How to Add Fonts to Google Docs (Import Custom Fonts)

Google Docs is a powerful tool for creating and editing documents online, but sometimes the default font selection may not meet all your creative or professional needs.

If you’re looking to personalize your documents or need a specific style for a project, knowing how to add fonts to Google Docs can greatly expand your design options.

This article will guide you through the process of adding new fonts using two simple methods, including how to add custom fonts to Google Docs. Without further ado, let’s get started.

How to Add Custom Fonts to Google Docs

The easiest way to add a custom font to Google Docs is to find one from the Google Fonts library.

Step 1: Open Font Selector

add custom fonts to Google Docs 1

To start, open a document in Google Docs. Click on the font menu drop-down at the top of the page, which typically displays the current font used in your document (e.g., ‘Arial’).

Step 2: Browse Fonts

In the font menu, click on “More fonts” at the top of the list to open the ‘Fonts’ dialog box. Here, you will find a wide range of fonts available in Google Docs.

If you’re not sure what type of font you want to use, you can browse the fonts in the Google Fonts library, note the name, and search for it in the “More Fonts” window.

Step 3: Add Fonts from the List

add custom fonts to Google Docs 2

You can search for a specific font by typing its name in the search box or browse through the list. Click on the fonts you wish to add; they will move to the ‘Selected fonts’ list on the right.

Once you’re done, click ‘OK’ to add these fonts to your font menu.

How to Import Custom Fonts Using Add-ons

Google Docs does not directly support the import of external fonts not provided in the ‘More fonts’ list. However, there’s a workaround to use custom fonts:

Step 1: Get Add-ons

add custom fonts to Google Docs 3

Click on ‘Add-ons’ in the top menu of Google Docs, then select ‘Get add-ons.’

Step 2: Install an Add-on

add custom fonts to Google Docs 4

Search for an add-on that allows you to use custom fonts, such as ‘Extensis Fonts,’ and install it.

Step 3: Access New Fonts

Once installed, you can access new fonts through the add-on menu, typically found in the add-ons dropdown.

Best Practices for Using Fonts in Google Docs

Follow these tips to achieve the best results with custom fonts in Google Docs.

1. Check for Compatibility

When selecting fonts, ensure they are compatible across all devices and platforms. This is crucial for maintaining the visual integrity of your document when it is opened on different operating systems or within various applications. Stick to universally supported fonts when consistency is critical.

2. Legibility

Always prioritize legibility when choosing fonts, especially for extensive text blocks or official documentation. Simple, clear fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman are typically recommended for body text. Avoid overly decorative fonts for large sections of text as they can cause strain and hinder readability.

3. Brand Consistency

For business documents or any materials that represent a brand, it’s important to use fonts that align with the brand’s visual identity. Consistent use of fonts helps strengthen brand recognition and ensures that all communications are aligned with the brand’s style guidelines.

4. Consider Your Audience

Consider the demographics of your audience. For example, larger fonts might be more appropriate for senior readers, while younger audiences may appreciate more modern and dynamic typography. Understanding who will be reading your document can guide your font choice effectively.

5. Visual Hierarchy

Use different fonts and styles to establish a clear visual hierarchy . Titles and headings should be distinguishable from body text, which can be achieved by varying font sizes, weights, and styles. This organizational practice helps readers navigate your document more efficiently.

6. Avoid Overloading with Multiple Fonts

Limit the number of different fonts used in a single document. A good rule of thumb is to use a maximum of three different fonts to keep the design clean and organized. Too many fonts can make your document look cluttered and confuse the reader.

7. Test on Different Screens

Since documents can be accessed on various devices, from desktop computers to smartphones, test how your fonts look on different screens. Some fonts may appear fine on a large monitor but become illegible on a smaller device.

8. Use Web-Safe Fonts for Critical Text

If your document is likely to be shared online or viewed in Google Docs without downloading, opt for web-safe fonts for critical information. These fonts are more likely to render consistently across different browsers and devices.

9. Incorporate Font Pairing

Font pairing can be highly effective in enhancing the aesthetic appeal and readability of your documents. Choose complementary fonts —one for headings and another for body text—to create a balanced and attractive layout.

10. Review and Revise Periodically

Font trends and document standards can evolve, so periodically review and revise your font choices to keep your documents fresh and relevant. Regularly updating your fonts can also rejuvenate your standard document templates.

While Google Docs offers a substantial range of fonts, adding custom fonts can bring a new level of personalization and professionalism to your documents.

By utilizing Google Fonts and various add-ons, you can significantly expand your choices and enhance your documents. But be mindful of the fonts you use and make sure to acquire the proper font licenses for your projects.

15 Best Aesthetic Fonts on Google Docs

  • Last updated May 22, 2023

Creating an eye-catching document in Google Docs can be a daunting task. With so many font styles to choose from, it’s head-cracking to decide which can make your document extra exciting to read.

Why not try out some of the best aesthetic fonts on Google Docs?

In this article, we’ve curated a list of the top Google Docs fonts that are sure to captivate your readers and keep their eyes glued to your content. Whether you’re writing a formal report, a casual blog post, or a personal letter, these aesthetic fonts can add style, elegance, and a personal touch to your work.

Table of Contents

1. Josefin Sans

Aesthetic fonts on Google Docs—Sample text using Josefin Sans font

Josefin Sans is one of the most versatile sans serif fonts in Google Docs , featuring a simple yet stylish typeface. Whether you’re working on a formal document or a casual letter, this font makes your content neat, classy, and easier to read.

When used for headings and body text in your documents, Josefin Sans adds an aesthetic touch, making your content visually pleasing while maintaining readability.

Sample text using Lobster font

Indulge in your love of calligraphy with Lobster, a captivating cursive typeface. It’s perfect for emphasizing quotations, inspirational messages, or even casual greetings.

The thick downward strokes of each letter add a distinctive flair to the text, capturing people’s attention. Additionally, the continuous flow of letters within each word creates a playful and lively impression, infusing your content with character and charm.

3. Pacifico

Sample text using Pacifico font

Among the coolest fonts in Google Docs , Pacifico stands out as the most playful and laid-back option. Its loose cursive typeface makes it a great choice for informal documents that aim to convey a casual and jovial tone.

While it may not be the most stylish or elegant font, it compensates with exceptional readability, ensuring readers can easily understand your content.

4. Vollkom SC

Sample text using Vollkom SC font

The letters of Vollkorn SC exhibit a blend of thick and thin lines, resulting in an elegant aesthetic for the text. It is considered one of the best Google Docs fonts , making it suitable for various sections of a document, including headings, subheadings, and body content.

Being a serif font, Vollkorn SC is particularly effective at conveying a sense of professionalism in formal documents.

5. Spectral

Sample text using Spectral font

Another serif font that can add aesthetic appeal to formal documents is Spectral. Its letters have a consistent thickness, which improves the readability of your content. If you’re writing a newsletter, academic texts, or research proposals, Spectral is one of the best fonts on Google Docs to exude a stylish yet professional tone.

6. Quintessential

Sample text using Quintessential font

Quintessential has the enchanting ability to make your text feel like it’s from a fairytale. The letters are written in a way that mimics ancient English texts, making it the perfect choice if you’re writing a medieval or fantasy fiction book in Google Docs. You can also use Quintessential for your novel’s epigraph to evoke a sense of epicness in your content.

However, it’s important to note that Quintessential is not readily available in the default font selection of Google Docs, so you’ll need to add this font to your Google Docs  account in order to use it.

Sample text using Gelasio font

Gelasio is an original typeface with similar metrics to the Georgia font in its regular, bold, italic, and bold italic styles.

In addition, this typeface has been widely used in various print and digital materials due to its exceptional legibility and readability. So, whether you’re writing an essay, report paper, or an online article, Gelasio is one of the best aesthetic fonts on Google Docs you should definitely try.

8. Courier Prime

Sample text using Courier Prime font

One of the best ways to add aesthetics to your content is by formatting it to resemble a movie screenplay. Courier is the standard font style used in film scripts due to its generous letter spacing and old-style typewriter appearance.

Although it’s clear that you can’t use this Google Docs font for formal documents, Courier is an excellent choice if you’re writing a dramatic or inspirational piece that resonates with your audience.

9. PlayFair Display

Sample text using PlayFair Display font

Playfair Display features a simple yet captivating and elegant typeface thanks to its high contrast of thick and thin letter strokes inspired by early 18th-century English typefaces. You can use this font style if you’re writing informative texts, such as online articles, journals, reports, or essays because it improves readability and facilitates text skimming.

10. Patrick Hand

Sample text using Patrick Hand font

Patrick Hand is a hand-drawn typeface that adds a delightful personal touch to your document. This font style exudes a playful and friendly vibe, reminiscent of the popular “Comic Sans” font but more symmetrical and stylish. You can use this font for various purposes, such as invitations, captions, personal correspondence, and logo text.

