How to Insert a Text Box in Google Docs?
Google Docs is a widely-used, powerful and free word processing program that is convenient and simple to use because of its universal cloud-based accessibility and functional and clean user interface.
It is commonly used for various types of personal and professional use-cases like drafting letters, creating guideline documents, taking notes, or developing brochures.
Often, Google Docs is used to create professional-looking documents that require text to be organised in a neat manner while also implementing design aesthetics. In such cases, organising text in boxes could help them stand out, and give the document a clean look.
Although we’ve been accustomed to the popular “text box” in MS Powerpoint and Google Slides, many users don’t know how to insert text box in Google Docs. Most users don’t even know that a text box can actually be added to Google Docs documents. But don’t fret, in this article, we give you a step-by-step walkthrough on how to add a text box in Google Docs.
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Why Insert a Text Box in Google Docs
There are several reasons for adding a text box in Google Docs, such as:
- Highlight specific text: A text box can be used to highlight relevant information within your document. For example, to bring attention to a pull quote, or make text stand out - like a “Note” or “Quick Tips” section
- Use custom background colours: At times, you would need to have text set in a different background colour to the rest of the document to make it stand out even more. Using a text box, you can change the background colour of specific content within the text box.
- Make text easily movable: One great advantage that a text box gives you, is the ability to modify the position of the text by cutting and pasting it anywhere in the document like you would an image.
- Organise your thoughts visually: Adding a text box into your Google Docs document can help you organise content in a visual manner - like a chart. For example, mind maps, mood boards, etc.
How to Insert a Text Box in Google Docs
There are two major ways by which you can add a text box in Google Docs. In this section, we’ll explain them in a detailed, step-by-step format.
Method #1: Using the Drawing Tool to add a Text Box in Google Docs
Google Docs offers an in-built drawing tool using which you can draw shapes, just like you would in Paint, or Powerpoint, and add them into your document.
We can hence use the drawing tool to create a text box and insert it in our Google Docs document. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Open a Google Docs document
Step 2. In the menu bar, click on ‘Insert’ → ‘Drawing’ → ‘New’
The new drawing dialog box opens up.
Step 3. Click on the Text box icon at the top (it is the icon that looks like a box with the ‘T’ in the middle).
Step 4. Draw the desired shape for your text box by dragging your cursor in the drawing space (A rectangle is typically the shape used for a text box)
Step 5. After you’ve drawn the box or shape, double click on it to enter your text inside it (The blinking cursor inside the box is activated by default, allowing you to start typing)
Step 6. Click on ‘Save and Close’ to save changes and insert the text box in your document
That’s it, your text box should now appear in the document.
Note: Using the drawing tool
While creating your text box in the drawing tool, you can use the various formatting options available to change the background colour, border, etc.
To do this, click on the three dots to open up the extended toolbar. You can then customise options like border color, border weight, fill color, font, and text formatting like bold, italics, etc. depending upon your requirement.
Also, note that you can edit your text box by clicking on the box and selecting ‘Edit’, as shown below. This opens up the drawing tool once again, where you can make edits to the text box.
Method #2: Using the Table Tool to Insert a Text Box in Google Docs
Although a bit unconventional, you can also use Google Docs’ in-built table creation tool to create a single-cell table and add text inside it, as a way to insert a make-shift text box.
Here’s how you can add a text box into Google Docs using a single-cell table:
Step 1. Open your Google Docs document
Step 2. In the menu bar, click on ‘Insert’ → ‘Table’ → select a single cell (1x1)
The single-cell table will be added to your document. This closely resembles a generic text box.
Step 3. Enter your text inside the box (or cell) by clicking inside it
That’s it, you should now have a perfectly functional text box. To customise its formatting like fill colour, border colour, etc., just use the standard formatting toolbar.
Note: You can change the size, width, and height of the table by selecting the border and dragging it in the desired direction.
Method #3: Inserting a Text Box in Google Docs Mobile Version
If you want to add a text box in a Google Docs document on an Android or iOS mobile device, your only option will be to insert it via a table.
The Google Docs app allows you to edit and format contents within a table. So, similar to method#2 described above, you can insert a single-cell table in your Google Docs document and add text inside it to create a text box. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Open your document in the Google Docs app
Step 2. Press the ‘+’ icon → ‘Table’
Step 3. Set the number of rows to 1 and the number of columns to 1.
Step 4. Press ‘Insert Table’
A single-cell table will be added to your document.
Step 5. Tap on the table to enter text into it
That’s it, the table you added with text inside should now resemble a text box. You can format it by clicking on it and selecting the text.