Insert Shapes in Google
How to Insert Shapes in Google Docs? Whether you’re creating an image for a report or adding a speech bubble with text, you can use shapes to make your document more unique.[1]
Google Drawings isn’t a Photoshop replacement, but it can create and edit simple shapes and diagrams. Unlike other word processing software, it allows you to select your lines and shapes, as well as add text boxes and change their colors and formatting options.
Select and format shapes
Inserting shapes in Google docs is a great way to add some interest to your documents. [2]There are a variety of different shapes that you can use, including circles, callouts, and drawings.
To select a shape, open the Google Docs document that you want to insert it in and click on the Insert button at the top of the page. The drawing window will then open and you can begin to draw the desired shape in the frame of the document.
Once you have completed the drawing, you can edit its size and format using the menu that is available on the right-hand side of the window. You can also change its color if you like.[3]
The drawing tool is a relatively simple function, and it can only be used to create basic shapes and diagrams. This means that it’s not a replacement for Photoshop, but it can still be helpful for a lot of people who don’t know how to do more complicated things with the program.
There is another way to insert a shape into your document, and that is through the use of tables. Although these aren’t as sophisticated as some of the other types of shapes, they do offer many benefits over other kinds of shapes.[3]
The table can take the form of a square or rectangle, but it also allows you to include easily editable text inside it. You can even add a border to the table, which you can edit by going to Format > Table.
Copy a shape
When you want to copy a shape in Google Docs, you can use a technique similar to cutting and pasting text. The difference is that when you cut or copy something, it’s stored in a special area called the Clipboard until you can place it somewhere else.
Then, when you want to paste it, you can use the same method–simply select the shape and press Ctrl/CMD + V. This works on both Macs and PCs.
There’s also a shortcut for copying shapes in Excel and Sheets, which is Control D (Command D on Macs). [4]This lets you duplicate objects when you draw them.
You can then double-click the shape to enter text inside it and edit the size if needed. You can also change the color of the shape and its line style.
However, you should note that when you copy and paste images on the Google Docs mobile app, you can’t resize them as well. Instead, you can only reposition and add a border to them.[5]
You can also search for an image on the Internet and download it to your device. Once you have the image, you can insert it into your document in the Google Docs mobile app. Then, you can adjust its alignment and reposition it.[6]
Change your drawing size
If you’ve inserted a drawing into a Google document and then realized it needs to be bigger or smaller, there are two main ways to change the size. One is to insert another drawing into the file, and the other is to change the drawing’s size directly in the drawing tool itself.[7]
In the Drawing tool, you can choose a standard or custom size by clicking the drop-down menu and choosing one. You can also set your drawing’s dimensions in inches, centimeters, points or pixels.
A custom size is useful for creating a header for your website or other type of online image that needs to be a certain width or height. You can choose a specific size and then click OK to make the change.
Another way to change your drawing’s size is to adjust the margins in your document. These margins are set by default to be one inch on each side, but you can change them to a different size by using the ruler in your document or the Page Setup dialog box.[8]
To strike through text in a drawing or image in a document, first highlight the text you want to strike through. If you’ve already inserted the drawing, you can also edit the text wrapping style for your drawing or image to change it from Inline with text to Behind text. This will make the drawing or image appear behind the text rather than in between it, which is how Google Docs usually displays drawings and images.
Introduction
Shapes are an important aspect of document design. They can be used to create different layouts and highlight important information. They can also be used as a tool for infographics.
The drawing tool in Google Docs allows you to add shapes like arrows, circles, callouts, and more. You can resize the shape, add text or images, and customize it with color.
To start using the drawing tool in Google Docs, you’ll need to navigate to a document and click the “+” icon on the top left of your screen.[9] Once you have clicked the icon, a drop-down menu will appear that includes a variety of options.
From this menu, you can choose to insert a new shape or use an existing one. Once you have chosen a shape, click on it to draw it.
You can also add shapes by uploading them from your computer or downloading them from a website. For example, you can download shapes from Flaticon.
Another way to add shapes to a Google Doc is by using the special characters feature. This is a great option for creating more subtle shapes that don’t take up too much space in your document.[10]
You can also leave comments in your documents that show up as colored marks and accompanied by details on the righthand side. These comments are a good way to make notes, ask questions, and keep track of changes made to your document.
About the drawing tool
The drawing tool is a versatile option in Google docs that allows users to insert shapes, lines and text boxes into their documents. The draw tool is useful for highlighting important information, or to add infographics to your document.
The shape can be customized in many ways, including its color and size. You can also add text to the shape, which can be edited with the font and formatting options in the drawing tool.[11]
To use the drawing tool in Google docs, open the document and click on the Insert option from the menu bar at the top. Then, search for the desired shape by clicking on the Insert special characters window or using the search box.
Once you find the shape you want, click on it and move your cursor over to see a preview and description of the character. Select the character from the list and it will be inserted into your document.
