- Google Docs is a browser-based word processor developed by Google. With this, you can create, edit, and share any document online and even access it from any device with an internet connection. There is even an Android and iOS app for the same.
- The collaborative features of Google Docs distinguish it from its main desktop competitor, Microsoft Word. Google Docs was among the first word processors to provide collaborative online document editing.
- Google has made it ridiculously simple to share documents across platforms and collaborate on them in real-time from a browser window. Your collaborators do not even need a Google account to view or edit Google documents that you have shared with them.
- You can use Google Docs in the same way that you would use Word documents. Make new documents, use Google Docs templates, share files with your team, and collaborate in real-time.
- To begin creating a new Google Doc, go to google docs and sign in with your Google account. Once on the Google Docs start page, you can create a new blank document or select a template. You can even track changes in google docs!
- You can also do the same thing from within an existing Google Doc by going to File, then, in the pop-up window, select new. Next, you will have to choose the options document or file. Select a template made available for free by google docs services or create a blank document.
- As part of Google’s online office suite, you will never have to remember to save a document because Google will automatically save it to your Google Drive. As a result, there is no Save button. This does not, of course, mean that you can not make a copy, email, or download from google docs the document you have created.
- Everyone can see and work on the same document version when it is shared. You avoid making conflicting copies or duplicating your work this way. The recipient does not need to have a Google account to view or edit the document. To share a Google Doc from within it, click the Share button in the upper right corner. You now have several choices:
- You can enter the desired recipient’s name or email address. It should be noted that the default access level for this method is Editor. Change this to Viewer or Commenter by clicking the pen icon to the right.
1. What Can You Do in Google Docs:

1.1 Invite Other Users to Edit or Suggest Edits to Your Google Docs:
- Go to the “File” menu and then proceed to select “share.”
- Alternatively, you can click the share button in the upper right corner of your screen.
- Now, a drop-down menu will appear on your screen.
- You can set permissions such as allowing other editors to view, add comments, or make changes in google docs, according to your preferences.
1.2 Version History:
- You need not enable this feature; Google Docs does this automatically by tracking the version history of your document. Navigate to the File tab and then select version history. Expand the version history menu to see a list of all the changes Google has tracked for your document.
- These tracked changes will include everything you have typed and deleted, the file formatting you have done, and the timestamps for those changes. However, for these changes in google docs to be synchronized, you must have an uninterrupted internet connection.
- When changes were made, who made them, and when they were made are all highlighted in the document.
- Alternatively, go to the File tab. Then, go to the version history. You now will have to select the option name of the current version. Now carefully name your Google Docs version properly, and then save it. You can even give the current version a name to easily undo any subsequent changes.
- To rename a version, go to the history menu and click on the date or name of the version. You can then enable a setting in the version history menu to only show named versions. This will make it easy for you to track changes in google docs.
- The most basic form of change tracking in google docs is version history. You can revert to a previous version of a document by selecting it and clicking the Restore This Version button. Individual changes within each version, however, cannot be accepted or rejected.
- If you want that feature enabled, you must use a different feature, and we will be discussing it at length below.
1.3 Compare documents:
The compare documents feature allows users to compare two documents or versions for functionality.
- Click Tools, and then tap compare documents.
- You can compare previous versions of the same document and the final document.
1.4 Suggesting Mode:
- All Google docs support editing, suggesting, and viewing modes. The default mode is editing. To change modes, select View and then Mode. Alternatively, you can click the pen icon in the far right corner of the tools menu.
- Use the Suggesting to control individual changes. When you make changes in Suggesting mode, a comment will appear on the right side of the document, and You can also see who has commented and at what time.
- There will be an option to accept or reject the suggested edits. You can also write a response to each change to discuss it at length. You also can close the discussion so that other editors know not to comment on that particular topic.
- All changes made in this mode are tracked individually in the version history under the respective document version. This way, you can review and restore rejected changes, though you’ll have to restore that version of the document, which means you’ll lose all of your changes made after that, which you would not like to lose.
- Also, always make sure that you have a stable internet connection while working on a google doc. All the changes you have made in your google doc will be synced up in real-time.
