Google Docs

250 'Google Docs' stories May 2011 - October 2020

See All Stories

Google Docs originated from web-based word processor Writely. The app would lay the groundwork for such common features as collaborative text editing. Eventually acquired by Google, it was made available to all Google Apps users in February of 2007.

The marquee feature of Docs is the ability to collaborate with a wide number of people online. Controls help determine who can see, comment, and edit documents. In its current form, Docs is an HTML5 app that runs on most modern browsers and even has support for rudimentary viewing on mobile. Its Android and iOS apps are quite powerful and gives users access to the same web functionality.

On Chrome, Docs works offline and allows users to work without an internet connection and have changes synced backed up to the cloud. An Add-ons feature allows third-party developers to add extra functionality like a thesaurus and a bibliography creator.

Google Drive now directly opens Office files in editing mode on the web

Abner Li Oct 27 2020 - 4:03 pm PT

Google’s editing applications can open and edit Microsoft files, with that capability recently coming to Android. When opening Office files from the Drive web client, Google will now directly open them in editing mode.

Expand Expanding Close

Google Docs

Google Docs surpasses 1 billion installs milestone on the Play Store

Damien Wilde Oct 22 2020 - 6:40 am PT

One of the best products that Google has made period, Google Docs is now celebrating a major milestone on the Play Store after surpassing 1 billion installs on Android.

Expand Expanding Close

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides picking up Add-ons side panel

Abner Li Oct 21 2020 - 3:03 pm PT

After coming to Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, the Google Workspace Add-ons side panel will soon be available in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Google today also showed off a useful Translate integration.

Expand Expanding Close

Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, and Meet getting new icons as part of Google Workspace

Abner Li Oct 6 2020 - 1:01 am PT

As part of Google Workspace, the company is rolling out new branding for its productivity apps. Gmail — as teased last month — will be getting a new icon, with Calendar, Drive, Docs, and Meet also following over the coming weeks.

Expand Expanding Close

Google Docs for Android adds Microsoft Office editing, improves line spacing

Abner Li Sep 8 2020 - 2:27 pm PT

As announced last month, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android now support Microsoft Office editing. A related change sees Docs adjust line spacing based on the current font.

Expand Expanding Close

Google Docs rolling out improved braille navigation and verbalizations

Abner Li Aug 31 2020 - 2:00 pm PT

Google is working to improve braille support in Docs with a handful of new features today that cover navigation and output.

Expand Expanding Close

Smart Compose, other web features coming to Google Docs, Sheets, & Slides on mobile

Abner Li Aug 5 2020 - 10:03 am PT

Google tries to differentiate its G Suite apps by leveraging AI to boost user productivity. It’s now bringing several key features, including Smart Compose, that first debuted on the desktop web to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android and iOS.

Expand Expanding Close

google docs grammarly sidebar

Grammarly gets enhanced Google Docs integration w/ handy sidebar

Ben Schoon Jul 16 2020 - 9:54 am PT

Back in 2018, the handy writing tool Grammarly added support for Google Docs to help users everywhere ensure correct spelling and grammar regardless of their project. In the time since that integration has only matured and, now, it’s getting a big upgrade.

Expand Expanding Close

Big Gmail redesign with side-by-side Google Docs, Chat, and Meet calling gets early reveal

Abner Li Jul 14 2020 - 11:28 pm PT

For the past several weeks, we’ve been tracking a big Gmail for Android redesign that incorporates Google Chat and Meet. The video calling integration has been officially announced and is rolling out now, while the rest leaked today. Google is making Gmail the “new home for work” by letting you do everything from the same screen/app.

