Text boxes in Google docs are shapes that can contain text. They are containers that themselves can be manipulated as graphics but that can contain text (and some other objects).
In this guide, we’ll cover a lot about this topic including how to add text box in Google docs.
But before we do, let look at some of the cool things the text box feature can help you with:
- It enables you to place text anywhere on your Google docs pages, including on top of other text.
- You can add a border to your Google docs text box or make it borderless. Add fill colors or background colors.
- A text box in Google Docs can be rotated to any angle you want depending on the type of text box you choose to insert.
- Using text boxes can also make your Google Docs document to look more professional.
Now that you know the stuff you can do with this tool, let’s move on to how we may create one in Google Docs.
How to Make Text Box in Google Docs
Even though Google docs doesn’t provide an obvious feature that allows you to add text boxes like in other word processors like MS Word, there are several possible alternatives to creating text boxes. Each of them offers different capabilities depending on what you want to do.
Now let’s look at the various ways you may use to create or insert a text box in Google Docs, all with their pros and cons.
How to Draw and Insert Text Box in Google Docs (Using Drawing Tool)
One of the several methods you may use to create a text box in Google docs is by using the drawing tool.
In Google docs, any method you choose to draw or insert a text box has its advantages and disadvantages.
But using the drawing tool is so cool that it has almost infinite possibilities for shaping and contouring text. It has fully flexible wrapping capabilities and it can automatically expand as text is added to it, if you set it to do so, and it can also be rotated easily. Its downside is that it is limited to a rectangular exterior shape.
With that being said, below is a step-by-step instruction you may use to add a text box on Google docs using the drawing tool.
- Open Google Docs.
To be able to create text boxes using the drawing tool, you first of all need to launch your Google docs document where you need the text box.
You can learn where and how to open google docs here.
- Click on the Insert tab, then select Drawing > New from the drop-down list.
To open the Google docs drawing panel, simply navigate to the insert tab, click on it and a drop-down list of items will appear. Click on Drawing from the list, then click again on New from the extended list.
After this step, the drawing board window will appear as shown in the screenshot below;
- In the drawing board tool panel, you should see the text box icon. Click on it to open up the text box.
When you click on this icon, the text box opens up;
- Type or copy and paste the text you want to be inside the text box.
Now that you have the text box, simply type your text inside. Or copy and paste the text you want it to contain, as shown in the screenshot below;
- When you are done filling in your text, you can click the save and close button near the top of the Drawing window to finally insert the text box into your Google docs document.
However, if you still want to make some modification to the text box, you can do so. You can change the text box border color, fill color, border wight and style, the font type, as well as how the text flow inside the box.
To see all the options to make these modifications, simply click inside the text box, you’ll see new icons appear in the tool tip, hover your mouse on each one of them to see the function they perform for your text box.
Also, when you click inside the text box, you’ll see a small box appear to the left of the text box. That small box can be used to control how the text inside the box flows or wraps when the box is resized.
See screenshot:
- Now, click the Save and Close button to finally create the text box.
Once it is inserted, you can drag and reposition the text box anywhere you want it to be.
See screenshot;
Also, you can play with the text wrapping tool. It’ll help you in reposition the text box as well as setting margins for it.
You can also edit the text in the text box by clicking on the edit icon as it is fully editable again.
And there you have it. A step-by-step guide you may use to easily draw and insert a text box into Google Docs.
Create Text box in Google Docs using a Single-Cell table
Another great way to add a text box in Google docs is to use a single-cell table. It simply involves using a table with one row and one column as a text box.
The cool thing about using this approach is how it can automatically expand as text is added to it. You can also selectively border the sides differently if you want.
The disadvantage of making a text box with a single-cell table is its limited wrapping talents, its wrapping points can’t be changed, it cannot be rotated, and it’s limited to a rectangular exterior format.
Now that you know the power and flaws of using a single cell table as a text box, let’s dive into the actual steps to create one.
Obey the following steps to create text box in Google docs using a single-cell table;
- Open Google Docs.
To be able to make text boxes using the single-cell table method, you first of all need to launch your Google docs document where you need the text box.
You can learn where and how to open google docs here.
- Click on the Insert tab, then select Table > 1 x 1 from the drop-down list.
On clicking on the Insert tab, a list of items will appear, select Table, and then click on only the first or single cell to create a table of only one cell and one row.
On clicking the single cell, a text-box will be inserted successfully where you can simply enter your text.
- Fill the text box with the text you want it to contain.
After entering your text, you can do some modifications to the text box including changing the font type and color, border colors or weight or style, and background color.
You can do all these modifications by clicking inside the text box and using the tools in the toolbar to do the formatting.
And there you have it. A very simple method you may use to easily add a text box in Google docs.
How to do text box in Google docs (using shapes)
This is yet another alternate method you may use to make a text box in Google docs.
Similar to the previous method, it also involves using the drawing tool to insert the shape within which you can enter your text.
The cool features about using shapes in Google docs as text boxes are its ability and flexible wrapping capabilities with text outside the text box. Unlike the other methods, it is not limited to a rectangular exterior shape. You can add text boxes in different shapes like make a circle text box.
However, a few disadvantages include its inability to automatically adjust or wrap the text it contains when resized. Its wrapping capability is only with the external text of the document.
With this knowledge about this method, let’s now look into the actual steps we may use to create a text box in Google docs;
- Open Google Docs.
To be able to create text boxes using the shapes tool, you first of all need to launch your Google docs document where you need the text box.
You can learn where and how to open google docs here.
- Click on the Insert tab, then select Drawing > New from the drop-down list.
After you’ve successfully launched your document, simply navigate to the Insert tab, click on it and a drop-down list of items will appear. Click on Drawing from the list, then click again on New from the extended list.
After this step, the drawing board window will appear as shown in the screenshot below;
- In the drawing board tool panel, you should see the shape icon. Click on it, then select Shapes for a pallet of shapes.
- Now, select the shape in whose form you wish your text box to be made.
- After you select your desired shape, your mouse pointer will turn into a cross symbol. With this symbol, click and drag over an area where you want the text box positioned.
- To add text to the shape you just inserted, simply double-click on it to start adding text. Alternatively, right-click on the shape and select Edit Text from the shortcut menu that appears.
After adding your desired text to the shape, you now have a beautiful text box inserted into your Google docs. You can start to modify the shape your way including reshaping, changing background and border colors, and so on.
Conclusion
And here we come. A successful three fun ways anyone can leverage to easily insert, create or make a text box in Google Docs.
As stated in each one of the ways, they all have their pros and cons. It’s up to you to decide what type of text box you need and which method will serve that need.
I appreciate the time you take to read this blog. Thank you.