Editing documents in Google Docs can be challenging. Despite it looks more like Word documents, some slight differences can make you puzzled. A thing that can make new users overwhelmed is how to change margins in Google Docs. Default margins of one inch in new documents can be changed as desired. However, changing the margins can be a bit more complicated than you think.
Margins are basically the empty space that you can find on the new document in Google Docs. These margins allow you to set the distance between the text and the paper edges. While changing the margins on the left and right is pretty easy, it is not the case for all margins. Check this out and learn how to change all margins in Google Docs.
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How to Set All Margins In Google Docs
As with Word, Google Docs come with four margins—above, below, right, and left of the document. Changing each pair of sides of margins on Google Docs requires a different method. Changing left and right margins can be done quickly while changing all margins requires a little more effort. Learn more about how to change margins in Google Docs below.
1. Change left and right margins the easy way
Just like editing a document on Word, you can easily edit the margins on the left and right side of Google Docs. If the default margins does not fit your documents, this is what you need to do.
- Access your Google Docs.
- Create a new document or open Google Docs documents you are going to edit.
- Begin with the left margin, look at the ruler at the top of the text below Google Docs menus. You should see a rectangular bar with a triangle.
- Click the triangle, hold and drag along the ruler until it fits your requirement.
- For the right margin, look at the ruler on the right side and search for a triangle.
- Click it, hold and drag along the ruler until you set it right.
2. Setting all margins on Google Docs
Aside from changing only the left and right margin, you can set up all margins at once. This may take a little more complicated steps than the previous methods, but the result is worth trying. Instead of dragging the triangle along the ruler, here are the things you need to do.
- Open Google Docs, then open or create a new document.
- In the top menu, click on File then select Page Setup.
- Find an option that indicates Margins. You will see boxes of margins.
- Simply click in the box that you need to change the margin. For instance, click in the box of Top margin and change the number in inch or cm.
- If you want to make the change as a default, simply click the button set as default.
- Click OK and your margins will change immediately.
3. How to lock margins on Google Docs
In fact, Google Docs doesn’t specifically provide a feature to lock the margins. But it is possible for you to prevent someone from changing the margins and literally anything on the document. This is the most effective way to keep your document unchangeable.
It is very easy to make lock your document with these simple steps:
- Click the pencil icon when you share a document. Instead of choosing Can edit, you must select Can comment or Can view.
- When a document is locked, you will be able to see View only on a blue box above the document.
4. How to unlock Google document
Now that you know how to change margins in Google Docs as well as how to lock the document, it’s time to learn how to unlock. Unlocking enables you to edit the document, including changing the margins. Figure out the easiest way to unlock the document below.
- Find a blue box which says View only, then click the box.
- You will see a button that says Request Edit Access. Select the button then type your request in the provided field.
- In the last step, press the Send request.
The owner of the document will decide to give you editing access or not. If the owner grants access, you would be able to edit the document. What if the owner does not allow you to edit the document? This may be another problem you have to solve. But there is nothing to worry about as everything is not as complicated as you think.
When you already have the document but cannot make any changes, use the following steps to edit the document.
- Open the locked document, select all the text by pressing CTRL + A
- Click Edit, then select Copy. You can also press together CTRL + C to copy.
- Navigate to File and click, then choose New, then Document.
- On the new document, paste the text you have copied by pressing together CTRL + V.
- Now you have the same document that can be edited.
All in all, how to change margins in Google Docs is actually easy. You can choose to drag the ruler or use more complicated steps to change all margins. Interestingly, you can lock the document to prevent from editing.