Sample text using Lora font

Lora is one of the best serif fonts to use for body text because of its simple and highly legible style. Its letters are mostly thin-stroked and well-proportioned, creating a sleek typography that resonates with modernity and sophistication.

12. Libre Baskerville

Sample text using Libre Baskerville font

One traditional and aesthetically pleasing serif font style used in both casual and formal documents is Libre Baskerville. This font exhibits a seamless blend of thick and thin strokes, lending it a sophisticated and elegant appearance. In addition, its simple yet refined style makes it an excellent choice for long-form documents, such as articles, magazines, or journals.

13. Quicksand

Sample text using Quicksand font

Quicksand is a simple yet classy sans-serif font known for its geometric design with rounded corners. Since its release in 2008, Quicksand has become widely used in different advertising mediums thanks to its legibility, readability, and compelling modern style.

14. Dancing Script

Sample text using Dancing Script font

Dancing Script is a classy typeface with interconnected, slightly tilted letters that resemble handwritten cursive writing and give the impression of a graceful dance. With its condensed lowercase letters matched with taller uppercase letters, the text seems to flow naturally from left to right.

15. Satisfy

Sample text using Satisfy font

Satisfy is one of the most unique script typefaces in Google Docs because of its relatively thicker letters compared to other cursive fonts. Just like the Dancing Script font, Satisfy has tilted-axis letters but with a consistent level of thickness. So if you’re writing invitations, personal correspondence, or a memoir, Satisfy can add aesthetic appeal to your document.

Final Thoughts

Don’t hesitate to customize your default font in Google Docs and explore options that enhance the aesthetics and beauty of your document. Infuse your creativity and personal style into your choice of font, allowing it to reflect your unique signature.

Looking for a head start on your project? Explore our collection of premium templates  today and take advantage of a 50% discount by using the code “SSP.”

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  • Create, edit, and format

Change how paragraphs & fonts look

essay fonts on google docs

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You can use the buttons in the toolbar at the top of a document to:

  • Edit and format the text and paragraph spacing
  • Change the font and background color
  • Bold, italicize, underline, or strikethrough text

These options are also available in the Format menu. To open the Format menu, use the keyboard shortcut:

  • Windows and Chrome OS: Alt + Shift + o
  • Mac OS: Control + Option + o

Tip: Many of these actions have keyboard shortcuts that can be used without the toolbar or menus. Take note of the shortcuts presented with the menu options you use frequently to work more efficiently.

Format paragraphs

Change paragraph alignment.

  • Or select multiple paragraphs.
  • In the toolbar, at the upper right, select Align .
  • Open the Format menu , then select Align & indent .

Change line & paragraph spacing

  • Or select multiple paragraphs.
  • In the toolbar, at the upper right, select Line & paragraph spacing .
  • Open the Format menu , then select Line & paragraph spacing .  
  • To change your paragraph spacing, click Single, 1.15, 1.5, or Double.
  • To change your spacing between paragraphs, click Remove space before paragraph or Add space after paragraph.
  • To enter a custom size, click Custom spacing. Then, enter the size of the spacing you want before and after a paragraph and click Apply.
  • To keep paragraph headings and text on the same page, click Keep with next.
  • To keep all lines of text in the same paragraph on the same page, click Keep lines together.
  • To prevent single lines at the beginning or end of paragraphs, click Prevent single lines.

Important : Keep with next, Keep lines together , and Prevent single lines  aren't available in documents that are in pageless format. To use these features, make sure your document is in pages format .

  • Open the Format menu.
  • Select Paragraph styles and then Borders and shading .
  • Position: Choose a top, bottom, left, right, or between paragraph lines.
  • Border width: The width of the positional border lines.
  • Border dash: The dashed, dotted, or solid style of the positional border lines.
  • Border color .
  • Background color .
  • Paragraph padding: Spacing before the paragraph.
  • To remove paragraph borders or color, select Reset .
  • When done, select Apply .

Your documents will have a more consistent appearance when you apply a style instead of updating font appearance.

To apply a style:

  • In the toolbar, select Styles .
  • Open the Format menu , then select Paragraph styles .
  • Heading level
  • Select Apply .

Format font

  • In the toolbar, select Font .
  • Choose a font from the dropdown list.
  • For Mac OS: Option + slash .
  • Enter part of the font name.
  • If the name has a sub-menu, you can choose your preferred font weight.
  • To change the font, press Enter .

Tip: If you search for a font, you can quickly set it again if you choose the first option in the recent list that appears when you press Alt + slash ( Option + slash on Mac).

  • Select the text you want to change.
  • Select Decrease font size or press Control + Shift + ,
  • Select Increase font size or press Control + Shift + .
  • Select Font size then choose a size.

If you know the size you want to set:

  • On Mac, press Option + slash .
  • Enter font size [number] .
  • Or just enter the numerical size and confirm the match in the results list.
  • Open the Format menu .
  • Select Text and then Capitalization .
  • Select the text you want for a default.
  • Select Paragraph styles and then Normal text and then Update 'Normal text' to match .

In some languages, you can add new fonts to your font list.

  • Enter more fonts .
  • A dialog box appears with a list of fonts.
  • To add new fonts, press Space .
  • Once done, press Tab to the OK button and press Enter .

Tip: The font dialog includes options for sorting and searching. You can search for types of fonts like “serif,” “script,” or “mono.“

Fonts are available in these languages:

  • Azerbaijani
  • Portuguese 
  • On your computer, open a document in Google Docs .

Color text

  • Select the color you want.
  • On your computer, open a document in Google docs .

Highlight text

  • Enter a color, like blue  or yellow .
  • Select the text color or highlight color that you want.
  • Press Enter .
  • Select Text .
  • Strikethrough

Related resources

  • Delete a document
  • Print or change the page setup
  • Add headers, footers & page numbers
  • Crop and adjust images
  • Add a title, heading, or table of contents

Need more help?

Try these next steps:.

essay fonts on google docs

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Technical How-tos, Tips, and Tricks

The best fonts for writing documents in google docs, the importance of choosing a font, must-have fonts for docs, open sans, ideal for formal cards, roboto, to view documents on mobile, source sans pro, sleek and slim, merriweather, for polished and elegant writing, inter, improves readability in lowercase, comic neue, the sophisticated brother of comic sans, bodoni moda, a timeless classic, how to add them to google docs.

Adding any typeface is very simple, since Google has compatibility with thousands of them. It will only be necessary to create a new blank document and then click on the “Fonts” drop-down button. This will open a list with a large number available so we can select any of those that are installed by default depending on our needs.

  • Setups & Tech
  • iOS & Mac

How to Make Google Docs Aesthetic: A Full Guide (Fonts, Colors & More)

Google Docs is packed with handy features, but let’s face it — the standard look and feel can be a bit boring. Ditch the drab and create an aesthetic Google Doc with these nifty hacks! We’ll cover everything from changing the page color and background to creating word art and custom tables.

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Table of Contents

Page Orientation

Page colors, page background, images, gifs, and videos, aesthetic google docs templates.

Portrait orientation is the standard in Google Docs, but you can also switch to landscape or even go pageless.

To change your page orientation, click File in the top menu of your document, then click Page setup . Toggle the “Landscape” option to switch from portrait to landscape. From here, you can also update your page margins, paper size, and page background color (more on that in just a sec).

To go pageless, click Pageless at the top of the Page Setup pop-up box. Set your page background color, then click OK .

The pageless option is a great choice for an aesthetic Google Doc. When you switch to a pageless view, the gray areas you typically see on the left and right side of your document will disappear. You also won’t see any breaks between pages.

In your pageless document, you can also create more space for text, images, and other elements on the page by changing the text width. To do that, click View in the top menu of your document, then hover over Text width . Choose between Narrow, Medium, Wide, and Full.

Did you know you can change the page color in Google Docs? No need to stick with the boring default white page!

How to change the page color in Google Docs in 3 easy steps:

  • In the top menu, click File .
  • Click Page Setup .
  • Under Page color , click the dropdown box to select the page color.

If you’re not using a browser extension like Dark Reader, changing the page color is a great way to use Google Docs in dark mode.

Want to create a gradient background, or use multiple background colors in Google Docs? You can, using two different methods. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Method #1: Paste Your Image

For this method, you’ll need to create your image in another app (like Canva), then upload it to Google Docs.

Here’s how to use an image as the page background in Google Docs:

  • Create your page background image in another app, like Canva or Procreate.
  • Upload your image to Google Docs by copying and pasting it into the page. (Alternatively, click Insert from the top menu, then hover over Image and choose an option.)
  • Resize your image so it fills the page completely.
  • Click the image, and set the text align to Behind text .
  • To the right of the text align options, click the drop-down box, and set the page position to Fix position on page .

Google Docs Page Background

Method #2: Add a Watermark

If you use the first method, you’ll notice that your background image won’t “lock”, which means that you might accidentally move it around when adding text or reformatting your document.

Adding a background image using Google Docs’ watermark option is a good way to ensure your image doesn’t move around when you’re working.

