How to add an outline in Google Docs

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In essence and operation, Google Docs is an application based on MS Word. The main difference is that the first one is cloud-based. Built with collaboration in mind, this feature-rich app has become indispensable in the lives of many professionals. The outline, for example, is certainly unique in itself.

Adding and working with the outline view is simple, but many people don’t know how to use it. Here’s how to add elements to the document outline and how to make it work best.

How to Add an Outline to a Google Document on a Computer

The outline is located on the left side of a Google document and represents a kind of index of the document. Lists your titles and subtitles, which can be useful for long documents.

If you don’t see the outline in your Google Doc, you need to enable this view.

1. To do so, navigate to View in the document toolbar and select Show document outline in the dropdown menu. Alternatively, use the Ctrl + Alt + A either Ctrl + Alt + H shortcuts.

   

You will see the outline appear on the left side of your document.

How to Add an Outline to a Google Document on Android

Since the app and website are a little different, we’ll cover how to add the document outline using the Google Docs app.

1. Open the document in the Google Docs app.

   

2. Then click on the outline and tap Furtherthe three points.

   

3. Tap on Document Outlinewill open at the bottom of the screen.

   

4. If you want to close it, just tap Close document outline on the left.

   

How to Add an Outline to a Google Document on an iPhone or iPad

For the most part, adding the outline to your Google Doc is the same on iOS as it is on Android.

1. Open the document in the Google Docs app.

   

2. Then click on the outline and tap Furtherthe three vertical points.

   

3. Tap on Document Outlinewill open at the bottom of the screen.

   

4. If you want to close it, just tap Near on the left.

   

Add Titles to Google Document Outline

If you’re worried about having to add things like headings to your document outline, you can rest assured, because this is done automatically. As you write and add titles, headings, and subheadings, they will appear in the outline.

1. To add a heading or subheading to the outline, navigate to the Normal text in the toolbar of a Google Document, and then select the title you want.
   
2. Once you have entered the header, press Get into and will appear properly in the diagram.

Please note that subtitles will not appear in the document outline.

Remove titles from Google document outline

Just because headings appear in the outline as you add them to your document doesn’t mean they have to be there. Sure, when you remove a title from the text, it will disappear in the outline, but it will remain in the text itself. However, you can choose to remove it from the schema only.

1. To do this, navigate to the outline and place the pointer over the title in question. You will see a x The button appears to the right of the header, click this button.
   

Note that the title was removed from the outline, although it is still in the document.

Add headers back to the schema

If you deleted a header from an outline and want to add it again, you do not need to select it and reformat it. Changing the format is done by selecting the header, switching to Normal Text, and then switching back to the desired header.

1. To successfully add the header back to the outline, select it, right-click and select Add to document outline at the bottom of the dropdown menu.

This will cause the title to reappear in the outline.

Navigate the document using the outline

The text outline in Google Docs is not just there for show. While you can use it to get the general concept of the text, it has a more practical use.

1. If you click on any element (header) in the outline of a document, Google Docs will immediately take you to that point within the text.

Outlines are great for moving efficiently and quickly within a document.

Close the document outline

If you need to close or hide the document outline, you can repeat the steps mentioned above to open it, but deselect the Show document outline option this time. Again, you can use the type Ctrl + Alt + A either Ctrl + Alt + H to achieve the same.

Google Docs and Schemes

As you can see, Outlines are an index-like feature of Google Docs that gives your documents more organization and order. Outline ps are automatically organized according to their headings. However, you can remove headers from a document’s outline without removing them from the document itself. Use the document outline to efficiently move through the text with ease.

do you find this helpful? Are you using Google Docs outlines? What do you think of this feature? Feel free to join the discussion in the comments p below and be sure to add your thoughts, questions, tips, or tricks.