Few apps are as important to cellular productiveness as the standard phrase processor. I feel I’ve most likely spent a strong seven years of my life observing Google Docs on one machine or one other at this level, and people minutes solely maintain ticking up with virtually each passing day.While we will not do a lot about the necessity to stare upon that word-filled white display, what we will do is discover ways to make each second spent inside Docs rely — and within the Docs Android app, particularly, there are some fairly spectacular tucked-away time-savers simply ready to be found.Make a psychological notice of those superior shortcuts and choices, and put ’em to good use the subsequent time you end up observing Docs by yourself machine.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 1: In-app multitaskingWe’ll save one of the best for, erm, first — ‘trigger the simply neglected characteristic we’re kickin’ issues off with actually has the potential to vary the way in which you’re employed out of your cellphone. It’s known as Explore, and it is a type of choices I at all times overlook to make use of after which periodically notice how a lot I’m lacking out on consequently.The fundamental level of Explore is to allow you to analysis any topic you are writing about with out ever leaving the Docs app. Just faucet the three-dot menu icon in Docs’ upper-right nook when you’re modifying a doc after which choose Explore — and identical to that, you may get a listing of advised matters and pictures associated to phrases discovered inside your doc. JR You can faucet on any subject to drill down additional and flick through precise net outcomes for the time period, and the outcomes will pop up proper then and there as an overlay atop your in-progress doc. You may even view whole net pages in that very same association, with out the necessity for any cumbersome app switching or awkward split-screen setups. JR And when you discover one thing you need to copy over to your doc for quoting, all you’ve got gotta do is spotlight it — and Docs gives you a one-tap “Insert” choice to tug the textual content in. JR You may even do the identical with photographs: JR And if Docs’ advised phrases do not hit the mark for what you are after, you may as well open up Explore after which merely seek for something you need. It’s primarily simply a straightforward approach to browse the online from proper throughout the app itself after which optionally deliver a number of the information you discover proper into your doc.Pretty helpful, would not ya say?[Psst: Love shortcuts? My Android Shortcut Supercourse will teach you tons of time-saving tricks for every single part of your smartphone experience. Sign up now for free!]Google Docs Android characteristic No. 2: Smarter doc organizationDealing with a posh doc out of your cellphone generally is a actual problem. Who desires to waste time scrolling via endless-seeming screens to seek out the part of information you have to learn, edit, or work on at any given second? I positive as hell do not — and when you keep in mind to make use of Docs’ out-of-the-way Outline choice, you may by no means should do it once more, both. While viewing or modifying any doc with any type of headers in it (be they precise header-formatted textual content and even simply bolded part titles), faucet that three-dot menu icon after which choose “Document Outline.”And by golly, wouldya take a look at that? JR Jumping to any a part of the doc is now only a single faucet away.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 3: Easier Word integrationWhen you are working with shoppers, colleagues, and even camels preferring the Microsoft modifying ecosystem, you do not have to do a lot to bridge that hole. The Docs Android app can already open and help you edit Word recordsdata, with none work — and with one easy flip of a change, you may create new recordsdata within the .DOCX format simply as simply. To discover the characteristic, you’ve got gotta again out of any precise paperwork and get onto the primary Docs display — the display with the search field on the high and all of your paperwork listed out beneath it. Tap the three-line menu icon within the upper-left nook of that display and head into the Settings part of that important menu. There, you need to see the very change we’d like: JR Flip that into the on place, then again your self out to the primary Docs display. The subsequent time you faucet the round plus icon in that space’s lower-right nook, you need to see “New Word file” present up as an choice proper above the default “New Docs file” command.And simply as a reminder, when you ever need to save an present Docs file into the .DOCX format, you are able to do that, too: Just faucet the three-dot menu icon whereas modifying a doc, choose “Share & export,” then choose “Save As” and select the “Word (.docx)” choice. JR You may save the file as a PDF or different widespread doc format from that very same menu.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 4: The swift senderWhile we’re thinkin’ about coping with totally different doc codecs, obtain this into your long-term reminiscence: The subsequent time you have to save or ship a doc as an precise file — versus an in-app, collaboration-ready Google Docs share — it can save you your self the difficulty of downloading after which reuploading the factor and easily ship it straight from the Docs Android app.The trick is to as soon as once more faucet that three-dot menu icon while modifying a file after which choose that very same “Share & export” menu we simply went over. But this time, as a substitute of going with the “Save As” choice, choose “Send a copy.”You can then choose from the identical set of format decisions we simply completed exploring. And from there, Docs will help you select from any suitable app in your machine — every little thing from Android e-mail and messaging apps to note-storing companies like Notion and Trello. JRAll it takes is another faucet from there, and your doc can be on its approach to the suitable place within the format you requested — identical to that.