How to add a background image to a Google Doc using a watermark:

  • In the top menu of your document, click Insert .
  • Click Watermark .
  • In the right-hand sidebar that appears, click Select Image .
  • Upload the image you want to use as your page background.

Additional watermark customization options:

Once you’ve uploaded your watermark, you can customize your image to your liking in the right-hand sidebar. Here are your options:

  • Set the image scale (how big you want your background image to be).
  • Choose whether you want your image to be faded or not.
  • adjust the size and rotation
  • set the image position
  • recolor the image
  • adjust the transparency, brightness, and contrast

Add a Watermark to Google Docs

Fonts are an obvious way to make your Google Docs aesthetic.

Can you use custom fonts in Google Docs? Unfortunately, no — you can’t upload your own font files to Google Docs. (However, there is a handy workaround to this issue, which we’ll cover in the next section.)

Even though you can’t upload custom fonts, Google Docs offers hundreds of free fonts in a variety of styles, so there’s a good chance you’ll find what you’re looking for.

To see all of Google’s fonts, click the font box in the top formatting ribbon, then click More fonts . From here, you can filter fonts by script and style (display, handwriting, monospace, serif, and sans serif). You can also sort fonts to see them in alphabetical or chronological order, or sort by popularity and trending.

Aesthetic Google Docs Fonts

We recommend checking out the handwritten and display fonts to see all the aesthetic options. Monospace fonts are also a great choice for a gamer-inspired or cyberpunk aesthetic.

How to Use Custom Fonts in Google Docs

As we mentioned, there is a workaround for using custom fonts in Google Docs. You can use a third-party design app, like Canva, to type the text you want to appear in your custom font. Then, simply download the image with a transparent background and paste it into Google Docs!

Here’s how to use custom fonts in Google Docs in 4 easy steps:

  • Create an image in a third-party app, like Canva or Procreate.
  • Select the font you want to use, then type your text and choose your text color.
  • Save the image with a transparent background.
  • Paste the image into Google Docs.

For the example below, we created an image in Canva using the Sensei font, which is not available in Google Docs. Check it out:

How to Use Custom Fonts in Google Docs

That’s it! Depending on the amount of text or formatting elements you’ve added to your doc, you may need to crop your image or change the text positioning to get it where you want it.

Unless you’re going for a minimalist aesthetic in your Google Doc, you’ll likely add some images to your document.

We’ve already covered some of the things you can do with images in Google Docs, but here are a few more nifty tricks for adding aesthetic images (and GIFs!) to your documents.

Search for Images Right in Google Docs

Did you know you can insert images from Google Image Search? In the top menu of your doc, click Insert , then hover over Image . Then, click Search the web and enter your query in the right-hand sidebar that appears.

Note that the results may not be as vast as regular Google Image Search, but it’s a handy way to save yourself a few clicks and keystrokes!

Add GIFs to Your Aesthetic Google Doc

Did you know you can add GIFs to Google Docs? While you won’t be able to upload them from your computer, you can add GIFs from a URL. Here’s how to do it:

  • In the top menu of your doc, click Insert , then hover over Image .
  • Click By URL .
  • Paste in the URL of the GIF you want to add.
  • Click Add image .

Add YouTube Videos to Google Docs

You can’t upload a video to Google Docs from your computer, but you can insert a YouTube video preview from a URL.

To add a video preview to Google Docs, simply paste in the URL of a YouTube video anywhere in your doc, then type a space after it to turn it into a hyperlink. Click the hyperlinked URL to open a small pop-up, then click Open preview .

Add YouTube Videos to Google Docs

This will not add the video into your document itself — instead, it will show the video in the bottom corner of your document, picture-in-picture style. You can resize the preview by clicking and dragging the dots in the top left corner of the preview window. The full video will play from the preview window.

Embed YouTube Video in Google Docs

Once you’ve added the video preview, you can safely erase the link you pasted in your doc earlier, and the preview will still be there until you close it. However, you can only preview one video at a time.

Recolor Your Images and GIFs

Recoloring an image in Google Docs will convert all the colors of an inserted image or GIF to the same shade of the color you choose. Recoloring is a great way to ensure a matching aesthetic and is especially handy for those who don’t want to use another app to alter their images.

Here’s how to recolor images in Google Docs:

  • Insert the image or GIF you want to recolor.
  • Click Image options in the top formatting toolbar.
  • Click Recolor in the sidebar that appears on the right.
  • Choose the color you want.

This method will only let you choose from a limited number of colors — you can’t add your own colors or HEX codes. If Google doesn’t offer the color you want, try using an app like Canva or Procreate to recolor your image instead.

Recolor Your Images and GIFs

Using tables is a great way to make Google Docs aesthetic. Tables are especially handy for Google Docs planner templates, letting you track everything from habits and tasks to nutrition and sleep.

The cells of tables in Google Docs have a transparent background by default. To change the background color of the cells in your table:

  • Right-click anywhere in your table.
  • Click Table properties.
  • Click Color .
  • Click the drop-down box to choose the background color.

From the Table properties menu, you can also change the color and width of your table border.

How to Update the Border of Individual Table Cells in Google Docs

In addition to changing the color and width of the border of your entire table, you can also update the color, width, and dash style of individual cell borders. Simply click the border you want to change, then adjust the border width and style from the formatting menu:

How to Update Google Docs Borders

Did you know you can draw in Google Docs? Here are just a few things you can do with Google Docs’ Drawing feature:

  • Write things down in your own handwriting.
  • Add lines and shapes.
  • Create Word Art with multi-color gradient fill and custom text borders.
  • Add text boxes.

How to Draw in Google Docs Using an iPad and Apple Pencil

Unfortunately, there’s currently no way to create a new drawing from the Google Docs mobile app. So if you want to draw using your tablet and stylus, you’ll need to use a workaround.

For this walkthrough, we’re using an iPad, a Macbook Pro, and an Apple Pencil. Apple lets you mirror or extend your display to your tablet, which is how you can draw in Google Docs using your iPad and Apple Pencil.

  • On your Mac, open System Settings , then click Displays . Make sure your iPad is nearby.
  • In the top right-hand corner, click the drop-down next to the + sign.
  • Under Mirror or extend to , click your iPad.
  • On your Mac, open your aesthetic Google Doc in a new browser window. (Before moving on to step 5, you may want to zoom out of the Google Doc window to ensure you can see the full drawing canvas.)
  • Drag the window over to your iPad.
  • On the Google Doc open on your iPad, click Insert , then Drawing , then New .

From here, you can use your Apple Pencil to add lines or scribbles, which let you write in your own handwriting. (To add a scribble, tap the line icon next to the mouse icon in the Google Docs Drawing window, then tap Scribble at the bottom of the drop-down.)

Google Docs Drawings

You can adjust the color and width of your scribbles to your liking. As you can see from our iPad screenshot of the extended Mac display, the scribbles aren’t as neat as those you’d get in Apple Notes and Freeform, even with the Apple Pencil.

When you’re finished with your drawing, tap Save and close in the top right corner of the drawing window.

We briefly talked about shapes in the previous section, but we wanted to expand on them since there’s so much you can do with them.

Shapes let you add aesthetic backgrounds to your text in Google Docs. To add a shape, you’ll first need to create a new drawing by clicking Insert > Drawing > New .

In the pop-up window, click the circle and square icon in the top menu, then hover over each option to see all shapes in that category.

Once you’ve chosen your shape, click and drag your cursor on the canvas to create it. Using the formatting options in the menu at the top, you can change the fill and stroke color of the shape, as well as the border style and width.

Google Docs Shapes

You can even add a multi-color gradient fill to a shape. To add a custom gradient, click Gradient, then click the + to customize your gradient. You can add or remove colors from your gradient, and you can also change the angle gradient and type.

Shapes in Google Docs

You can add a text box over a shape to make your text pop. Once you’ve created your shape, simply click the text box icon to the right of the shape icon to add your text box. Highlight the text, then use the formatting toolbar to change the font, alignment, text size, and text color. (Hint: You may need to click the menu icon [⋯] at the end of the toolbar to see all of the formatting options.)

Text Box Preview in Google Docs

Once you’ve customized your shape, click Save and close to add it. To edit your shape, simply double-click it.

Gradient Shapes in Google Docs

Using Google Docs’ drawing tool, you can also create word art! This lets you add a fill color and stroke to your text

Create a new drawing by clicking Insert > Drawing > New . Or, double-click an existing drawing to edit it. To add word art to Google Docs, click the Actions drop-down box on the far left of the formatting toolbar. Then, click Word art .

Google Docs Word Art

Type the text you’d like to appear in your word art, then type Enter . If you want to add a line break, hold down your Shift key, then press Enter in the text editing window to create a line break.

Use the formatting toolbar to edit the font, text size, text color, stroke color, and stroke style of your word art. (Pro tip: You can even add a gradient fill to your word art!)

