What is Google Docs and How Do You Use It?

Security, Ease To Use, and No Cost, Well Google Docx does more than you think. It is a Google office suite of products managed by Google. It is open-source and free of cost, and one of the top-rated alternatives to Microsoft Word with ease.

What is Google Docs?

Google Docs is a top-rated Google browser-based online word processor that lets you create & format documents and share them with others. Using this, one can also access their Google Docs document on multiple devices, and the only need is to establish a proper internet connection. In addition, it lets you access and work with it on a mobile application as well(Android & iOS).

What makes it best from its competitor,i.e., Microsoft Word, its extraordinary and reliable features. It is one of the first online word processors that allow its users to edit the shareable document file.

Google Docs allows users to share files and folders with people and select whether they can view, edit, or comment on them. One can easily share it across multiple platforms and access them from any browser window.

How to Work With Google Docs?

You can work with Google Docs the same as you work with Word Documents. Additionally, you will easily create a new document, utilize Google Docs templates and share it with others. Let’s discuss some basics about this:

How to Create a Google Doc?

1. First of all, go to docs.google.com and sign in with your Google account credentials.
2. When you are on the dashboard based on multiple Google Docs, you will have to click on the Blank page, and a new blank document is created.

Note:- You can also create a new document from the URL docs.google.com/create.

How to Save a Google Doc?

As a matter of fact, you will never have to save your created Google document as Google will automatically store it to your drive. That’s the reason you won’t find any Save button. Moreover, from your File menu, you can create a copy, Email it and download a Google Document.

How to Download Google Docs?

1. Click on the File menu, and from the drop-down select Download.
2. Now, opt with a specific file format(extension) as per your need.

How to Email a Google Doc?

If anyone wants to share their created document with others, then with the help of Email features, they can easily share it with others. Thus to-do-so, implement the steps:

• • Click on the File menu and opt with the Email>> Email this file / Email collaborators.

• A pop-up appears on your screen where you will have to type and select the following details.
  Check to Send yourself a copy option.
  To: Enter the email of the user to whom you want to send an email.
  Subject: Define the Subject related to your document.
  Message: Here, you can write suggestions about the document.
  According to your necessity check to Don’t attach. Include content in the email.
  You can also allocate formats like PDF, Rich Text(RTF), Open Document, HTML, Microsoft Word, Plain Text.
• Finally, click on the Send button.

How to Share a Google Doc?

In comparison to emailing a document to others, we suggest sharing it. Moreover, the main reason behind this is its multi-featured potential. It allows you to see and work on the same version of the Google document. So to initiate the sharing process of Google Doc, click on the Share button and perform the mentioned steps below:

• A tab of Share with people and groups pop-up on the screen.
• You can type the names or email addresses of the specific recipient/s.
• The default access level with this method is Editor. Click the drop-down icon to the right to change this to Viewer or Commenter. Click on the Send button.

Steps to Share the Document Via Link

• Click on the Change option. By default, the Google Docs will be shared with Anyone(Anyone on the internet with this link can view).
• You can also change the mode to Viewer/Commentor/ Editor as per your requirement.
• After completing the security procedure, click on the Done button and copy the link.
• Lastly, the link will be copied to your clipboard, and shared where you want.

How to Trace the Changes in Google Docs?

While you change the Google Docs data multiple times or if you share it with others. In these conditions, you will want to trace the changes done.

Note:- Here, you can view when the changes were made, who made them, and they’re all highlighted in the document.

• • You can also get an option to name the specific version. So that another time you can easily find it. Move to File >> Version History >> Name current version, type the name and tap the Save button.
  • Or, go to the version history menu and select the date or name of a version to rename it. Alternatively, you can click on the three-dot>>Name this version to rename it. Here, you can also get the option to enable the setting of the only show named versions.

• Version history is all about the basic changes in tracking. You can restore the data of a document version simply. To-do-so, you have to select and click on the Restore This Version button. To avoid the process of accepting or discarding individual changes within each version, you can opt for this extraordinary feature.

What is Suggestion Mode?

Google Docs allows its users to work with the documents in three modes: Editing, Suggesting, Viewing. By default, the mode is on the Editing. Hence, to switch on another, you will have to move to View >> Mode or tap on the drop-down icon present at the extreme right of the tools menu. Opt with the Suggesting mode to perform the individual changes.

When one can make changes in the document with the help of Suggestion mode, you will view the comment tab on the right side of the document window. Here, you also get an option to accept or reject the suggestion. Moreover, you can also write a reply to proceed with each specific change.

You can track the changes made in the document file under the particular document version in the version history. By opting this way, you will get an option to review, restore, and reject changes.

How to Print From Google Docs?

To print a document from Google Docs is the same as working with any other document locally. To initiate the printing process of the Google document: open the document and go with File >> Print, directly click Ctrl + P for the shortcut or select the Print icon and click on it.

By applying these options, you will find a print menu on your screen. Select the inbuilt attributes and click on the Print button.

How to Edit Google Docs Offline?

To edit or access your Google document in offline mode. You have fulfilled some basic conditions like you have to start the changes without establishing a proper internet connection. There is also a need to access the document outside of incognito mode.

• • Additionally, you have to install and enable Google Docs offline Chrome extension and enough free storage space to store files.
  • After that, go to docs.google.com, and click on the hamburger menu. Move to Setting and verify that the slider next to Offline is in the On position.

• • Finally, the document is ready to access in offline mode. Moreover, the Cloud icon on the document file specifies whether your document is ready for offline use.

• • While you lost your internet connection, you will see a crossed-out cloud and the note Working offline. In addition, if you make any changes to the document, it will be synced automatically; once you establish a proper internet connection.

• After enabling the Google Docs offline extension, you can review your document list at docs.google.com, even when you are offline. All the present documents are available offline and will carry a checkmark icon with them. Select the Three-dot menu and click on it to control the Available offline option.
• One of the advanced benefits of the Google Docs Offline extension is, it will store data of all documents you open.

Note:- When you lose your internet connection, you will get the option to access that specific file in offline mode.

In this condition, you can make changes permanently in the document available offline, even though you’re not online. Meantime, those documents not stored and not available offline will appear as muted.

Final Words

Now you know about the basics of what is Google Docs? and how to use it. Additionally, you will also be able to create a Google Doc, save a Google Doc, email a Google Doc, share a Google Doc, trace the changes in Google Docs, about the suggestion mode, print from Google Docs, and edit Google Docs offline.