Google Docs, a versatile tool used by over a billion users globally, offers a variety of formatting options to tailor your lists to specific needs. Although directly adding prefixes or suffixes to lists isn’t a built-in feature in Google Docs, users can employ creative formatting techniques or simple text additions before or after items to achieve the desired effect.

Adding a prefix or suffix to a list in Google Docs can greatly enhance the clarity and functionality of your document, particularly when organizing content or emphasizing specific elements. Here we’ll learn How to Add a Prefix or Suffix to a Google Docs List.

Prefix or Suffix to a list in Google Docs

A numbered list in Google Docs usually has numbers or alphabets as ordered followed by a period. Sometimes we would like to change the period to a round bracket or any other symbols or letters of our choice. This can be done in Google Docs by editing our numbered list. Also, the left side of the numbers in the numbered list is always empty. This also can be made to appear with any letters words or symbols of the user’s choice. This helps customize the documents we are working on to our preferences and styles. Google Docs has made it quite a simple task to add a prefix or suffix to a list.

In Google Docs, a prefix or suffix to a list refers to any text you add before (prefix) or after (suffix) each item in a list to provide additional context or structure. For example, adding “Step” before each number in an instructional list (e.g., Step 1, Step 2, Step 3) serves as a prefix, while adding “cm” after numbers in a list of measurements (e.g., 15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm) serves as a suffix. These additions help clarify the information or specify the type of data presented in the list, making the document easier to read and understand.

How to Create a Numbered List

Initially let us create a numbered list in Google Docs on which we can add prefixes or suffixes in the following paragraphs.

Step 1: Open Google Docs and Open a Document

Open Google Docs in any modern web browser on your desktop or laptop device, and open a document.

Document opened in Google Docs

Step 2: Locate the Cursor

Place the cursor anywhere you want in the document to start creating a numbered list at that place.

Place the cursor

Step 3: Click on the Numbered List Icon

To create a numbered list, click on the numbered list icon which is in the toolbar of Google Docs.

Click on the Numbered List icon

Step 4: A numbered list is created

Now the numbered list is started.

The numbered list is started in the document

Start typing the list of content and press the “Enter” key to create a numbered list in the next line.

A numbered List created in a document of Google Docs

How to Add a Prefix or Suffix to a Google Docs List

There are two ways to add a prefix or suffix to a list in Google Docs. They are,

How to Add a Prefix or Suffix to a Google Docs list using the Menu bar

Step 1: Open Google Docs and open the document

Open Google Docs in your web browser on your desktop or laptop device. Open the document in which you want to add prefixes or suffixes.

Document opened in Google Docs

Step 2: Click on any number in the numbered list

Click on the any number in the numbered list.

Click on any number in the numbered list in the document

After clicking, all the numbers in the numbered list appear to be highlighted.

The numbers in the list are highlighted

Step 3: Click on “Format”, Select Bullets & Numbering” and Click “List options”

In the menu bar of Google Docs, click the “Format” tab. A dropdown opens, click on “Bullets & Numbering”. A sub dropdown opens up. Click on “List options“. Another sub dropdown opens up. Click on “Edit prefix and suffix”.

Click “Format”->”Bullets & Numbering” -> “List options” -> “Edit prefix and suffix”

Step 4: Type the Prefix

A dialog box appears. Type the prefix you want to add to the number in the numbered list in the prefix box.

Type in the prefix box

Here we are adding the word ‘option ‘ in the prefix box.

Prefix set as ‘option ‘ in the prefix box

Step 5: Type the Suffix

By default, the full stop(period) is in the suffix box. Type the suffix you want to add to the number in the numbered list in the suffix box.

Type the suffix to add in the suffix box

Here we have added some symbols ‘=>’ in the suffix box.

Step 6: Click on the checkbox to add prefix and suffix

Click on the checkbox if you want to add prefixes and suffixes to all the numbers in the numbered list. Here we have checked the checkbox to add the prefix and suffix to all lines in the list.

Click on the checkbox

Step 7: Click on “OK”

Click on the “OK” button to confirm.

Click the ‘OK’ button

Step 8: Prefix and suffix added to the list

Now the list has prefixes and suffixes added to it.

