Improving your efficiency is a great feeling. Typing the same thing over and over again? Not such a good feeling. To add some efficiency, avoid repeatedly typing the same thing and save a few seconds, I’d like to show you how to add some AutoText or AutoComplete automation in Google Docs.
I love using the Chrome Extension “Auto Text Expander,” but it doesn’t work in Google Docs. So, here’s the solution. First – a GIF and second – the step-by-step.
- Open a Google Doc.
- Go to Tools > Preferences.
- In the table, put the shortcut you’d like to type under “Replace.”
- Put the corresponding expanded text under “With.”
- Click OK. It will now work in all of your Google Docs on this account.
Tips:
- Choose shortcuts that you’ll never type. You wouldn’t want to use cheese as a shortcut for cheeseburger, because sometimes you just need to type cheese! Starting shortcuts with a rarely used symbol like a ~ or ^ is a good way to do this.
- Capital letters won’t work. I’m not sure why, but if your expanded text is long enough, the hassle of going back to capitalize a few letters is worth it.
- Note that the options need to be check-marked in the preferences window to work. This can be convenient if you have shortcuts that you only use sometimes – turn them on when you need them and off when you don’t.
