How to Use Section Headers + Document Outline in Google Docs
A lot of people probably don’t realize that GDocs comes with a really simple and easy to use way of jumping between section headers. Or, if you’re me, jumping between 20 WiPs in 1 single document, some of which have “subsections” of universe notes and such.
Here’s an example of what the Document Outline can look like when you have multiple section headings and subsections:
(Image description: various title headings (the working titles of some of my fics), each with at least one subheading indented underneath the title header)
As you can see, I have different fic universes as “Heading 1″, while the subheadings are “Heading 2″. I specify those numbers, because that’s literally what the format is called - Heading 1, 2, etc.
This post is intended to teach you how to use Headings, Subheadings, and the Document Outline on mobile and on PC to navigate your fic docs more easily (or, you know, for anything else relevant. I learned this tip from work in 2016, so...)
(Guide under a cut to spare your dash)
Step 1: Format Your Header Title
For PC:
Before you type or after you’ve highlighted the typed text, go to the toolbar and look for “Styles”.
Select the header style you would like. The Document Outline will show these in a hierarchy - so 1 will be the biggest and furthest to the left while 2 will be a little smaller and inset, etc.
The keyboard shortcut for these is ctrl+alt+#, i.e. ctrl+alt+1 would turn my cursor or highlighted text into Heading 1.
(Picture examples below)
(Image description: The Google Docs primary toolbar with the file functions and the text and page editing options. Around the styles dropdown box, a red box highlights the text “Heading 2″)
For Mobile:
Highlight the text you want to convert to a header (typically done by double tapping or holding down with your finger) or place your cursor where you want your format to apply
Look for the toolbar at the top of the screen. This toolbar contains, in order from left to right, the buttons for: finished editing, undo, redo, insert, format, and the ... for additional settings.
Click on format and a toolbar will pop up at the bottom of your screen.
Under Style, choose the heading you wish to use.
(Picture examples below)
(Image description: a cropped screenshot of a phone screen with the toolbar in Google Docs that includes the buttons for undo, redo, insert, format, and the ... for additional settings. The format button is highlighted with a red box.)
(Image description: The toolbar that pops up on mobile Google docs when you click the Format button. The toolbar is split into editing options for Text or Paragraph, and Text is currently selected. Below the options to modify your text (bold, italics, underline, strikethrough, superscript, and subscript), are selection boxes for style, font, size, and (cut off in picture) text color, highlight color, and the button to clear formatting.)
Step 2: Open Your Document Outline
For PC:
Click View on the toolbar at the top of your document.
Select “show document outline”
The outline will appear on the lefthand side of your screen.
(picture examples below)
(Image description: the dropdown toolbar for View in Google docs is shown, with the cursor hovering over “Show document outline”)
(Image description: same image as the first one - a cropped screenshot of the righthand side of a google doc. The outline shows several title headers with various subheaders that are indented and smaller under the title headers.)
For Mobile:
Press the ... for additional settings in the upper righthand corner of the toolbar at the top of your screen.
You will get a popup over the right side of your screen with various options about your document, but the one that you want is your Document Outline.
Once you click on the Document Outline, the Outline itself will appear at the bottom of your screen, with each Heading and Subheading listed
(Picture examples below)
(Image description: the additional settings toolbar in Google Docs, which appears as a popup over the right side of the screen and includes the options for print layout, suggest changes, document outline, find and replace, explore, word cound, page setup, details, share & export, and help & feedback. Not pictured: the two buttons to turn on/off Available Offline and Star file)
(Image description: the popup on the bottom of the screen in google docs when the Document outline is visible. The outline shows several title headings, one of which has a subheading that is smaller and indented below its parent heading)
When my coworker taught me this trick in 2016 or so, it literally changed my life. Like, my longest WiP doc is 262 pages (it starts getting glitch on the GDocs app at about the 150 point. Lots of lag) and I have 25 title headings, each a different fic/universe. Some of them have been posted.
Speaking of, you might’ve noticed that I add notes to my headings, such as “posted” or “WiP” or “ready” when I just need to read it over before posting. I actually recommend putting the note at the front of the header, because it’s much easier to see, since both mobile and pc cut off the title after a certain length. But if you have a terrible memory like me and a way too many WiPs, it is VERY helpful to keep track of what’s been posted and what hasn’t.
Was this helpful? Consider donating to my kofi if so! (Also this was my first time doing image descriptions, so lemme know if you have any feedback or tips!)
