Tips to format & customize documents

On this page

• Use and create document templates
• Create a newsletter
• Create an automatic outline in Docs
• Add and edit images
• Add flowcharts and diagrams
• Insert charts
• Translate a document
• Space table rows and columns evenly
• Do more with add-ons and scripts

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Use and create document templates

Creating the same types of files over and over can be time-consuming and inconsistent across team members. Save time with templates in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Sites. You can choose an existing template or create your own.

• Promote your organization by creating branded templates for external-facing documents, such as proposals and reports, using any of the Docs editors.
• Get an instant format for invoices, budgets, expense reports, or schedules in Sheets.
• Make your sales pitch, case study, proposal, or status report stand out with a Slides presentation.
• Add signatures to an agreement, flowcharts to a process document, import metrics into a spreadsheet, and more with add-ons.

Learn how

Choose an existing template

1. On your computer, go to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Sites.
2. At the top right , click Template Gallery.
3. Click the template you want to use.
4. A copy of the template opens.

Tip: If the template you choose has "Add-on" next to it, you may have to install an add-on to use it. Learn more about add-ons.

Create your own template

You can use this feature only if your organization supports it. For help, contact your administrator. 

1. Choose an option:
   • Create a new document, spreadsheet, presentation, form, or site.
   • Open an existing document, spreadsheet, presentation, form, or site and make the changes you want for your template.
   Note: If your template file is in a shared drive, check the sharing settings on the shared drive. Sharing restrictions can prevent people from accessing the template.
2. From the Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Sites home screen, at the top, click Template galleryyour organization name.
3. Click Submit template.
   Important: You won't be able to submit a template if you do not have permission to modify the sharing settings of your template, or if the template sharing settings have been set to restrict viewers and commenters from downloading the file.
4. Click Select a document and choose the template file you created.
5. Click Open.
6. (Optional) To submit a copy of the file instead of the original, check the box.
7. Select a category for your file.
8. Click Submit.

   To find your new template, go to Template galleryselect your template.

Show or hide the Template Gallery

1. Open Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Sites.
2. At the top left, click Menu Settings.
3. Turn Display recent templates on home screens on or off.

Learn more at the Google Docs Editors Help Center

 

Create a newsletter

Send professional-looking newsletters, such as announcements about upcoming events or project milestones.

Learn how

Create a newsletter with Docs and Gmail

1. If you haven’t already, create a group to send your newsletter to. Choose the Email list group type. For details, see Get started with Groups.
2. In Google Docs, click Template Gallery.
3. Click the newsletter template you want to use.
4. Make any changes to the template and add your newsletter text.
   Tip: You can personally address your newsletter to each recipient so they see their name, such as Dear Cassy. In Google Docs, click Add-onsGet add-ons and then search for mail merge.
5. Click EditSelect all.
6. Click EditCopy.
7. In Gmail, compose a new message and paste in your copied newsletter.
8. For the recipients, enter your group’s email address.
9. When you’re ready, send your email.

Create a newsletter using third-party apps

1. In Chrome Browser, go to the Chrome Web Store.
2. In the search bar at the top, enter Newsletter.
3. Click an app or extension to read more about the service. Some are free, while others have a fee.
4. When you find the app or extension you want to use, next to it, click Add to Chrome.
5. Open the app or extension and follow the instructions to create your newsletter.

Note: If you are a Google Workspace Individual subscriber, you can create a branded email and send it to many recipients at once. See Create branded emails with customized layouts

 

Create an automatic outline in Docs

Navigating long documents can be time-consuming and difficult. Google Docs automatically outlines your document so you can jump between sections. You can then edit the outline as necessary.

Learn how

1. To temporarily close the document outline: At the left, next to "Outline," click Close document outline  .
2. To completely hide the document outline: At the top, click View  Show outline. 

Tip: If there's a checkmark next to "Show outline," the document outline icon  will still be visible in the top left of your document. 

Learn more at the Google Docs Editors Help Center

 

Add and edit images

You don’t have to switch to another application or own additional software to create great images for your documents. Crop, recolor, and more right in Google Docs. Or, get suggestions for relevant images based on your content, and add them to your document.

Learn how

Add an image

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Slides.
2. Click Insert  Image.
3. Choose where to get your image from.
   • Upload from computer: Insert an image saved on your device.
   • Search the web: Search the web for an image.
   • GIFs and stickers: Insert a GIF or a sticker to your slide.
   • Drive: Use an image saved to your Google Drive.
   • Photos: Use an image from your Google Photos library.
   • By URL: Insert a link to your image or insert a .gif.
4. Click Insert or Open.