Click and drag a corner of the word art box to resize the text. This may cause it to stretch — if you don’t want to stretch the word art, hold down your Shift key when resizing to keep the text width and height the same.

You can also move your word art to ensure it’s perfectly aligned in the center of your shape. Just drag it the box until you see two intersecting red lines that end at the edges of your shape.

When you’re finished adding your word art to your Google Doc, click Save and close . To edit it, double-click the shape to reopen the drawing screen.

Adding Text to Word Art

Headings make it easy to navigate a long document. To create a heading in Google Doc, simply type some text, highlight it, then click “Normal text” in the formatting menu of your doc. Then, just select the heading you want from the drop-down box.

Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts to create a new heading:

  • Cmd + Option + 1: Create or turn text into a Heading 1
  • Cmd + Option + 2: Create or turn text into a Heading 2
  • Cmd + Option + 3: Create or turn text into a Heading 3

Aesthetic Headings in Google Docs

To change the font family, size, color, and formatting of a heading, simply highlight your heading, then update the formatting to your heart’s content. Once you’re finished, with the text still highlighted, click the heading menu again. Hover over the heading style you’ve applied to your highlighted text, then click Update heading to match.

Now, whenever you create that type of heading, your formatting changes will automatically be applied.

Changing Heading Font in Google Docs

Symbols and Emojis

Add symbols and emojis throughout your Google Doc to truly complete your aesthetic. Here are a few hacks for using special characters and emojis in Docs.

There are 2 main ways you can use symbols in Google Docs: inserting them from Google’s “Symbols” menu, or by copying and pasting your symbols from a fancy text generator. Here’s a quick look at how to do both.

Symbols in Google Docs

To insert a symbol in Google Docs, click Insert from the top menu of your document, then click Special characters. This will open up a pop-up box of all Google’s symbols. Alternatively, you can draw your own symbol.

Symbols in Google Docs

The left drop-down box in the symbols pop-up lets you choose from symbols, emojis, punctuation, or different types of scripts (like Middle Eastern or Han). The right drop-down box lets you filter all of Google’s symbols and emojis by category, showing you everything from arrows and emoticons to currency and math symbols.

Aesthetic Google Docs Symbols

For an aesthetic Google Doc, we recommend checking out the symbols in these categories:

  • Stars/Asterisks
  • Miscellaneous

Fancy Text Generators

The other way to add symbols that Google Docs doesn’t offer is by copying and pasting them from a fancy text generator, like LingoJam .

Simply type your text, then copy the option you like best. Some of these options come complete with borders featuring special characters.

Fancy Text Generator for Google Docs

Sure, you could spend hours creating your own aesthetic Google Doc. Or you could take a shortcut and download a pre-made template instead! Check out some of our favorite templates below.

For more templates, check out our full round-up of 20+ aesthetic Google Docs templates !

Ready to make these templates your own? Let’s do this! To get started, simply head to the top left corner and select “File”. From there, choose “Make a copy” and voila! You can now give your document a personalized name and choose where you want it saved. Time to get creative!

How to Make Google Docs Template

Gradient Digital Planner

Template Available Here

Gradient Digital Planner

Sophisticated Photo Resume Template

Sophisticated Photo Resume Template

Blue Aesthetic Weekly Budget

Blue Aesthetic Weekly Budget

Have you used any of these Google Docs hacks to create your own aesthetic document? Share your favorite tips in the comments with us below!

Gridfiti is supported by its audience – when you buy something using the retail links in our posts, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Read more  about our affiliate disclaimer.

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essay fonts on google docs

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Home » Google Docs » How to Add Custom Fonts to Google Docs

How to Add Custom Fonts to Google Docs

There are different ways in which you can format the text in your document. For example, you can change its size and colour. In this article, we will be focusing on the text’s font.

Font refers to the way your text looks. Google Docs offers a lot of fonts for you to choose from. For example, Cambria and Ariel are two popular fonts. 

You can see the list of fonts that are available in Google Docs in the toolbar.

essay fonts on google docs

If you are not satisfied with the fonts that Google Docs already offers, you can install new ones. There are many situations in which you might want to install custom fonts. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you might want to use unique fonts for your projects. 

The benefit of using a custom font is that it makes your document stand out. For example, you could use a readable custom font for your resume. This would help make it stand out among the thousands of resumes that a recruiter goes through. 

Two methods of adding custom fonts in Goolgle Docs:

  • Filtering the fonts that are already installed on Google Docs
  • Using the Extensis Fonts add-on

Note that this article is meant for complete beginners. So, you can follow along even if you don’t have much experience with Google Docs.

With that introduction, let’s get started.

Method 1: Filtering the fonts that are already installed on Google Docs

The first method is to have a look at the fonts that are already installed on Google Docs. You can then filter them based on different categories such as language. 

Using this method, you will not be installing new fonts in your Google Docs document. Rather, you will add more fonts to your fonts list (shown in the toolbar).

The benefit of this method is that there are hundreds of fonts in Google Docs. From this list, you can choose the ones that match what you are looking for. Google Docs also gives you several options for filtering these fonts (as you will see below).

However, one drawback is that you are limited to the fonts offered by Google Docs. So, you cannot use any of the fonts that are not already available on Google Docs. You also can’t upload any fonts that you created.

With that introduction, let’s start.

Step 1: Open your Google Docs document.

The very first step is to open the Google Docs document where you want to add new fonts. To do this, first go to the Google Docs homepage. Type docs.google.com in the search bar of your browser and press enter. Make sure that you sign in to your Google account so that you can access the page.

To select an existing document, click on a file under ‘Recent documents’. You can also create a completely new document using one of two methods.

The first method is to create a blank document. To do this, click on the plus sign at the top of the screen. There’s also a quick shortcut to create a new document. Type new.docs in the search bar of your browser and press enter. 

The second method is to choose from one of the many templates Google Docs offers for resumes, notes and more. You can click on ‘Template gallery’ to find all the options.

essay fonts on google docs

Step 2: Click on the fonts option in the toolbar to see the list of fonts available to you.

In the toolbar, you will see a button for fonts. This button will show you the font you are currently using. For example, if you are currently using the Cambria font, this button will show ‘Cambria’.

Click on this button to see all the other fonts available to you. These are the fonts that you have downloaded from the list of fonts that Google Docs offers.

essay fonts on google docs

Step 3: Click on ‘More fonts’.

The very first option you will see when you click on the fonts button is ‘More fonts’. Click on this to see the list of fonts that Google Docs has that you haven’t yet downloaded. 

essay fonts on google docs

When you click on this option, you will be taken to the ‘Fonts’ window. On the left side, you will see the list of fonts that you haven’t yet downloaded. On the right side, you will see the list of fonts that you have already downloaded. 

At the top of the window, you will find various parameters for sorting and filtering the fonts. For example, you can sort the fonts in alphabetical order.

Step 4: Filter and sort the fonts as you like.

First, you have to filter the fonts based on your preferences. The first way of filtering fonts is based on the script. Click on the ‘Scripts’ button in the fonts window to see all the options for scripts. 

essay fonts on google docs

The second way of filtering your fonts is based on typography. Typography refers to the way your font looks. Click on the ‘Show’ button to find the different options for typography.

essay fonts on google docs

Once you’ve selected the script and typography, you can filter your fonts. You can do this by changing the ‘Sort’ setting in the window. For example, to see the most popular fonts at the top, click on the ‘Sort’ button and select ‘Popularity’.

essay fonts on google docs

Step 5: Add new fonts and click on ‘OK’ once you’re done.

Your window should now display the fonts that match your criteria. Click on the fonts you like to add them to your list. 

Once you are done adding the fonts, click on ‘OK’ to close the window. You can now start using the new fonts you’ve added!

Method 2: Using the Extensis Fonts add-on

An add-on refers to a software application that you can install in Google Docs. It enhances Google Docs and allows you to do things that Google Docs doesn’t give you the option to do. For example, Google Docs doesn’t allow you to customise your page size. Hence, you can install an add-on to do that instead.

In our case, we can install an add-on to find fonts. This add-on is called Extensis Fonts. If the font you are looking for is not in the list of fonts that Google Docs offers, you can try this method.

However, one potential downside of installing an add-on is that it can slow down your page. So if you already have a lot of add-ons in Google Docs, adding a new one can slow down your document.

Below are the steps for this method.

Step 1: Click on the ‘Add-ons’ tab.

At the top left corner of your screen, you should see the ‘Add-ons’ tab, next to ‘Tool’. Click on it to see the ‘Add-ons’ menu. 

essay fonts on google docs

Step 2: Click on ‘Get add-ons’. 

In the ‘Add-ons’ menu, you will see the ‘Get add-ons’ option. Click on it. This will open up a window where you can search for add-ons.

essay fonts on google docs

Step 3: Search for Extensis Fonts in the search bar.

At the top right corner of the add-ons window, you will find the search bar. In this search bar, type ‘Extensis Fonts’.

You will then be taken to another page displaying the search results.

essay fonts on google docs

Step 4: Click on the Extensis Fonts icon and learn more about it.