While the drawing tool is a useful option in Google docs, it isn’t an ideal way to create detailed images. It is better to use a photo editor like GIMP or Photoshop and then insert them as pictures into your document.[12]
While the drawing tool isn’t ideal for putting text on top of an image, it’s a good solution if you need to put several labels on an image within Google docs. The drawing tool also makes it easy to add multiple text boxes on top of an image, which can be very useful for separating different information in your document.
Adding shapes
Adding shapes in Google Docs can be a great way to make your document stand out from the rest. You can use them to add drawings, images, and even tables. You can also make your documents more interactive by using them to incorporate text and other forms of content.[13]
You can easily insert shapes in Google Docs by dragging and dropping them to the appropriate spot on your page. You can resize and rotate them, too, to adjust their appearance and positioning.
To get started, you’ll need to open Google Docs and select “Insert” from the menu bar. From there, you’ll be directed to the drawing page where you can add shapes and customize them as needed.
Once you have drawn a shape, you can format it by changing its color and transparency, border sizing, and more. You can even resize it by dragging any of its corners.
In addition to a wide variety of line options, including scribble, polyline, curve, curved connector, elbow connector, and arrow, you can also use Google Docs to insert callouts, chat bubbles, and equations.[14]
One of the best ways to insert shapes in a Google Docs document is to use Flaticon, a free online resource that lets you search for shapes and add them to your document. However, this service is not available on all devices.
The ability to insert shapes in Google Docs can be a hugely useful tool. It can help make key information stand out and make it easier to move around the page.
There are some really simple but effective things that you can insert into your document, including a horizontal line which is perfect for organising your document.
Create insert & edit drawings
A few months back Google added a drawing option to their suite of office tools enabling you to create some pretty neat diagrams, charts and graphs. They also did a fairly good job of tying the feature into your main doc. The best part is that the feature is available to you on any device and at any time. [15]
To use the new toy you need only be logged in to your Gmail account to get started. You can start with a blank doc or one of the many templates that have been created for you (or create your own from scratch). In case you didn’t know, there is a little old lady out there who will be quite happy to help you.
Create a drawing in Google Docs
Google has added a simple drawing tool to all of its Docs applications that allows you to insert shapes and diagrams into your document, spreadsheet or presentation. [16]It’s a great way to add some more visual interest to your work without having to resort to more complicated desktop software like Visio.
When you want to add an image to your document, simply click on the Insert menu on the toolbar and then choose Drawing. This will then open up a new window over your document (see left).
The Google Drawing toolbar includes over 100 shapes, various line types, and an assortment of background, fill and border colors. It also has an easy-to-use upload function that allows you to grab images from your computer or directly from the internet.[17]
As with all other Google Docs documents, the Google Drawing feature can be shared and collaborated on by multiple users. This is a big benefit because it makes sharing visualizations like concept maps, flow charts and design specifications much more practical. The dynamic sharing features of drawings are especially useful when you are creating documents that will be embedded into Columbia electronic publishing environments, such as Courseworks and EdBlogs.
The Google Drawing feature is also very convenient when you are collaborating on a project with other students or faculty members. [18]Using the dynamic sharing features of the Google Drawing tool means that everyone involved will have access to the same common suite of drawing tools. As an added bonus, all changes made to a drawing are automatically reflected in any linked or embedded copies.
Create a drawing in Google Drive
Google has a pretty cool feature for allowing you to insert shapes into documents. This is a great way to showcase your work or add visual interest to a text heavy document. The software is easy to use, with over 100 different shapes, multiple line types and an assortment of background, fill and border colors. It is also possible to import images into your drawing from Google image search. Using the software is simple as long as you have a Google account.[19]
The coolest thing about this tool is that it allows you to embed your creation into a variety of Columbia electronic publishing environments, including Courseworks and EdBlogs. Embedded content has been proven to increase pageviews by up to 40%. This is especially impressive for students and teachers who need to display work in an online environment.
Use the editing tools
When you insert shapes in Google Docs, you can use the editing tools to change the text that surrounds the image. This can be a great way to make your document look more ingrained and professional. You can also adjust the size and rotation of the image. You can even add borders to the image if you wish.[20]
You can also use the Find and Replace tool in Google Docs to search for specific words within your document. This will help you find any errors in your work. To use this tool, simply press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Shift+H (macOS) to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
Another great feature in Find and Replace is the Match case option, which allows you to search for specific words with specific letters in upper or lower case. This can be very helpful if you want to remove a word that is incorrectly capitalized or has an accent mark in it.
Finally, you can use the Find and Replace tool to delete words in bulk. This is useful if you have many words that need to be removed, and you don’t want to use the Find and Replace dialog box to manually enter each one of them.
You can also rotate pictures in Google Docs by clicking and holding on to the circular handle that extends from a picture. You can then drag the handle until the picture is oriented in the desired direction. You can then click and drag it again to save the new orientation.
