If you usually work with long documents, one way to make your content easier to read and understand is to separate it into multiple columns. This not only makes your work more organized but may also speed up your progress.
To make a column in Google Docs, you can start by heading over to the Format menu. Then, select Columns and choose the number of columns that you want to create from the appearing options.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the more detailed process of how to make columns in Google Docs, enabling you to create professional-looking documents in no time. We’ll also teach you how to add a vertical line between columns, how to use column breaks, and more.
Table of Contents
How to Make Two Columns in Google Docs
In most contexts, two columns are standard when using multiple blocks of text in a document. This is common for printed books and magazines, while a higher column number more frequently appears in newspapers, tabloids, and similar media.
Here’s how you can make two columns in Google Docs.
- Open your Google Docs document.
- Select the text(s) you want to format into columns.
- With the text still selected, click “Format” in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Columns.”
- In the “Columns” dialog box, select the number of columns you want to create (in this case, 2).
There you have it! Your selected texts will now be formatted into two columns.
How to Format Columns in Google Docs
The steps we’ve just discussed use predefined formatting like the spacing and column number. However, you can also customize your columns in Google Docs by accessing the Column options dialog box.
To format columns in Google Docs, simply follow the steps below.
- Open your Google Docs document and select the text(s) you want to format into columns.
- With the text still selected, click the “Format” menu.
- Click “Columns” in the dropdown menu, then click “More options.”
- Here, you can specify how many columns you would need (there’s a limit of three per section). You can also choose the spacing between them.
- If you want to add a line between columns, tick the checkbox next to “Line between columns.”
Here’s how it should look:
- Once done, click “Apply.”
How to Make Google Docs Two Columns for Part of Page
While columns are great when you need to clean up your content, you actually don’t need to apply them to your entire document. For example, you can just select the parts that you feel would be hard to read. Or, you can do it just because you like it.
Here’s how to insert columns in Google Docs for only a selected portion.
- Open your Google Docs document and select the text(s) you want to format into columns.
- With the text still selected, click “Format” > “Columns” and then click the two-columns icon in the middle.
- That’s it! The text you’ve selected should now be in two columns.
Adding More Than Two Columns in Google Docs
In some cases, you might need to insert more than two columns in your document. This is usually necessary when you’re working on pages that are in landscape orientation, as well as dealing with saturated content.
Google Docs supports adding another column to your files, bringing it to a total of three. Keep in mind that there’s no workaround on how to make more than three columns in Google Docs, though.
The process is very similar to the steps we’ve discussed above. Simply select your text, click “Format” > “Columns” in the drop-down menu, then select the three-column option (right side).
How to Add a Vertical Line Between Columns in a Google Docs
Adding a vertical line between columns in a Google Docs document can help improve its readability and organization. Fortunately, the process of adding this line is relatively simple and can be done with just a few clicks. Here’s how.
- Open your document in Google Docs.
- Select the column where you want to add the vertical line.
- Click “Format” in the top menu bar.
- Select “Columns” from the drop-down menu.
- Click “More options,” and the Column options menu will appear.
- Tick the checkbox next to “Line between columns.”
- Click “Apply.”
Once you enable “Line between columns,” a vertical line will automatically separate the columns when you fill a column or do a Column break.
How to Use Column Break in Google Docs
Using columns in a document can be quite frustrating, especially when typing in one column affects the other columns. Fortunately, Google Docs supports a feature called column break, which allows you to easily head over to another column when typing.
This formatting tool is only available for texts that have been formatted into multiple columns already. If that’s set, here’s how you insert one.
- Open your document in Google Docs.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert the column break.
- Click the “Insert” menu.
- Next, select “Break” from the drop-down menu, then click “Column break.”
Upon clicking, a column break will be inserted into your document at the cursor location, and the content will flow into the next column. Notice how the first column is empty.
Alternative Method to Insert a Column Break
You can also insert a column break in your document using the context menu that appears when you right-click on a certain column. Here’s a more detailed way to do it.
- Place your cursor where you want to insert the column break.
- Right-click on the location where you want to insert the column break.
- Select “Column break.”
- After that, the column break will be inserted at the cursor location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Make Columns in the Google Docs Mobile App?
As of writing, Google states that any feature related to editing columns — adding columns, inserting a vertical column line, or adjusting line spacing — is unavailable for mobile devices, including Androids, iPads, and iPhones.
Can I Make Different Column Sizes in Google Docs?
Unfortunately, there is no native solution on how to make uneven columns in Google Docs. A clever workaround that you can try is to insert a borderless table that has differently-sized columns. You can also try to insert a text box to control the appearance of the text, albeit pretty inconvenient to work with.
Why Can’t I Add Columns in Google Docs?
If your document is currently in a pageless format, you will not be able to add multiple columns to your work. You can change this by heading over to “File” > “Page setup,” then selecting “Pages” for your document. Another reason you can’t add a column to a Google doc is that you don’t have edit permissions to it, which you can solve by reaching out to the file owner.
Conclusion
And that’s how to make columns in Google Docs! Whether you need two columns or more, the process is straightforward. By following the steps we’ve outlined, you can easily organize your text in a way that’s easy on the eyes and improves the overall flow of your document.
If you think you might forget the steps, or if someone you know could benefit from this information, consider bookmarking this page for future reference.
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