Text boxes let you place words anywhere on the page, not just in the normal left-to-right flow
A text box in Google Docs is a container you can draw anywhere on your page and fill with text. Unlike regular paragraphs, which stack vertically down the document, text boxes float independently — you can move them around, resize them, and position them over images or in the margins. This is useful when you want to add a callout, a sidebar note, a label on a diagram, or text that wraps around an image instead of pushing it down the page.
Google Docs does not call this feature "text box" in the menu. Instead, you create one by inserting a shape (usually a rectangle) and then adding text inside it. The process takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Text boxes are created by inserting a shape from the Insert menu, then typing text directly into that shape.
- You can move a text box anywhere on the page by clicking and dragging it, and resize it by pulling the corner handles.
- Text boxes can have a colored background, a border, or no fill at all — you control the appearance in the Format panel on the right side of the screen.
- Text inside a text box can be formatted the same way as regular text: bold, italic, different font, different size, different color.
The step-by-step process to insert a text box
Open your Google Docs document. Click the Insert menu at the top of the page. From the dropdown, select Shape, then choose Rectangle (or any shape you prefer — rectangle is the most common for text boxes). Your cursor will change to a crosshair.
Click and drag on your page to draw the shape to the size you want. You do not have to be precise — you can resize it later. Once you release the mouse, the shape appears on your page with a blue border and selection handles (small squares) at the corners and sides.
Double-click inside the shape. The cursor will turn into a text cursor (a blinking line), and you can now type directly into the shape. Type whatever text you want. When you are done typing, click outside the shape to deselect it.
How to move and resize a text box
Click once on the text box to select it (you will see the blue border and handles again). To move it, click and drag the border itself — not the text inside. The entire box will follow your mouse. Drop it wherever you want on the page.
To resize the box, click and drag one of the corner or edge handles. Dragging a corner handle resizes both width and height at once. Dragging an edge handle (top, bottom, left, or right) resizes only in that direction. If you want to rotate the text box, look for a circular arrow icon that appears when you hover near the top of the shape — drag that to rotate.
Changing the appearance of your text box
With the text box selected (blue border showing), look at the right side of your screen. You should see a Format panel with options for fill color, border color, and border weight. If you do not see it, click the paintbrush icon in the toolbar at the top right.
To add a background color, click the fill bucket icon and choose a color. To add or change the border, click the border icon and select a color and thickness. To remove the fill entirely and show only the border, click the fill bucket and select the transparent option (usually shown as a slash or "None"). You can also change the text color, font, and size using the same formatting tools you would use for regular text.
Text wrapping and positioning around images
Text boxes do not automatically wrap text around images the way regular paragraphs do. If you want text to flow around an image, keep the image as a regular inserted image and use text boxes only for labels or callouts that sit on top of or beside it.
If you want a text box to sit behind or in front of other content, select the text box, then right-click it. Choose Arrange and select either Bring to front or Send to back. This controls whether the text box appears on top of or underneath other elements on the page.
Common reasons text boxes behave unexpectedly
If you cannot type inside a shape, you probably single-clicked instead of double-clicked. Double-click the shape to enter text-editing mode. If the text box keeps moving when you try to select it, you may have clicked the text inside rather than the border. Click the border itself to select the box without entering text mode.
If your text box disappears or becomes very small, it may have been resized accidentally. Click Edit in the top menu and select Undo to restore it. If text inside the box is cut off, the box is probably too small — drag the corner handles to make it larger, or reduce the font size of the text inside.
When to use text boxes instead of regular paragraphs
Use a text box when you need text in a specific location that is not part of the normal document flow. Examples include labels on a diagram, a sidebar note that sits next to an image, a highlighted callout in the middle of the page, or text that needs to appear in a particular spot for layout reasons.
For most of your document — the main body text, headings, lists — use regular paragraphs instead. They are easier to edit, they flow naturally when you add or delete content, and they work better when you share the document or convert it to another format. Text boxes are a layout tool, not a writing tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy and paste text into a text box?
Yes. Double-click the text box to enter text mode, then paste as you normally would. The text will take on the formatting of the text box unless you manually change it.
What happens to a text box when I share the document?
Text boxes stay in place and remain editable for anyone with permission to edit the document. They print normally and export to PDF without issues. If you read the document as a Word file, text boxes may shift slightly in position but will remain visible.
Can I make a text box with rounded corners?
Yes. Instead of selecting Rectangle, choose Rounded Rectangle from the Shape menu. You can also adjust the corner radius after inserting it — select the text box, right-click, and look for corner adjustment options in the Format panel.
How do I delete a text box?
Click once on the text box border to select it (not the text inside), then press Delete or Backspace. The entire box and all text inside will be removed.
Can I link a text box to another part of the document?
Text boxes themselves cannot be linked, but text inside a text box can be. Select the text, then use Insert > Link to create a hyperlink, just as you would with regular text.