Expand Expanding Close

Dark mode arrives for Google Docs, Sheets, Slides for Android

Kyle Bradshaw Jul 6 2020 - 9:37 am PT

For over a year now, Google has been bringing dark mode to its Android apps to go with Android 10’s dark theme toggle. Today, they’re launching a long-awaited and much needed dark mode to the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps for Android, to make your work easier on the eyes.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google rolling out Spanish grammar suggestions in Docs, Gmail for G Suite

Abner Li Jun 23 2020 - 9:51 am PT

Google Drive Docs

The unifying goal of Google’s productivity apps is leveraging machine learning to boost end user productivity. Today, Google is adding Spanish support for grammar suggestions in Gmail and Docs, with autocorrect and Smart Compose coming later this year.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs for Android readying dark theme that also applies to the document editor [APK Insight]

Abner Li Jun 17 2020 - 7:39 pm PT

Google Docs

While Drive for Android gained a dark theme last April, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides have been notable holdouts. Night-friendly modes for these apps are coming and will likely also apply to the document view.

Expand
Expanding
Close

You can now edit Google Calendar events from the Gmail sidebar

Abner Li Jun 11 2020 - 9:25 pm PT

Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, and other G Suite apps all feature a side panel that provides quick access to Tasks, Keep, and third-party add-ons. The Google Calendar widget available in the sidebar will soon let users directly edit existing events.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google makes commenting more mobile-friendly in Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android

Abner Li Jun 9 2020 - 8:24 am PT

Google Docs

After tweaking the search bar, Google is rolling out a more substantial update to Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Android. The UI for commenting has been redesigned to be more mobile-friendly.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs Smart Compose and autocorrect coming to G Suite for Education

Abner Li Jun 1 2020 - 9:52 am PT

Google Drive Docs

Back in February, Smart Compose and autocorrect for Google Docs entered general availability after several months of testing. These machine learning-powered features are now coming to G Suite for Education and Nonprofit customers.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs get new ‘document status’ indicator online, Android search bar

Abner Li May 27 2020 - 5:45 pm PT

G Suite’s productivity apps are seeing a pair of updates on Android and the web today. On the latter platform, there’s a Google Docs “document status” indicator, while the mobile apps pick up a new search field.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google redesigns and simplifies sharing in Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides

Abner Li Apr 28 2020 - 12:19 pm PT

Google Drive Material Theme

Google Drive and the G Suite family of productive apps often get small, iterative refreshes. The latest update today is more notable and sees a big redesign of the sharing UI that focuses on ease of use.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Sheets can now sort and filter cells by text or fill color

Damien Wilde Mar 12 2020 - 6:33 am PT

Google Sheets sort

Google Sheets is now gaining a new feature that allows you to filter and sort cells by text color and fill (background) color.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Drive Docs

Google Docs gets fixed image positioning with new formatting sidebar

Abner Li Mar 9 2020 - 2:43 pm PT

Google Docs on the web is getting the ability to fix an image to a certain position on the page. As part of this, the editor is adding a new image formatting sidebar to provide easier access to capabilities.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs autocorrect widely rolling out as Smart Compose exits G Suite beta

Abner Li Feb 18 2020 - 12:43 pm PT

Google Drive Docs

Last November, Google Docs started testing autocorrect and Smart Compose as part of leveraging machine learning to improve user productivity. Those two features are now widely rolling out, though availability is tiered.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Where is the Google Docs download for Windows?

Sydney Butler Nov 25 2019 - 1:45 am PT

Google Docs and the rest of the Google cloud suite is super-useful, but what happens when the internet goes out? Where is the Google Docs download for Windows?

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs significantly improving grammar correction, adding spelling autocorrect

Abner Li Nov 21 2019 - 8:32 am PT

In addition to Docs gaining Smart Compose, Google is significantly improving the grammar correction it introduced earlier this year in the G Suite app. It’s also gaining spelling autocorrect from Gmail.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs adding Smart Compose, currently in G Suite beta

Abner Li Nov 20 2019 - 12:25 pm PT

Google Docs Smart Compose

Last year, Google introduced Smart Compose to help you write entire emails while maintaining your voice. The feature is now expanding from Gmail to Google Docs as part of a beta program.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs

Google Docs can now add different page numbers to different sections

Damien Wilde Nov 20 2019 - 5:11 am PT

Google Docs is now adding the ability to customize which sections have page numbers and which numbers to begin counting from within the online word processor.

Expand
Expanding
Close