2. Why track changes in google docs:
You’ll want to track changes in Google Docs if you make frequent changes to it or share them with others.
This will also help track the progress of your projects and endeavors.
3. Procedure to follow: How to track changes in Google Docs
The tracked changes in Google docs are called “suggested edits”. Here’s how you can enable it:
- In your desktop browser, open a new tab and visit docs.google.com
- Click the pencil icon on the top right corner of your google doc and select suggesting.
- If you do not have the permissions, you will have to request the file owner for permissions. The owner will receive a mail for this and then can decide if they want to accept or reject your request.
- Now, you can add, rearrange or delete the original text written in the document. This will appear in the right margin of your google document with a timestamp and your google account name. You are in suggesting mode, so your suggestions will be highlighted in green.
- If you are the owner or have editing permissions for google docs, you can click the right or wrong signs that will accompany the suggested edits on the right-hand side of the screen. This will either accept or reject the edits.
4. Commenting in Google Docs:
If you do not have editing or suggesting permissions, you are left with the option of commenting. The commenter permissions can be managed separately as well. When you tap the comment icon that generally occurs on the right-hand side of the document, you will be prompted to leave comments for editors to see.
They can either discuss it or choose to accept suggestions from the comment box and make the necessary changes accordingly. You can add comments multiple times in multiple versions as well.
- Open the google doc you wish to leave comments regarding.
- Highlight the section of your Word document where you want to leave comments.
- Tap on the add comments icon in blue color. Type all of your comments in the comment box and for publishing your comments, click on comment.
- The owner of a Google Doc will be notified by email when comments are made, suggested changes are made, and whether those changes are accepted or rejected. If there are multiple updates in a short period of time, they will be sent together in a summary email.
4.1 Reply to comments:
- Click on the comment you want to reply to.
- In the text box, write your answers to the questions and queries in the comment and click send to post your reply.
- If an editor clicks on the checkmark, it will resolve the comment.
5. Using the Google Docs Mobile App:
Follow the method mentioned below carefully for iPhone and Android devices alike.
- On your mobile phone, launch the Google Docs app for iPhone or Android.
- In the top-right corner, tap the three dots icon. To enable the feature, move the slider next to Suggest changes.
- Make the proposed changes to the document, like adding text, images, or links, removing unnecessary content or tables, and tap the checkmark in the top-right corner when you’re finished.
- This will save all the changes you have made. Do NOT forget to do this; otherwise, your edits might get lost.
6. How to View the Original Document:
- In google docs, you can find what the original document looked like before all the suggestions were made.
- For this, click the share button, and from the menu, choose viewing mode.
- One another way to do this is through tools. In the tab, find the review suggested edits option. Proceed to set the preview as reject all.
7. How to Preview the Google Doc After All Suggestions Are Accepted:
- Go to tools and find the option for reviewing suggested edits.
- In the drop-down menu, choose to accept all, and you are all set!
8. Microsoft Word Vs Google Docs:
- You will find a lot of similarities in the web version of Microsoft Word and google docs. There are, however, some key differences that must be taken into consideration.
- Viewing mode in Google Docs displays the document without any suggested changes. There does not appear to be such a view in Microsoft Word online. Microsoft Word’s web version does not allow you to accept or reject all changes at once.
- In the online version of Microsoft Word, the same mode displays a document preview with all changes accepted. You can view the original text in Google Docs without any suggestions.
- Google docs also flaunt a simplified markup view and a reviewing panel.
9. Some Other Information that You Might Find Helpful:
You must keep up with the latest technology developments and innovations to keep learning better and aid your career progress.
We believe these resources will be helpful in this regard. Now is the time to check them out!
https://icytechworld.com/how-to-calculate-standard-deviation-in-excel-101-excel-guide/
10. The Bottom Line:
With this detailed tutorial, we know you now know how to use google docs in the right way. Google Docs is an amazing service made available for everyone to use by Google, and we should make the best of it. Which google docs features would you like to know more about? Would you like to know some more about Google’s services?
Please let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on August 26, 2022 by Rojalin Mahapatro