Creating a Google Document takes three steps: sign in to Google, open Google Docs, and click the blank document button

Go to docs.google.com in any web browser. If you are already signed into a Google account (Gmail, YouTube, or any other Google service), you will see your document list when ready. If not, click Sign in in the top right corner and enter your email and password.

Once you are signed in, you will land on your Google Docs homepage. This page shows all your existing documents and a row of template options. To start a new blank document, click the blue + button in the bottom right corner, or click the blank document thumbnail at the top left of the template row.

A new document will open in a new tab. It will be titled "Untitled document" by default. You can start typing when ready, and Google Docs will save your work automatically every few seconds — you do not have to click Save.

Key Takeaways

  • You need a Google account to create a Google Document; if you do not have one, you can create a free account at accounts.google.com.
  • Google Docs saves automatically as you type, so you do not need to manually save your work or worry about losing it if your browser closes.
  • You can rename your document by clicking "Untitled document" at the top and typing a new name.
  • Google Docs stores your documents in Google Drive, which gives you 15 GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos.
  • You can share a document with others by clicking the blue Share button in the top right and entering their email addresses.

Renaming your document so you can find it later

When you create a new document, it starts with the name "Untitled document" at the top. Click on that title to rename it. A text box will appear where you can type a new name. Press Enter or click outside the box when you are done, and the new name will stick.

Good document names are specific: "Budget 2024" is easier to find than "Document 1", and "Lease draft — March" is clearer than "Lease". Google Docs will search the document name when you look for files later, so naming things clearly saves time.

Understanding where Google Docs stores your files

Every Google Document you create is automatically stored in Google Drive, which is Google's cloud storage service. You do not have to do anything to save it there — it happens automatically. You can access your Drive by going to drive.google.com or by clicking the Google Apps menu (the grid of nine dots in the top right corner of any Google page) and selecting Drive.

Google gives you 15 GB of free storage, shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos combined. If you exceed that limit, Google will stop letting you create new documents until you delete files or buy more storage. You can check how much storage you have used by opening Google Drive, clicking the gear icon in the top right, and selecting Storage.

Because your documents live in the cloud, you can access them from any device with an internet connection — your phone, tablet, laptop, or a computer at a library. You can also work on the same document from multiple devices at the same time, and changes will sync across all of them.

Sharing a document with other people

To let someone else view or edit your document, click the blue Share button in the top right corner. A box will appear asking you to enter email addresses. Type the email of the person you want to share with, then click the dropdown menu next to their name to choose their permission level: Viewer (they can read but not change anything), Commenter (they can read and leave comments but not edit), or Editor (they can read and make changes).

Click Share to send them an invitation. They will receive an email with a link to the document. They do not need a Google account to view it, but they will need one to edit or comment. If you want to share the document with a link instead of entering individual emails, click the Change to anyone with the link option, and you can copy a shareable link to send however you want.

You can change someone's permission level or remove their access at any time by going back to the Share menu, finding their name, and updating or deleting their access.

Basic formatting and editing in Google Docs

Google Docs works like most word processors. You can make text bold by selecting it and clicking the bold button (or pressing Ctrl+B on Windows, Cmd+B on Mac), italic by clicking the italic button (Ctrl+I or Cmd+I), or underlined by clicking the underline button (Ctrl+U or Cmd+U). You can also change font, font size, and text color using the toolbar at the top.

To create a bulleted or numbered list, click the list buttons in the toolbar, or press Ctrl+Shift+8 for bullets and Ctrl+Shift+9 for numbering. You can add headings by selecting text and clicking the Normal text dropdown in the toolbar, then choosing a heading style.

If you make a mistake, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo. You can also see the full version history of your document — every change ever made — by clicking File in the top left, then Version history. This is useful if you accidentally delete something important and need to recover it.

What happens to your document if you stop using Google Docs

Your documents stay in Google Drive indefinitely, even if you do not open them for months or years. Google will not delete them unless you delete them yourself or your Google account is inactive for more than two years with no sign-in activity.

If you want to read your document as a file on your computer instead of keeping it only in Google Drive, click File in the top left, hover over read, and choose a format: Microsoft Word (.docx), PDF, plain text (.txt), or others. This creates a copy on your computer; the original stays in Google Drive unless you delete it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay for Google Docs?

No. Google Docs is free to use with a Google account. You get 15 GB of free storage shared with Gmail and Google Photos. If you need more storage, Google offers paid plans starting at $1.99 per month for 100 GB, but most people do not need to pay.

Can I use Google Docs offline?

Yes, but you have to turn on offline mode first. Open any Google Doc, click the three-dot menu in the top right, and select Settings. Toggle on Offline. After that, you can open and edit documents without an internet connection. Changes will sync when you go back online.

What if I accidentally delete a document?

Deleted documents go to your Trash folder in Google Drive for 30 days. Go to drive.google.com, click Trash on the left side, find the document, right-click it, and select Restore. After 30 days, Google permanently deletes it.

Can I edit a Google Doc on my phone?

Yes. read the free Google Docs app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Sign in with your Google account, and you can create and edit documents on your phone the same way you do on a computer.

What is the difference between Google Docs and Microsoft Word?

Google Docs is cloud-based and free; Word is typically a paid desktop program, though Microsoft offers a free online version. Google Docs makes it easier to share and collaborate in real time. Word has more advanced formatting options. Both save your work automatically and let you read files in the other's format.