Prefix and suffixes added to the list

How to Add a Prefix or Suffix to a Google Docs list by Right-clicking

Step 1: Open Google Docs and open the document

Open Google Docs in your web browser on your desktop or laptop device. Open the document in which you want to add prefixes or suffixes.

Document opened in Google Docs

Step 2: Click on any number

Click on the any number in the numbered list.

Click on the number in a numbered list

After clicking, all the numbers in the numbered list appear to be highlighted.

All numbers in the numbered list are highlighted

Step 3: Right-click on the highlighted numbers and Click on ‘Edit prefix and suffix’

Right-click on the highlighted numbers in the numbered list. A menu of options appears. Click on “Edit prefix and suffix” in the menu.

Click on ‘Edit prefix and suffix’

Step 4: Type the prefix you want to add

A dialog box appears. Type the prefix you want to add to the number in the numbered list in the prefix box.

Type the prefix to add in the prefix box

Here we are adding the word ‘option ‘ in the prefix box.

Prefix is set to ‘option ‘

Step 5: Type the suffix you want to add in the suffix box

By default, the full stop(period) is in the suffix box. Type the suffix you want to add to the number in the numbered list in the suffix box.

Type the suffix to add in the suffix box

Here we have added some symbols ‘=>’ in the suffix box.

Step 6: Click on the checkbox to add prefix and suffix

Click on the checkbox if you want to add prefixes and suffixes to all the numbers in the numbered list. Here we have checked the checkbox to add the prefix and suffix to all lines in the list.

Click on the check box

Step 7: Click on the “OK” button

Click on the “OK” button to confirm.

Click on the ‘OK’ button

Step 8: Prefix and suffix added to the list

Now the list has prefixes and suffixes added to it.

Prefix and suffixes added to the list

How to Remove Prefix or Suffix from a Google Docs List

Step 1: Open the document in Google Docs

Open Google Docs on your desktop or laptop device. Open the document to remove the prefix or suffix in a numbered list.

Document opened in Google Docs

Step 2: Click on the prefix or suffix in the numbered list

Click on any prefix or suffix in the numbered list.

Click anywhere on the prefix or suffix of a numbered list

Now the prefix or suffix in the whole list gets highlighted and selected automatically.

The numbers along with prefixes or suffixes in the numbered list get highlighted automatically

Step 3: Click on the downward-facing arrow

Click on the downward-facing arrow attached to the numbered list icon in the toolbar of Google Docs.

Click on the downward arrow icon next to the numbered list icon

Step 4: Click on the first box in the dropdown opened

A dropdown opens with different varieties of numbered list headers. Click on the first box in the dropdown to remove the prefix or suffix in the numbered list back to the original numbered list without the prefix or suffix.

Click on the first box in the dropdown opened

Step 5: Prefix or suffix in the numbered list is removed successfully

The prefix or suffix present in the numbered list is removed now.

Prefix or suffix removed from a numbered list

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed adding prefixes and suffixes to lists in Google Docs. Also, we have seen the detailed step-by-step approach in two ways to add prefixes and suffixes to the list i.e., either by using the Menu Bar or right-clicking the numbers. We have also explained the steps to remove the added prefix or suffix from the numbered list in Google Docs.

How to Add a Prefix or Suffix to a Google Docs List – FAQs

How do you add a prefix and a suffix?

1. Click on the numbers in the numbered list
2. Right-click on it. Click on ‘Edit prefix and suffix’.
3. Type the prefix and suffix in the respective boxes in the dialog box opened
4. Click ‘OK‘ in the dialog box.
5. Prefix and suffix added.

How do you add a suffix number in Google Docs?

1. Click on the numbers in the numbered list.
2. Right-click on it. Click on ‘Edit prefix and suffix’.
3. Type the number in the suffix box.
4. Click the ‘OK’ button in the dialog box.
5. Suffix number is added.

How do I customize a numbered list in Google Docs?

To customize a numbered list in Google Docs

1. Click on the list to highlight it.
2. Go to `Format` > `Bullets & numbering` > `List options`.
3. From there, you can choose different numbering styles, adjust the numbering sequence, or apply a custom prefix or suffix.