Learn how to add images in Sheets.

Crop an image

You can trim the edges of an image or remove an unwanted section.

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation.
2. Click on the image you want to crop.
3. Click Crop .
4. Around the border, click and drag the blue squares into the shape you want.
5. When you’re done, press Enter on your keyboard or click anywhere else in your file.

Get suggestions for images

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. At the bottom right, click Explore .
3. At the top, search for a document, presentation, image, chart, or webpage. Search results will show in categories:
   • Web: Info from the web related to your document.
   • Images: Images from the web related to your document.
   • Drive: Documents saved in your Google Drive.
4. Add an item from your search:
   • Add an image or chart: Click the item you want to add. At the top, click Insert.
   • Add a footnote: Point to your search result. Click Cite as footnote .
   • Add a link: Point to your search result. Click Insert Link .

 

Add flowcharts and diagrams

Flowcharts and diagrams make difficult concepts easy to understand. Create them right in your browser with Google Drawings, no software needed.

Learn how

Create a flowchart, diagram, or other type of drawing

1. On your computer, open a document.
2. In the top left, click Insert  Drawing  From Drive.
3. Click the drawing you want to insert. 
4. Click Select.

Add your drawing to a document

1. On your computer, open a document.
2. In the top left, click Insert  Drawing  From Drive.
3. Click the drawing you want to insert. 
4. Click Select.

The inserted drawing is linked to the original drawing.

• To update the drawing—Click the drawing. In the top right, click Update.
• To unlink the drawing—Click the drawing. In the top right, click Unlink .

Learn more at the Google Docs Editors Help Center

 

Insert charts

Help people visualize data in a presentation or document by adding charts from Google Sheets.

Because your chart is linked to your Sheets data, your document updates with the click of a button.

Learn how

Add a chart from Google Sheets to a document

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click Insert Chart From Sheets.
3. Click the spreadsheet with the chart you want to add, then click Select.
4. Click the chart you want to add.
   • If you don't want the chart linked to the spreadsheet, uncheck "Link to spreadsheet."
5. Click Import.

Open and edit a chart

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. Click a chart or table to select it.
3. In the top right corner of the chart or table, click Link options  Open source.
4. You can now change the original file.

Update the data in your chart

If you make a change on the fly, you might want to make sure any data is updated.

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
2. In the top right corner of the chart, table, or slide click Update.

Learn more at the Google Docs Editors Help Center

 

 

Translate a document

If you work with an international team or organization, use Google Docs to translate documents written in foreign languages to a language you know.

Learn how

Create a translated copy of a Docs file

1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
2. In the top menu, click Tools Translate document.
3. Enter a name for the translated document and select a language.
4. Click Translate.
5. A translated copy of your document will open in a new window. You can also see this copy in your Google Drive.

Tip: If "Translate document" isn't visible, you're likely in Microsoft Office editing. To translate, convert your file to Google Docs. Learn about Microsoft Office editing and how to convert Microsoft Office files.

Learn more at the Google Docs Editors Help Center

 

Space table rows and columns evenly

In Google Docs, you can resize table rows and columns so that each one is evenly spaced.

Learn how

Evenly space table rows & columns in Docs

1. On your computer, open a document or presentation.
2. Right-click a table.
3. Click Distribute rows or Distribute columns.

 

Do more with add-ons and scripts

Use ready-made add-ons to do more with Gmail and Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. You can also create your own scripts in any of the Docs editors with Google Apps Script.

• Add Google Analytics to your spreadsheet.
• Add a thesaurus to your document.
• Add form responses in Docs to create a poll.
• Add interactive questions to your presentation.
• Manage sales and customer relationships directly in Gmail.
• Add custom menus and windows with Google Apps Script.

Learn how

Install an add-on

1. On your computer, open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation.
2. Click Extensions Add-ons Get add-ons.
3. Point to an add-on to find a short description. To find a full description, click the add-on.
4. To install the add-on, click Install Continue.
5. For most add-ons, a message will appear requesting access to data that the add-on needs to work. Read the message, then click Allow.
6. After the add-on installs, click Done.

Create a script

1. In Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms, open a document, spreadsheet, presentation, or form.
2. If you’re using Docs, Sheets, or Slides, click ExtensionsApps Script.
3. If you’re using Forms, in the top-right corner, click MoreScript editor.
4. Create your script.

For help, see Overview of Google Apps Script.

Learn more at the Google Docs Editors Help Center

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