In the search results, you will find the Extensis Fonts icon. Click on it to be taken to the page with all the information about this add-on. For example, you can read the reviews users have left about the add-on. You can also see images of how the font works in Google Docs.

essay fonts on google docs

Step 5: Install the add-on.

To install the add-on, scroll to the very top of the screen. Here, you will find a blue button with the word ‘Install’. Click on this button. 

essay fonts on google docs

A dialog box will open up asking for your permission to install the add-on. To proceed, click on ‘Continue’

essay fonts on google docs

Next, you will be asked to sign in to a Google account. Sign in to the Google account that you are currently using to access Google Docs.

This will open another dialog box. Click on ‘Next’ then ‘Done’. You are now ready to use the add-on! 

essay fonts on google docs

To start using it, close the add-ons window and get back to your Google document.

Step 6: Open the add-on and choose a font.

To open the add-on, click on the ‘Add-ons’ tab once again. A menu will open, showing ‘Extensis Fonts’. 

essay fonts on google docs

Click on this option, then select ‘Start’. This will open a panel on the right showing all the fonts. 

essay fonts on google docs

Step 7: Choose a font from the panel.

You can filter and sort the list of fonts from the panel on the right. This is similar to the way you filtered and sorted the fonts in Google Docs. 

Click on the ‘Show’ option to see all the options for typography. Select one. 

essay fonts on google docs

Then, click on the ‘Sort’ option to see the different ways of sorting your fonts. Choosing the right sort option will make it easier for you to choose your fonts. 

essay fonts on google docs

At the very bottom of the panel, you will see an option for adjusting the size of your font. If you want, you can adjust that as well.

Step 8: Select the text and apply the font.

Next, you have to select the text for which you want to apply the font. If you want your entire document to have the same font, then select all the text. To do this, press Control + A (or Command + A if you’re a Mac user). To apply the font, click on a font of your choice. 

You’re now good to go! 

Resetting the font and making it the default style

If you don’t want to use the new font anymore, you can reset the style. To do this, first go to the ‘Format’ tab at the top left corner of the screen. Then, click on the ‘Clear formatting’ option. This will reset the font to the font that is ‘Normal text’.

essay fonts on google docs

In contrast, you can also make the new font the default style. To do this, first highlight the text in the font style of your choice. Next, click on the ‘Normal text’ option in the toolbar, then hover over the ‘Normal text’ option. Choose the ‘Update normal text to match’ option from the menu.

essay fonts on google docs

Conclusion 

That brings us to the end of this article! Here’s a brief recap of everything we learned. 

Google Docs doesn’t allow you to add your own fonts to the website. However, there are two methods of accessing more fonts than the ones on your list (in the toolbar).

The first method is to go to ‘More fonts’. Then, you can filter the fonts based on various criteria like typography. You can then sort the search results based on options like popularity.

The second method of doing this is by installing an add-on called Extensis Fonts. Once you install it, you can filter and sort the fonts from the panel on the right. This is similar to the previous method.

We hope you found this article useful!

11 thoughts on “How to Add Custom Fonts to Google Docs”

But how do I download a font on my computer to Google Docs?

yes i want to know that too

you can click the plus in google drive then select the document

no i think he want to use the font as the font for his doc not have it just stored on google drive

Google docs doesn’t have Extensis Fonts as an option for an add on. Now what

You go to Google workspace. Its on there

So basically if I downloaded a font from the internet, I can’t use it with my google docs? Well that sucks.

Yeah apparently T_T

Omg I literally downloaded it but wheres the show button bruh it only shows me a blank tab screen BRUH!

If anyone needs help finding Extensis, It’s not on the Chrome store, It’s on Google Workspace. Here’s a link, and by the way it will ask for permission to do stuff https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/extensis_fonts/568288816452

I think that one way to make google docs better is to add a font maker, so you can make your own fonts.

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essay fonts on google docs

06-07-2021 DESIGN

The 5 best new fonts to use in Google Docs

Including Comic Sans, but grown up!

The 5 best new fonts to use in Google Docs

[Image: Google]

BY  Lilly Smith 2 minute read

Google Docs, the ubiquitous and free word processing tool, uses a sans serif font called Arial by default. It’s classic and straightforwardly simple. Like the white bread of fonts, it’s hard working and versatile, but pretty dang basic.

Last week, Google added 60 new fonts to its catalog of free licensed font families for you to choose from in Docs and Slides with a tweet that basically said, “these fonts are here now!” There wasn’t much detail as to why Google added the fonts, but for anyone who grew tired of the 30 or so default font options available previously, the new offerings will make it much easier to customize Google Docs and Slides.

Related:  The 14 Worst Fonts in the World

Here are five of the most exciting new typefaces, showcasing a range of styles, from an updated love-to-hate font to a canonical typeface mid-century modernist Massimo Vignelli himself favored. Your next shared Doc is about to get a lot spicier.

essay fonts on google docs

Google Fonts already has Comic Sans, one of the most widely mocked fonts on the Internet. (Its own designer calls it the “ the Justin Bieber of fonts .”) Comic Neue  is its more sophisticated sibling. The “squashed, wonky, and weird glyphs of Comic Sans have been beaten into shape,” Google writes, while maintaining the fun that make many love Comic Sans (and love to hate it ). Comic Neue’s child-like look could work nicely for younger audiences, but it could have practical benefits, too.  Comic Sans is considered a more legible font for dyslexic readers .

essay fonts on google docs

JetBrains Mono

This typeface looks like code, and that makes sense: It takes inspiration from it. The rounded rectangular shapes of JetBrains Mono is “made for the specific needs of developers,” according to its designers Philipp Nurullin and Konstantin Bulenkov. It’s a monospace font, so each letter or character takes up the same amount of space. But you don’t need to use it for coding—use it to give a boxy, geometric feel to an otherwise drab Google Doc or presentation.

essay fonts on google docs

Bodoni Moda

Bodoni Moda is a long overdue addition to Google Docs and Slides. Bodoni, a serif font first designed by Giambattista Bodoni in the late 18th century, is an all-time classic font. It’s a serif typeface, with sharp edges and straight lines that give it modern appeal. It has been used everywhere: One of its most famous proponents was the iconic mid-century modern designer Massimo Vignelli, who famously used only a handful of typefaces throughout his career; he considered Bodoni one of his six preferred typefaces . Garamond, a typeface similar to Bodoni, already exists in Google Docs. But Bodoni Moda’s contrasting thin and thick strokes make it stand on its own, and it’s high time the font family gets some attention, too.

essay fonts on google docs

You’ve probably seen a typeface similar to Goldman , with its angled terminals and squared counters (the negative space in letters), used for the front covers of sci-fi novels. Designer Jaikishan Patel expands its use case here, designing it for applications in science fiction, sports, drama, and thriller posters. Now you can bring a cinematic element to your Docs.

essay fonts on google docs

Museu Moderno

There are 26 letters in any English alphabet, but in the sans serif Museo Moderno alphabet, one letter is the star: the lowercase W. It looks like someone bent a piece of steel pipe to get those wonky curves. Omnibus-Type first designed the typeface for the Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires, but it’s easy to see the contemporary geometric typeface on everything from direct-to-consumer beauty brands to specialty consumer goods.

Recognize your technological breakthrough by applying to this year’s Next Big Things in Tech Awards! Extended Deadline to Apply Tonight, Friday, July 19.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lilly Smith is an associate editor of Co.Design. She was previously the editor of Design Observer, and a contributing writer to AIGA Eye on Design.   More

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Beyond words: comprehensive guide on styling text in Google Docs

Natalia Sharashova

In this blog post, we delve into the various techniques and features available to customize your Google Docs. Follow these tips and tricks to be well on your way to creating documents that convey your content effectively and look polished and visually captivating.

When you want to make documents look really professional and nice to read, it's super important to learn how to style the text properly. Google Docs offers a range of text formatting tools that will transform your documents from bland to outstanding. 

How to use text formatting in Google Docs

Text formatting is crucial in conveying emphasis, clarity, and structure within your documents. Google Docs provides a range of text styling options to help you achieve these objectives.

How to change font style in Google Docs

The first thing I'd recommend changing is the font style (and its size).

Picking the most suitable font size and style in Google Docs from the start will minimize the need for retroactive formatting changes along the way. You'll be able to focus on the layout and content knowing that the main visual element is already set.

How to change font style in Google Docs.

Below are some other standard fonts often used in different documents.

To change font style in Google Docs, click on any font. You can quickly go through multiple fonts to see which one you like better in action. 

Add more fonts option.

Once you find the ones you love, just click on them and they will appear in the list of your fonts in both the right panel and the drop-down with the available fonts.

3 ways to change the font size in Google Docs.

Use these to:

  • increase or decrease the current font size (or use Ctrl+Shift+. and Ctrl+Shift-. hotkeys instead)
  • pick one of the predefined font sizes from the drop-down
  • enter the exact size from your keyboard

Bold, italic and underline

To make your text stand out and grab attention, you can use bold formatting, and italicized or underlined text.

