, you’ll see two columns: Replace and With. Type the shortcut in the Replace box and the sentence in the With box. For example, If you want to type TechniPages every time you type a T, take a look at the following image.

As you can see in the image above, every time I type the letter T, Docs will replace it with TechniPages.

8. How to Download the Document in a Specific Format

If you want to send someone a file that you don’t want them to edit, you can send it to them as a PDF. In the files tab, there an option to download your finished document not just in PDF, but in various formats as well. Go to Files > Download and a side window will appear. Click on the format you want to use to download the file in that format.

Conclusion

This is only part one of all the tips you can use to get the most out of Google Docs. Did I miss a tip you regularly use? Share it with me in the comments below.