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Format Text

How to Format Text in Google Docs

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Format Text

Once you've added some text to a document, you can change its appearance by formatting it.

Apply Bold, Italic, or an Underline

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click a formatting button.
    Format Text

    • To bold, Ctrl + B.
    • To italicize, Ctrl + B.
    • To underline, Ctrl + U.

Change the Text or Highlight Color

You may need to change font color to make text stand out, comply with brand standards, or add visual appeal.

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click the Text color or Highlight color button.
  3. Select a color.
    Format Text

If you don’t like any of the available theme colors, select Custom to display the Colors dialog box.

Use Additional Formatting Options

There are additional formatting options that are only available in the Format menu.

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click Format on the menu bar.
    Format Text
  3. Select Text.
  4. Select a formatting option.
    Format Text

In addition to bold, italic, and underline, you can apply strikethrough, superscript, or subscript formatting.

Change Font

Changing a font itself will have the greatest effect on the appearance of text.

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click the Font list arrow.
  3. Select a font.
    Format Text

The text is now set in the selected font.

When changing fonts, be sure to choose the right font for the tone of your document. Don’t use casual script fonts in a professional document, and also avoid using too many fonts at once.

Font Type Examples Description
Serif Times New Roman, Georgia, Merriweather Serifs are small details at the ends of some letter strokes, meant to improve legibility. Suitable for both header and body text.
Sans Serif Arial, Century Gothic, Helvetica Neue, Roboto, Verdana Sans serif fonts lack the small details at ends of letter strokes, leading to a plainer look. Suitable for both header and body text.
Script Caveat, Lobster, Pacifico These fonts are meant to mimic handwriting, either calligraphic or casual. Useful in very specific designs, but unsuitable for body text and most headers.
Monospace Courier New, Roboto Mono All letters and symbols use the exact same amount of space. Useful when displaying computer code, or when precise vertical alignment between lines is important.

Change Font Size

Changing the font size helps differentiate between titles, headers, and body text.

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click the Font size list arrow.
  3. Select a font size.
    Format Text

The font size changes.

Font size is measured in points (pt) that are 1/72 of an inch. The larger the number of points, the larger the font.

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