What you need to know
- Google Docs has rolled out new updates that should give Microsoft Word a run for its money.
- The new feature allows you to insert various types of rich content into your document without having to switch between apps.
- You can also add a page break before paragraphs in Docs.
Google revamped the Google Docs experience earlier this year with the launch of smart chip, a feature designed to link information from other Workspace apps to your Docs file, among other capabilities. Now, that feature has become even more useful with a new expansion.
Google Docs has added a new menu that allows you to insert anything to your document, including names, file links, images, tables and other types of rich content without leaving your current tab. You can do so by typing @ in a document, which will bring up a menu of suggested files, people, and meetings.
The new feature is a convenient way to search for anything you want to add to your document, such as files in Drive. In this case, Docs will generate a link in the current document that redirects you to the corresponding content.
You can also use the feature to tag someone, and you'll be asked whether you want to share the document with them. Prior to this change, you would need to navigate to another app in order to search for items to add in your document. The new feature enables you to perform that function on many of the best laptops without using your mouse.
In addition to the new universal menu, Docs now allows you to add a page break before paragraphs. You can use this option to create a new page with specific paragraph styles such as titles, subtitles, or headings. The most recent update also allows you to import and export Microsoft Word and other third-party documents with "Page break before" applied to paragraphs while retaining their formatting.
All of these new capabilities are available to all Google Workspace users, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers, though it may take a few weeks for everyone to see the changes.