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 5: The native file finderEver obtain a doc onto your cellphone — be it from an e-mail, a Slack channel, an internet site, or another such supply — after which later end up struggling to seek out it? Well, get this: Google’s obtained its personal easy file finder prepared and ready for you proper throughout the common Docs app. Who woulda thunk, proper?!But oh, or not it’s there, all righty. It’s that grey folder icon throughout the search bar on the primary Docs display — one thing I need to’ve seen a couple of thousand occasions earlier than I ever thought to truly faucet it. JR When you do, the app will immediate you to discover a saved file from both your native cellphone storage or out of your on-line Drive storage. And as soon as you choose both choice, you may flick through the related place to see what’s there or search to seek out precisely what you are after.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 6: The Drive detourSpeaking of Google Drive, when you ever end up needing to jump over to the total Drive interface to dig round extra deeply or pull up a file that is not text-related, here is a helpful little secret:You can truly fly from Docs on to Drive with out going via all the standard steps — y’know, heading again to your private home display, discovering the Drive icon, and opening it up anew from there.Just depend on the Docs app’s artfully hidden Drive shortcut to slash steps and zip straight between the 2 associated interfaces. The choice is quietly ready for you throughout the three-line menu icon on the primary Docs display. JRAnd now you realize.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 7: The account adjusterKeep that overly moist eyeball of yours in that very same space of the Docs app interface for a minute, ‘trigger we have another sneaky shortcut value unearthing there.It’s a shortcut baked into your face — or no matter type of picture you’ve got obtained in place on your Google account profile picture, up within the app’s upper-right nook.As is the case with most Google-made apps on Android today, you may swipe up or down on that picture to flip via any extra accounts you’ve got obtained related in your cellphone. If you solely have a single account arrange, this clearly will not apply to you. But you probably have, say, a private Google account and a piece tackle or perhaps a few totally different situation-specific private or work identities, it is a splendid approach to transfer between ’em with subsequent to no effort and only a single swift swipe.Google Docs Android characteristic No. 8: The direct doc shortcutAnother shortcut value burning into your brainspace: If you end up engaged on a particular doc or set of paperwork incessantly — whether or not they’re evolving paperwork you entry on a regular basis or simply particular initiatives in your radar at one explicit second — save your self the steps of opening the Docs app, discovering ’em there, after which tapping their titles to get into ’em and as a substitute give your self one-tap shortcuts to open the recordsdata straight from your private home display.The choice to do this is fairly buried, nevertheless it’s effectively value digging up. Start by discovering the doc in query on the primary Docs display. Long-press it, after which look means down on the menu that pops up for the “Add to home screen” command. (Depending on the dimensions of your cellphone, you may need to scroll down that menu a bit earlier than you may see it seem.) JR Tap that dangerous boy and observe the immediate to put the shortcut wherever you need it – and say “hocus pocus” for good measure, when you’re feelin’ merry — and earlier than you realize it, you may have an app-like icon sitting proper on your private home display. Tapping it is going to take you straight into the doc you chose, with none additional steps required.You might even get formidable and create a complete folder on your private home display the place you retailer quite a lot of high-priority or in-progress paperwork. JR Three cheers for seconds saved!Google Docs Android characteristic No. 9: Quick operate shortcutLet’s maintain our shortcut mojo goin’ for another minute, lets? You can truly observe that very same sample we simply went over and and put shortcuts for widespread Docs instructions like creating a brand new doc or looking your present paperwork proper on your private home display, too. That means, you may carry out the related instructions shortly and with none wasted effort opening up the app and looking round for ’em — and what’s to not love about added effectivity?These are literally a part of Android’s oft-forgotten App Shortcuts system — the factor that got here round with 2016’s Android 7.1 Nougat launch and is vexingly out of sight and out of thoughts for many of us.Open up your app drawer, although, and discover the Docs icon — or discover the Docs icon on your private home display, if it is there. Press and maintain it, and you need to see a sequence of choices for direct shortcuts to actions throughout the app seem. JR You can at all times get to these by long-pressing the Docs icon, but when you end up utilizing the features usually, you can also make it even simpler by urgent and holding certainly one of ’em inside that pop-up menu after which dragging it straight onto your private home display for one-touch entry.You might even construct your self a nifty little Docs command heart for super-fast entry to all of the stuff you utilize essentially the most: JR You should find yourself spending a ton of time in Docs, however not less than now you may profit from each second there and keep away from losing your effort on piddly little duties that may be made extra environment friendly.Get six full days of superior Android data with my free Android Shortcut Supercourse. You’ll study tons of time-saving methods on your cellphone!
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