7 Best Google Docs Tips and Tricks to Use It like a Pro

These tips will help you be more productive and save time. That's why I've covered the web as well as the interface of the Google Docs mobile app. Without further ado, let's start.

1. How to add contours

Outlines make it easy to navigate long, multi-page Google Docs. First, you will activate the feature. Show / Hide Document on the View tab. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + A or Ctrl + Alt + H.

You should now see a sidebar with an empty outline option. Each header you create will appear here, giving you a nested overview of the structure in real time.

In the Google Docs mobile app, you activate the outline function from the menu and view it at the bottom of the screen.

Note that you can still use a heading style and do not insert it into the outline. Just click / tap on the cross-shaped icon next to the outline you want to delete.

2. How to change margins

All Google documents you open or create have default or applied margins. If you are not satisfied with the current situation, change it.

Open Google Doc and you should see a ruler with a light blue triangle facing down at one of its ends.

Just drag it to the left or right to change the margin. This is the margin that determines from where you will start typing on the document.

You can also set default margin values ​​so you do not have to change them every time you create a new document. Select Page Setup from the File menu to display a pop-up window.

Here you can set the margins of the four sides of the document and save it by default. Play a little with the values ​​to get an idea of ​​the margin you need.

There is no way to change the margins in the Google Docs mobile app at this time. This may be due to a limited number of screens

5. How to make landscape

Google Docs opens in default portrait mode. This is about the norm for all word processors. However, landscape mode makes sense when you use a large image or a table that simply does not fit.

To change the page orientation, open the File menu and select Page Setup.

It is there that you can change the orientation of portrait mode to landscape mode. You can also set it by default.

You must repeat the same steps in the Google Docs mobile app. Select Page Setup from the menu and choose the orientation from there.

6. How to add page numbers

Select Header and Page Number on the Insert menu. There are four options under Page Number. See them? Let me explain quickly.

The first option is to automatically insert the page numbers at the top, the second option skips the first page and starts dialing from the second page at the top, the third option automatically inserts the page numbers at the bottom and the fourth option skip the first page and start numbering from the second but insert below.

To add page numbers to the mobile, touch the "+" icon, then select Page Number. You will now see the same four options as in the web application.

7. How to check the number of words

Google woke up late on this one, but at least they did it. At any time, press Ctrl + Shift + C to display a popup window where you can see details such as the number of words, characters, and so on.

A new failover option allows you to insert the number of words in the lower left corner of Google Docs. So you do not have to press the shortcut repeatedly. As a word processor, this should have been taken care of a long time ago. You will need to enable this option each time you create or open a document.

To be a manufacturer of words

Google Docs is full of punch if you know your way. Of course, some options are not too obvious and others are still missing. It still works great if you want a word processor that works everywhere, is free for life and integrates well with other Google applications.

Then: Want an even better word processor? Click on the link below to find out how Quip beats Google at its own game.