Are you looking to enhance your document’s structure and make it more reader-friendly? Adding headings in Google Docs is a simple yet powerful way to organize your content. Whether you need to add headings in Google Docs, add a header in Google Docs, or even add a header in Google Sheets, mastering these features can significantly improve your document’s readability and presentation. Headings help break up large blocks of text, making it easier for your audience to navigate and understand your information.

In this article, you are going to learn the steps to add and customize headings in Google Docs using Format Tab and Menu Bar, ensuring your documents look professional and polished. Let’s go through the steps and learn how to efficiently add headers to your Google Docs!

How To Add Headings in Google Docs

What is a Heading or Header in Google Docs

In Google Docs, a heading is a distinct type of text that appears larger than the regular document text. These headings serve as a crucial organizational tool, dividing the document into sections, and enhancing readability and structure. Google Docs offers several types of headings, each with its unique characteristics and purposes, allowing users to efficiently categorize and present content.

Types of Headers in Google Docs

Heading 1 (H1)

Font Size: Large

Heading 1 is the primary heading type in a document, easily distinguishable by its substantial font size. It serves as the title for the main sections within your document. For instance, if you’re creating a report on a year’s company performance, you can employ Heading 1 to label overarching sections such as “first quarter” and “second quarter.”

Heading 2 (H2)

Font Size: Slightly smaller than Heading 1

Heading 2 is employed for subheadings within sections marked with Heading 1. In the context of the company performance report, where Heading 1 represents quarters, Heading 2 can be utilized to further categorize information, possibly detailing various departments.

Heading 3 (H3)

Font Size: Smaller than Heading 2 but larger than regular text

Heading 3 is utilized when you need to provide additional subordination under a Heading 2 title. Though less commonly used than the previous two, Heading 3 assists in elaborating on specific topics under the Heading 2 subheading. Its purpose is to offer even finer granularity, making document navigation more straightforward.

How to Add Headings in Google Docs for Desktop

For adding the Headings in Google Docs, we have different types of ways and approaches, which can help us to add headings titles, and subtitles in our document. Below we have listed the methods through which we can add the Headings in Google Docs.

1. Add Headings in Google Docs using Menu Bar
2. Add Headings in Google Docs using Format Tab
3. Add Headings in Google Docs using Keyboard Shortcuts

How to Add Header in Google Docs using Menu Bar

Step 1: Go to Google Docs and Open a Document

In the very first step, we need to visit the Google Docs official website, from which we are allowed to create and edit the documents. Navigate to the Google Docs website. Use the following link to visit the official Google Docs website and open the document in which we need to add Headings.

Go to Google Docs and Open a Document

Step 2: Click on the Style Drop-down Box

After opening the document, navigate to the Menu Bar, in the menu bar you will see various options, so from these options, we need to look for the Style drop-down which has the sub-options as “Normal text, Title, Headings” in the Format menu etc. So we need to click on this drop-down to select the appropriate option.

Click on Style drop-down menu

Step 3: Select Heading Form

From the sub-options, we need to select the option of the Heading. We need to choose any of the Heading Forms as Heading 1, Heading 2, etc. as per our requirement.

Select your Heading Form

Step 4: Click on Apply

After selecting the required Heading, click on the Apply option, so that it will get added to our text.

Click on “Apply Heading”

Step 5: Preview Heading in the Document

The heading that we have selected will be added to our document successfully.

Heading Added successfully

How to Add Header in Google Docs using Format Tab

Follow the below steps to add heading in Google docs using format tab

Step 1: Go to the Format Tab

After opening the document in which we need to add the Headings, we need to find the Format Tab which is placed on the top open the editing space of Google Docs. You can also refer to the below screenshot for navigation.

Go to the Format menu

Step 2: Select Paragraph Styles

After clicking on the Format Tab, you will see the list of sub-options, so from these sub-options, we need to select the option of “Paragraph Styles“.

Select Paragraph Styles

Step 3: Choose a Heading Form

Now, after clicking on the “Paragraph Styles” options, there will be a list of different Headings Forms. So from this list, we need to select the required form.

Choose Heading Form

Step 4: Click on Apply Selected Heading

After selecting the Heading Form, we need to click on the option of “Apply Heading 2”. This will apply to the selected Heading in our document. In the below screenshot, you can see that our selected Heading is been added to the document.

Click on “Apply selected Heading”

Step 5: Preview Heading in the Document

The heading that we have selected will be added to our document successfully.

