Don't let the sparse user interface fool you. Like in other word processors, it is possible to adjust your margins in Google Docs. And we can show you how to change margins in Google Docs in just a few quick steps.
There are two ways to get it done too. In this guide, we'll go over both methods so you'll know how to adjust margins manually or automatically.
How to change margins in Google Docs using Page Setup
This is the easiest way to change margins in Google Docs, because using the Page Setup option pretty much automates the adjustments for you.
Step 1: Open your desired Google Docs file or create a new one.
Step 2: If you only need to change the margins for a specific portion of text, then select the paragraph or lines and then click File, located in the top-left corner.
If you want to apply margin changes to the whole document, just click on File.
Step 3: From the File drop-down menu, select Page Setup. You may need to scroll down to see this option.
Step 4: The Page Setup dialog box will appear. Under the section labeled Margins are four little text boxes in which you can input your desired measurement of each margin — in inches, for all four sides of the document: Top, Bottom, Left, and Right.
Step 5: After you've added your desired measurements, click OK to save your changes. The margins in your document should automatically adjust to your specified measurements.
How to change margins in Google Docs using the ruler
If you want just a bit more control over each individual margin, you can use the two rulers that surround your document. Here's how:
Step 1: Adjust the left and right margins by using the ruler located horizontally above the document. This ruler has gray and white sections. The gray sections represent the margins and the white represents the space on the document where you're allowed to add text. To adjust the left margin, mouse over the border between the gray and white sections until you see a white Double Arrow icon appear. Then click and drag either left or right to adjust your margin (the gray section), until the margin reaches your preferred width. Do the same for the right margin, if desired.
Step 2: To adjust the top and bottom margins, use the ruler that runs vertically to the left of the document. As we did with the left and right margins, for the top margin, mouse over the border between the gray and white sections of the ruler until you see a Double Arrow icon appear. Then click and drag either up or down to adjust the top margin (the gray section) until your desired margin width is achieved.
You can do the same with the bottom margin, but first you'll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to reach the bottom margin's section of the ruler.
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