Apply one of Google Docs formats to your text: bold, italic, underline.

Tip. Besides the toolbar, there's another way to indicate a different tone for your text. You can apply these Google Docs formats using shortcuts:

  • Ctrl+B for bold ( Command+B on Mac)
  • Ctrl+I for italic ( Command+I on Mac)
  • Ctrl+U for underline ( Command+U on Mac)

Of course, you can apply all three formatting Google Docs styles to the same piece of text or mix & match with just 2 of them.

Strikethrough

Sometimes, conveying information involves showing what has changed or is no longer valid. Strikethrough is a text formatting tool that helps you visually indicate that a particular portion of text should be disregarded. You can also use strikethrough to add a touch of humor or irony to your text.

Though there's no button for this option, you can easily apply strikethrough to a portion of text in Google Docs by using the Alt+Shift+5 shortcut. 

How to strikethrough in Google Docs.

Text & highlight colors

To enhance the visual appeal or emphasize important points even more, don't neglect text and highlight colors. Using them strategically or creatively will make a significant difference.

Text color will change the color of letters. Highlight will color the white background behind the text. 

Google Docs tools to format text color and highlight color.

You can pick a hue from predefined colors or click one of the icons at the bottom of the palette:

Add a custom color to Google Docs.

Note. When using text and highlight colors in Google Docs, it's important to ensure adequate contrast for optimal readability. Choose such color combinations for your text that provide enough contrast between the text itself and its background to make your content easily legible.

Color and/or highlight text in Google Docs.

Tip. Remember to strike a balance between creativity and readability when playing with colors. Stay consistent with your color choices to maintain a professional and organized appearance.

Style Google Docs text using the paint format tool

I cannot help but mention one small tool to work with the formatting. Instead of applying the same visuals over and over again, you can copy them from any portion of your text.

Standard formatting tool in Google Docs.

This tool acts as a formatting brush allowing you to copy the style in Google Docs, size, colors, bold/italic/underline and other formatting of one piece of text and apply it to other parts of your document:

  • Format a text selection to your liking.
  • Select the formatted text only.
  • Click on the Paint format icon in the toolbar.
  • Click and drag your cursor over the text you want to apply the formatting to.

The chosen text will adopt the formatting of the initial selection.

Tip. To apply the formatting to multiple selections, double-click the Paint format icon to keep it active until you're done.

Improve readability with line spacing and alignment

When it comes to styling documents in Google Docs, aesthetics and readability go hand in hand. Proper alignment, indentation, spacing, and effective use of lists are essential if you want to engage with your material effortlessly.

Alignment & indentation

4 alignment settings in Google Docs.

As for indentation, it helps create a visual hierarchy. It's usually used to block quotes, bullet points, and more.

Increase or decrease Google Docs indent directly from the menu.

Line & paragraph spacing

Optimal line and paragraph spacing are key elements for your document's readability. Let's see how you can adjust line and paragraph spacing to prevent text from feeling cluttered or too spread out.

Adjust line and paragraph spacing in Google Docs.

  • The first 4 settings — single, 1.15, 1.5, double — offer various breathing rooms between the lines.
  • The next two — Add/Remove space before/after paragraph — visually separate the content blocks. Use these to distinguish different sections easily.

Custom line and paragraph spacing in Google Docs.

  • Keep with next and Keep lines together will make sure your paragraphs or lines are not divided into different pages.
  • Add page break before , on the contrary, will move the selected block to a new page.
  • Prevent single lines , well, prevents single lines at the beginning or the end of your section (paragraph) from being left out on a page. It always keeps at least two lines of text together.

Note. Some options are not available in the pageless format.

Bulleted and numbered lists

Bulleted and numbered lists on the Google Docs toolbar.

Select the text that you want to turn into a list and click either Bulleted or Numbered list icons.

Tip. Or use the shortcuts ;) Ctrl+Shift+8 for bullets, Ctrl+Shift+7 for numbers. For Mac, it's the Control key instead of Ctrl .

Create numbered lists in Google Docs.

Tip. Press Shift+Tab to turn the sub-item into the main list item.

Style your lists with built-in points.

You'll see a window with tens of characters to choose from, including numbers, symbols from other languages, emojis, currencies, etc. Just find the one you like best for your list or draw your own symbol in a special field in the same window.

Change the style of the lists in Google Docs.

Headings & styles: enhancing Google Docs structure

Creating a well-structured Google document is essential if you want to guide your readers through your content. The tools from this section will help you achieve a clear hierarchy and visual consistency within your documents.

How to add headings in Google Docs

Headings provide a roadmap for everyone reading/working with the document, making it easier for them to navigate through.

How to add headings in Google Docs.

Tip. The more heading levels you use in Google Docs, the more extra levels will be available in the dropdown.

How to edit all headings in Google Docs at once

So you added headings in your Google Docs, what's next? You will most likely want to edit them: set the proper alignment, indentation or change colors, make them bold or underlined, etc. 

Luckily, there's a smart option that lets you do that with all headings of a similar level in Google Docs in just a few clicks.

Let's suppose it's Headings 2 you'd like to format.

  • Pick one heading of the 2nd level and right-click it.

Select all matching text option.

Tip. This way is great to edit not just headings but the normal text as well.

Creating a table of contents

A well-organized document often includes a table of contents (TOC) that acts as a roadmap for readers. In Google Docs, you can create a table of contents that dynamically updates as you edit your content. This feature is particularly handy when your document contains several sections or subsections.

Generate TOC from headings on Google Docs

Google Docs knows how to automatically generate a table of contents based on your headings and place it whenever you need in the document:

  • Make sure to add headings to your document as I described in the previous section.

Insert table of contents in Google Docs.

Each item in the TOC will be linked to its related section (even if you pick the style that doesn't look like it contains links). 

Update your TOC in Google Docs once changes to your headings have been made.

TOC outline: same concept, different purpose

An outline in Google Docs serves a similar purpose to a table of contents: it helps you create an organized structure. The only difference is that it's located not within the pages but on the side: as part of the Google Docs interface.

How to show outline in Google Docs.

Note. Both the table of contents and the outline rely on properly formatted headings on Google Docs. Ensure your headings are consistently applied for accurate results.

How to change default style in Google Docs

When customizing Google documents, you might have a specific look in mind that aligns with your brand or personal preference. Custom styles in Google Docs enable you to save your preferred formatting settings, allowing you to apply them consistently across your documents.

The standard feature lets you save only one style as your default one for all future documents:

  • Format your document: make sure titles, headings, subtitles & normal text look exactly as you need.

Save the formatting of the entire Doc as your default style.

You'll see the confirmation message from Google Docs that your style has been set. Now when you start the new document, the font, its size, color, and headings will look as you prefer from the start by default.

To apply this style to other Google documents, go to Styles > Options > Use my default styles . 

Most likely, you already see the major drawback of this instrument: you can save & use only one style at a time.

Create multiple reusable custom styles in Google Docs

If you're looking to take your document styling to the next level, the Styles add-on for Google Docs is a real game-changer. 

It empowers you to create a multitude of custom styles, save them for future use, and effortlessly apply them to your entire document or specific sections.

As a nice bonus, it goes with built-in 20+ style templates for your Google Docs to choose from.

Styles add-on for Google Docs with 20+ built-in and your custom style templates.

This add-on gives you broad freedom of action:

  • Create, save and reuse a multitude of different style sets. For various types of documents and needs. You can even pick the style from your document!

Edit heading styles in Google Docs anytime.

  • Applying the styles in Google Docs with this add-on couldn't be easier. Either click the blue Apply style button at the bottom to format the entire document, or change the appearance of specific paragraphs / selected text by clicking only on the necessary heading style. Either way, it's literally just a click :)

This add-on will be your sidekick if you crave efficiency without compromising on aesthetics. To play with it around, install it from the Google Workspace Marketplace and find it under the Extensions menu in your Google Docs. 

Video: Styles add-on for Google Docs: customize your documents

Share google docs styles with teammates.

Since collaboration is at the heart of many Google Docs projects, sharing consistent styles among team members is crucial for maintaining a unified document appearance.

Fortunately, Styles add-on for Google Docs allows you to share custom styles with your teammates, ensuring everyone is on the same page in terms of document formatting.

Share style templates for Google Docs with your teammates.

  • Use the first two to export, or save to your Drive, all or only the selected style template for Google Docs.
  • Use the third one to import, or upload from Drive, a style shared with you.

Mastering text styling in Google Docs is not just about making your documents visually appealing; it's about effectively conveying your ideas and engaging your audience. 

Whether you're working on an academic paper, crafting a report or simply sharing your thoughts, understanding these styling & customization techniques will give your Google documents an edge. By following the tips and tricks outlined in this guide, you'll be well on your way to creating documents that convey your content effectively and look polished and visually captivating.