Heading Added successfully

Keyboard Shortcuts for Google Docs to Add Heading (for Windows, Linux & Mac)

In this section, we will see some of the shortcuts through which we can add the Headings to our documents rather than following lengthy steps. Below we have added the shortcuts that will help us to add the Headings using Keyboard keys.

Heading 1:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Alt + 1
• Mac: Command + Option + 1

Heading 2:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Alt + 2
• Mac: Command + Option + 2

Heading 3:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Alt + 3
• Mac: Command + Option + 3

Heading 4:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Alt + 4
• Mac: Command + Option + 4

Heading 5:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Alt + 5
• Mac: Command + Option + 5

Heading 6:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Alt + 6
• Mac: Command + Option + 6

How to Remove Headings in Google Docs

In some of the cases, we don’t require Headings in our document, so we can either remove them by deleting the text or else we can also convert them to regular text. So follow the below steps to remove header in Google Docs.

Step 1: Select the Heading

To remove the Heading from our document, we need to select Heading with the mouse or by using the Keyboard keys. In the below screenshot, you can see that we have selected the Heading, which we will convert to normal text.

Select the Heading

Step 2: Click on the Style Drop-down Box

After selecting the Heading, click on the Style Drop-Down Box which is shown in the below screenshot.

Click on Style drop-down box

Step 3: Select the Option Normal text

From the list of items in the drop-down box, we need to select the option of Normal Text. This will convert our Heading into Normal Text. Click on the Apply Normal Text option to apply the changes.

Select Normal Text

Step 4: Click on “Apply Normal Text and Heading Removed

After clicking on the Apply option, the Heading will get removed or it will get converted into the normal text same as the other text in the document.

Click on Apply Normal Text

The heading that we have selected will be removed from our document successfully.

Heading Removed Successfully

How to Add Headings in Google Docs on Mobile Devices

The feature of adding Headings is not limited to the PC or Laptop devices, but we can also add the Headings on Mobile Devices. To add the Headers in Google Docs, follow the below specified steps and perform it proper manner.

Step 1: Install and Open Google Docs

Firstly, we have to open the Google Docs application, as the Google Docs features can be accessed using the mobile application. If you do not have it, you can install it using the Play Store application.

Install and Open Google Docs

Step 2: Open the Document

After installing or Opening the application, we need to open the document in which we need to add the Headings. In the below screenshot, you can see that, we have opened the Document in which we will be adding Heading.

Open the Document

Step 3: Click on Format Icon

After opening the document in which we will be adding the Headings, we need to click on the Format Icon which is placed at the top-notch of the application window.

Click on “Format icon”

Step 4: Click on Style Option

After clicking on the Format Icon, we need to click on the Style option. In the below screenshot, you can see the navigation for a better understanding.

Click on “Style Option”

Step 5: Select the Heading Form

In the Style list, we can select the required Heading and add it to our document.

Select the Heading Form

Step 6: Preview Added Heading

After selecting the required Heading Form, it gets reflected or added to our document. In the below screenshot, you can see that we have successfully added the Headings from the Mobile device.

Heading Added successfully

Conclusion

In conclusion, headings in Google Docs website is an useful feature that enables users to have better structure and flow of the document contents. Headings can make the look and feel more professional of the document. We can also use this heading to add a Table of Contents in Outline. The steps for adding the Headings are easy and simple in Google Docs as we have discussed in above sections, using different ways we can add the Headings in our document or how do I insert heading in Google Docs. Also, we can use the heading in the Mobile application of Google Docs such as on Google Docs mobile, Google Docs iPad, which makes broad use of the Heading feature in Google Docs.

How To Add Headings in Google Docs – FAQs

What is the need for using heading in Google Docs?

The use of headings in Google Docs helps the readers to represent the document contents in proper structured manner. Headings in document can help readers to identify the main topics in the document easily.

How to add an Outline in Google Docs?

Follow the steps to add an outline in Google Docs:

• Open Google Docs
• Enable the Document Outline
• Add Headings to Create Outline Sections
• Customize Your Headings

How to add table of contents in Google Docs?

• Open the Document
• Position the Cursor
• Insert Table of content
• Use Headings to Populate TOC
• Update Table of Contents

How do you headers in Google Docs MLA?

• Open the Document
• Insert the header
• Right-align the Header Text
• Add your Last name and Page numbers

Is it possible to customize the heading according to the user in Google Docs?

Yes, it is possible to customize the headings according to the needs of the user. We can do this by using different options like color, font, size etc. in the Google Docs.