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3 Strange Things You Can Do With Google Docs That Are Actually Super Useful

2 minute read

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Google Docs has always been much more than just a cloud based text editor. Some of its best features are also some of its strangest. We often discover these obscure tools tucked away in Google Docs only to find ourselves pleasantly surprised when we end up using them everyday.

From allowing you to create pre-made templates to transcribing images right into text for you, there are definitely some functions you probably aren’t using in Google Docs. Here are three of our favorites that are not only unexpected but unexpectedly useful as well.

1. Skip Writer’s Block By Using A Doc Template

Templates allow you to save down the form of a Google Drive file and access it to get a head start on your next creation. You can even add your organization’s branding to templates and share them with coworkers to promote a more unified look for your presentations and proposals. Never find yourself staring at a blank page again, wondering where to begin.

2. Go Keyboard-Free With Voice Composition

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You can now use Google Docs keyboard free in over 40 languages. This new feature, which works on both mobile and desktop allows you to compose documents by simply speaking out loud into your device microphone.

3. Let Google Transcribe Your Images Into Editable Documents

Google continues to blur the line between physical and digital. What used to only live on ink and paper can be edited right in your Drive. The OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature in Google Drive can convert an image of a physical page of text into an editable Google Doc. I use this feature to make changes to recipes I find in cookbooks, but it can also be used for legal documents or school assignments, the possibilities are endless.

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