So, go ahead and experiment with these features — your words deserve to be noticed :)

You may also be interested in

  • How to get more Google Docs templates
  • All Google Docs & Google Sheets limits you need to know
  • How to make a good-looking table in Google Sheets

Table of contents

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I'm looking for a way to create numbered paragraphs with text - like Article I., Article 2., etc. Is there a way to do this with the Styles or a different Add-on?

essay fonts on google docs

Hello Melissa,

I'm not sure Styles will help since it's merely changes the appearance of the text.

If you need extra headings literally containing 'Article 1', 'Article 2', etc., you will have to enter them manually. And then you can apply a certain style to them using the Styles add-on.

Alternatively, you could use standard Bookmarks for this purpose. Our Search & Navigate will then show you all these headings/bookmarks in a list.

essay fonts on google docs

I meant underline for Mac: Command-U

All fixed! Thanks for catching those mistakes, Peter!

In your change font style for Mac, italic and bold should be command-I and command-B

essay fonts on google docs

It Was very helpful Thank you for gather all the information together.

Appreciate your feedback! I'm glad the article is helpful :)

Post a comment

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How to change the default font in google docs.

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Google Docs uses a standard font when you create a document. If you aren't happy with its appearance, here's how you can change the default font instead of manually adjusting it each time.

Fire up your browser, open a Google Docs file, and then change the font. Click the drop-down box and make sure the Style is set to "Normal Text," as well. This refers to the main text style (excluding titles or headings) used throughout your document.

Click the drop-down box and make sure Normal Text is selected.

Note:  Certain formatting can also be applied to the default font, such as size, bold, underline, color, and highlight color.

Type out a few words or lines in the font of your choice, and then highlight them with your mouse.

Use your mouse to highlight the text.

Next, click Format > Paragraph Styles > Normal Text, and then select "Update 'Normal Text' to Match."

Click "Format," click "Paragraph Styles," select "Normal Text," and then click "Update 'Normal Text' to Match."

Before you save your changes to Normal Text, you can change the default font for titles and headings, as well.

To do so, select one of the options from the drop-down menu, and then begin to type in the font you want. We've chosen "Title" for this part, but you can change any of the options listed below.

The titles and headings font drop-down menu.

Then, just as before, head to Format > Paragraph Styles > Title, and then click "Update 'Title' to Match."

Click "Format," click "Paragraph Styles," select "Title," and then click "Update 'Title' to Match."

To save this as the default style every time you open a new document, click Format > Paragraph Styles > Options, and then click "Save as My Default Styles."

Click "Format," click "Paragraph Styles," select "Options," and then click "Save As My Default Styles."

If you ever want to reset the font back to the original defaults, go to Format > Paragraph Styles > Options, and then click "Reset Styles" to revert them.

Click "Format," click "Paragraph Styles," select "Options," and then click "Reset Styles."

That's it! Next time you open a new document and type, your text will be in your chosen font by default.

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Whats the biggest font style on google docs?

Ive been doing an essay on google docs but i have to make it fit into more pages without scaling up the font. So i was just messing around and noticed that some font styles like comic sans, take up more space then others like times new roman. So since im lazy and want to do as little work as possible what would be the biggest font style for me to use.

Tech Galaxy

Biggest Font Style in Google Docs

If you’re doing your writing work in Google Docs and wondering what’s the biggest font style in Google Docs that can make your content fill more number of pages, let me answer that.

Here, I will list the biggest fonts that you can use in Google Docs and also make a comparison to give you an idea of how much difference a font would make.

Table of Contents

10 Biggest Fonts in Google Docs

Here are the ten biggest fonts that you can consider applying to your text in Google Docs:

  • Courier New
  • Roboto Mono
  • Merriweather
  • Roboto Serif
  • Merriweather Sans
  • Playfair Display

By default, Arial is the font in Google Docs, and changing the font from Arial to the above-mentioned bigger fonts will increase the number of pages that the same text occupies in your Google Docs.

Note: While there are a couple of fonts that are even bigger than the ones I’ve mentioned above, I have removed them from this list as they’re not professional and can hardly be used in any setting (especially not suited if you’re writing an essay or SOP)

Complete Comparison of Font Style Sizes in Google Docs

In case you’re interested in the complete comparison I did and see the data below the table where I have the font name in the column on the left and the size it increases compared to the Arial font.

FontPercent Size Increased (compared with Arial)
Asset309%
Courier New141%
Roboto Mono141%
Comic Sans MS129%
Merriweather124%
Verdana123%
Montserrat123%
Nunito122%
Lexend122%
Roboto Serif120%
Merriweather Sans118%
Playfair Display118%
Comfortaa116%
Trebuchet MS107%
Roboto106%

While the Asset font will give you the biggest font for the same font size, it does not look professional and may not be usable in most cases. Similarly, you may not be able to use Comic Sans MS in all situations.

Lexend is the best dyslexia-friendly font in Google Docs. It reduces the visual stress for the reader and improves reading performance. It’s also bigger than Arial (which is the default font in Google Docs)

What is the Biggest Font Size in Google Docs?

For any font, the largest font size you can scale it up to is 400 px.

Even if you try to enter a value more than 400 in the font size box in the toolbar in Google Docs, it will not go above 400.

Biggest Font Size 400 in Google Docs

Some Tips to Increase Page Count without Changing Font Style or Font Size

To increase the page count in your Google Docs document without changing the font size or style, you can employ several formatting adjustments.

Here are some tricks:

  • Adjust Line Spacing : Increase the line spacing to add more space between lines. For instance, you might change from single to 1.5 or double spacing (Seventeen Magazine).
  • Manipulate Margin Sizes : Increase the size of your margins slightly, which will decrease the amount of text that fits on each page, thereby increasing the number of pages (Capitalize My Title).
  • Add More Content to Headers and Footers : Include longer headers or footers, or add additional information such as chapter titles, section numbers, or subheadings.
  • Use More Paragraph Breaks : Break up long paragraphs into smaller ones. This can increase the number of pages as more space is taken up with paragraph indents and spacing.
  • Include Section Titles : Add titles or subtitles to sections that can add to the overall length as well as improve the structure of your paper.
  • Increase Paragraph Indentation : Adjust the indentation settings for paragraphs to take up more space horizontally.

Keep in mind that these tricks should be used judiciously and within the guidelines provided by your instructor or publisher, as overuse can lead to a document that appears manipulated or unprofessionally formatted.

I hope you found this article helpful.

In case you know of any other Google Docs font that should be a part of the list I have mentioned above, do let me know in the comments section.

Other Google Docs articles you may also like:

  • How to Add Line Numbers in Google Docs?
  • How To Change The Background In Google Docs?
  • How to Auto Capitalize in Google Docs?
  • Strikethrough Shortcut in Google Docs

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What is the Biggest Font on Google Docs

What is the Biggest Font on Google Docs

Do you want to find out the biggest font on Google Docs?

Google Docs has a bunch of different fonts that you can use for free.

They come in various styles and sizes.

So if you’re working on an essay and want to make the text bigger to fill up more pages, or if you just want to know the largest font available on Google Docs, then this article is perfect for you.

It will help you figure out the biggest font you can use on Google Docs.

Also read: (opens in new tab) How to Make Lined Paper in Google Docs Best Handwriting Fonts on Google Docs The Best Aesthetic Fonts on Google Docs Minecraft Font Google Docs

What is the Biggest Font on Google Docs?

What is the Biggest Font on Google Docs

The “Asset” font, with a size set to “400px,” is the biggest font on Google Docs. However, it is recommended to keep the heading between 18 and 29 pixels and the body text between 12 and 14 pixels.

Note: Read this article to know more on how to use this font: How to Add Fonts to Google Docs

When you click on the “Font size” option in the toolbar, you will notice that 96 is the highest font size displayed in the drop-down menu.

However, this does not necessarily mean it’s the largest font size available.

You have the flexibility to click on the current font size and manually enter any value into the box, then press the enter key.

It’s important to note that the font size cannot exceed 400 pixels.

If you enter a number greater than 400, it will automatically be converted to 400, as that is the maximum supported font size on Google Docs.

Biggest Font on Google Docs for Essays

If you’re looking for the largest font on Google Docs for your essays, it’s not recommended to use the “Asset” font as it can be difficult to read. Instead, consider using serif fonts like

  • Roboto Slab
  • Playfair Display
  • Libre Baskerville
  • Old Standard TT

Additionally, it’s advisable to use wide margins, set the line spacing to 1.5 or double, and justify the text.

These settings will maximize the number of pages and create the illusion of a longer essay.

If you’re searching for additional big fonts on Google Docs and readability is not a concern , you can try using these bold fonts:

  • Abril Fatface
  • Alfa Slab One
  • Gravitas One
  • Holtwood One SC
  • Press Start 2P

To make the font bigger than 96 in Google Docs, you can manually enter a font size in the box after clicking on the “Font size” option in the toolbar.

