How To Double Underline in Google Docs in 3 Easy Ways

Do you need to emphasize some parts of your document, such as the grand total in a financial statement? In this article, we’ll discuss three simple methods on how to double underline in Google Docs. We’ll also give you some keyboard shortcuts to keep in mind to make the process easier.

TL;DR

1. Choose “Insert” > “Equation” in your document.
2. Type “underline” and hit the spacebar on your keyboard.
3. Repeat the previous step.
4. Add your text.

When Should You Use a Double Underline?

Typically, you use double underlines to emphasize certain information inside your document. While the normal (single) underline serves a similar purpose, a double underline can amplify the importance of the text. Other applications for double underlining include:

• Indicating a grand total in a financial statement
• Following an in-house style guide that requires double underlining
• Differentiating underlined links from other important texts
• When editing, marking parts in a document that should be capitalized

Double underlining is not as commonly used for text emphasis as other formatting options like bold and italics. This could be one reason why Google Docs does not offer this feature.

Despite there not being a specific function on Google Docs, there are three easy hacks you can incorporate to include double underlines in your work. So how do you double underline in Google Docs? Keep reading to learn how.

How To Double Underline in Google Docs Using Equations

The equation feature in Google Docs surprisingly offers underlining functions, which you can use to create a double underline. To get started, simply follow the instructions below:

1. Open docs.google.com in your browser and start a new document.
2. Click on “Insert” in the menu bar and select “Equation” from the list displayed.

3. In the equation box provided, type “underline” and press the spacebar on your keyboard.

4. Repeat the previous step to generate an additional underline.

5. Enter your text, and you’re good to go!

You can virtually create as many underlines as you want by replicating the process above. For example, you can underline your text three or four times, depending on your preferences. However, this isn’t a common practice.

Perhaps the only downside of using the Equation feature in Google Docs is that you can’t edit the typeface of your text inside. Additionally, you cannot make the text bold or italicized.

How To Underline Twice in Google Docs Using the Drawing Tool

Another more tedious but effective way to do double underlining in your Google document is to use the drawing tool. Quite literally, you can just draw two parallel lines aligned horizontally and position them below the desired text. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your Google document and select “Insert” > “Drawing” > “New.”

2. Click the “Line button” in the drawing toolbar, then lay it out horizontally on the drawing space provided.

3. Press Ctrl (or Command) + C to copy the line you just created.
4. Press Ctrl (or Command) + V to paste it, then position the line under the previous one.

5. Hit the “Save and Close” button to finish your changes.

6. Select the newly created drawing and choose “Behind text” from the available text-wrapping options.

7. Now, all you have to do is place your double underline drawing below the texts you want to highlight.

How To Underline in Google Docs Twice Using Paragraph Borders

The third and last method we’ll discuss in this article is the use of paragraph borders. This is admittedly the least intuitive method to use, but it might be worth a shot. Particularly if you want to double underline text in a one-line paragraph.

To underline in Google Docs twice using paragraph borders, simply follow the steps below:

1. Type your one-line paragraph in your Google document.
2. Highlight the text and click the “letter U” in the toolbar (the “Underline” option).

3. Alternatively, press Ctrl/Command + U on your keyboard.
4. While your single-line paragraph is highlighted, choose “Format” > “Paragraph styles.”
5. Select “Borders and shading” from the menu.

6. Pick the second option, “Bottom border,” from the selection.
7. Set the paragraph padding to 0 pt.
8. Hit the “Apply” button when you’re finished.

Your paragraph should now look like this:

Related: How To Add a Border in Google Docs (All 7 Ways)

Useful Shortcuts to Remember

There are no keyboard shortcuts that will let you double underline texts in Google Docs directly.

However, given the workaround methods we’ve discussed, you might find the following shortcuts handy:

Final Thoughts

Double underlines can be great for emphasizing specific parts of your content. They may also be a requirement in certain documents, such as when indicating the grand total in a financial statement. To learn how to double underline in Google Docs, refer to any of the guides provided above.

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