To make text bigger in Google Docs, click on the “Font size” option in the toolbar, enter a desired font size, and press the enter key.

The “Asset” font is the biggest font type on Google Docs, but it is recommended to use serif fonts like Roboto Slab, Playfair Display, Libre Baskerville, or Old Standard TT for essays.

The biggest font size supported on Google Docs is 400 pixels. Any value entered beyond that will be automatically converted to 400 pixels.

The biggest font on Google Docs is the “Asset” font, which has a size set to 400 pixels.

While the highest font size displayed in the drop-down menu is 96, users can manually enter larger sizes up to 400 pixels.

It is recommended to use serif fonts like Roboto Slab, Playfair Display, Libre Baskerville, or Old Standard TT for essays.

By following these guidelines, users can optimize the appearance and readability of their documents in Google Docs.

Author: Shubham Calmblay

Shubham Calmblay, founder of appsthatdeliver.com, has a decade of experience with various Google products. He has authored 1,000+ guides for ATD, published on prestigious tech blogs. His work has garnered recognition from Protocol.com, Leadsbridge.com, MadMobile.com, and numerous other leading publications and corporations.

All Posts by Shubham Calmblay

IMAGES

  1. 60 New Fonts For Google Docs

    essay fonts on google docs

  2. How to Add Fonts To Google Docs

    essay fonts on google docs

  3. Aesthetic Fonts on Google Docs

    essay fonts on google docs

  4. What’s the biggest font on Google Docs

    essay fonts on google docs

  5. How to Add Fonts to Google Docs

    essay fonts on google docs

  6. How to Add Fonts To Google Docs

    essay fonts on google docs

VIDEO

  1. Adding Accessible Fonts in Google Docs

  2. Change Default Fonts in Google Docs 11 28 2023

  3. How to Add Custom Fonts in Google Docs (EASY METHOD) (2024)

  4. How To Create and Use Styles in Google Docs

  5. How to Install Custom Fonts in Google Docs (Quick & Easy)

  6. How To Import Fonts Google Slides (2024)

COMMENTS

  1. The Best Fonts for Google Docs Documents

    The last on the list is Nunito Sans. It has seven weight styles available on Google Docs. This font is a well-balanced sans serif typeface. This font's design looks more rounded than the other sans serif fonts, which makes it more appealing. But it's not so round to the point that it makes the style look soft.

  2. Browse Fonts

    Google Fonts makes it easy to bring personality and performance to your websites and products. Our robust catalog of open-source fonts and icons makes it easy to integrate expressive type and icons seamlessly — no matter where you are in the world. About us.

  3. How to Add Fonts to Google Docs (Import Custom Fonts)

    Step 3: Add Fonts from the List. You can search for a specific font by typing its name in the search box or browse through the list. Click on the fonts you wish to add; they will move to the 'Selected fonts' list on the right. Once you're done, click 'OK' to add these fonts to your font menu.

  4. 15 Best Aesthetic Fonts On Google Docs

    14. Dancing Script. 15. Satisfy. Final Thoughts. 1. Josefin Sans. Josefin Sans is one of the most versatile sans serif fonts in Google Docs, featuring a simple yet stylish typeface. Whether you're working on a formal document or a casual letter, this font makes your content neat, classy, and easier to read.

  5. Change how paragraphs & fonts look

    Select the text you want to change. To choose from a menu of fonts: In the toolbar, select Font. Choose a font from the dropdown list. To search for a font, press: For Windows or Chrome OS: Alt + slash . For Mac OS: Option + slash. Enter part of the font name. Press the Down arrow to select the font name.

  6. The best fonts for writing documents in Google Docs

    Comic Neue, the sophisticated brother of Comic Sans. Possibly we know one of the most popular fonts such as Comic Sans. In this case we must say that Comic Neue is its sophisticated brother that we can find within Google Fonts. This typeface offers a molding to the squashed, twisted and strange glyphs of Comic Sans while maintaining that touch ...

  7. How to Make Google Docs Aesthetic: A Full Guide (Fonts ...

    How to change the page color in Google Docs in 3 easy steps: In the top menu, click File. Click Page Setup. Under Page color, click the dropdown box to select the page color. If you're not using a browser extension like Dark Reader, changing the page color is a great way to use Google Docs in dark mode.

  8. How to Add Custom Fonts to Google Docs

    Step 3: Click on 'More fonts'. The very first option you will see when you click on the fonts button is 'More fonts'. Click on this to see the list of fonts that Google Docs has that you haven't yet downloaded. When you click on this option, you will be taken to the 'Fonts' window.

  9. Adding fonts to Google Docs and Slides

    Adding fonts to Google Docs and Slides - Fonts Knowledge - Google Fonts. Google's Workspace apps, such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides, come with a selection of typefaces to choose from, accessible via the Font menu. But did you know you can actually add any font from the Google Fonts library to this menu, too?

  10. The 5 best new fonts to use in Google Docs

    Bodoni. comic neue. comic sans. google. google fonts. museo moderno. typeface design. Google added 60 new fonts to its catalog of free licensed font families for you to choose from in Docs and Slides.

  11. How to Find, Add, and Remove Fonts in Google Docs

    When you want to change the font style in Google Docs, use the Font drop-down box in the toolbar. (This is also the same spot where you can access the additional font styles.) Click the "Font" drop-down and pick the "More Fonts" option. You'll then see a pop-up window where you can find, add, or remove the fonts in the drop-down list.

  12. 15 Elegant Fonts to Add a Touch of Class to Your Google Docs

    In this article, we will present the 15 most elegant fonts available on Google Docs.. We have carefully evaluated all the fonts available in the Google Docs font library and used them in our documents.. We have also rigorously tested their suitability for titles, headings, and paragraphs.. Ultimately, we have carefully selected 15 fonts that stand out for their elegance and versatility.

  13. How to customize Google Docs: guide on styles & formatting

    Google Docs provides a range of text styling options to help you achieve these objectives. How to change font style in Google Docs. The first thing I'd recommend changing is the font style (and its size). Picking the most suitable font size and style in Google Docs from the start will minimize the need for retroactive formatting changes along ...

  14. The Best Aesthetic Fonts on Google Docs in 2024

    The best font depends on the document you are working on. If you are working on a formal document, I suggest using professional fonts like Libre Baskerville and Georgia. If you are working on a personal document, I suggest cool and nice fonts like Roboto, Josefin Sans, Raleway, or Playfair Display.

  15. How to Change the Default Font in Google Docs

    Fire up your browser, open a Google Docs file, and then change the font. Click the drop-down box and make sure the Style is set to "Normal Text," as well. This refers to the main text style (excluding titles or headings) used throughout your document. Note: Certain formatting can also be applied to the default font, such as size, bold ...

  16. Fun Fonts on Google Docs

    In conclusion, Google Docs provides an exciting variety of fun fonts that can add creativity and uniqueness to your documents. You no longer have to settle for boring standard fonts; now is the time to make your documents visually captivating. Here is a list of the best fun fonts available on Google Docs: Atma. Bahiana. Barriecito. Crafty Girls.

  17. What is the font of your college essay google/word doc right now?

    If I pasted the prompts from the Common App so now everything is preformatted to Roboto, that's the font that's being used. If I pasted it from a colleges website, that's the font I'm using. If I wrote my own thing first, then arial it is. I use Arial as it makes easier for me due to my dyslexia.

  18. Whats the biggest font style on google docs? : r/googledocs

    Ive been doing an essay on google docs but i have to make it fit into more pages without scaling up the font. So i was just messing around and noticed that some font styles like comic sans, take up more space then others like times new roman. So since im lazy and want to do as little work as possible what would be the biggest font style for me ...

  19. Google Docs

    Create and edit web-based documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Store documents online and access them from any computer.

  20. The Best Cute Fonts on Google Docs & Google Slides

    Cute Fonts on Google Docs. If you are looking to spruce up your Google Docs with some cute fonts, here are a few options that you'll find useful: 1. Architects Daughter. 2. The Girl Next Door. 3. Twinkle Star.

  21. 10 Biggest Font Style in Google Docs (Comparison Table)

    By default, Arial is the font in Google Docs, and changing the font from Arial to the above-mentioned bigger fonts will increase the number of pages that the same text occupies in your Google Docs. ... (especially not suited if you're writing an essay or SOP) Complete Comparison of Font Style Sizes in Google Docs.

  22. Best Handwriting Fonts on Google Docs

    Here are some of the best handwriting fonts available on Google Docs that accurately reflect your handwritten notes: 1. Swanky and Moo Moo. 2. The Girl Next Door. 3. Crafty Girls. 4. Give You Glory.

  23. What is the Biggest Font on Google Docs

    Conclusion. The biggest font on Google Docs is the "Asset" font, which has a size set to 400 pixels. While the highest font size displayed in the drop-down menu is 96, users can manually enter larger sizes up to 400 pixels. It is recommended to use serif fonts like Roboto Slab, Playfair Display, Libre Baskerville, or Old Standard TT for essays.