Want to keep track of who wrote what in your Google Doc? Color coding can be a lifesaver when you’re working on a shared document with others. By assigning a different color for each person, you’ll be able to see at a glance who contributed what to the document. Let’s jump right into how you can do this.
Table of Contents showBefore we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s understand what these steps will do. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to assign different colors to different contributors in a Google Doc, making it super easy to identify who wrote what.
Open the Google Doc you want to color code.
When you open your Google Doc, make sure that you have editing access. If you’re not the owner of the document, you’ll need to ask for permission from the owner to make changes.
Click on the pencil icon in the top right corner and select “Suggesting.”
Suggesting mode allows you to make changes that aren’t final until the document owner approves them. It’s a great way to track changes and suggestions without altering the original content.
Start typing in the document. Your text will automatically appear in a different color.
The color that your text appears in will be randomly assigned by Google Docs, but it will be consistent throughout the document. This means that all the text you type will be the same color.
Once you complete these steps, your text will stand out in the document with a unique color. This will make it easy for others to see your contributions.
No, Google Docs automatically assigns a color to each user. However, you can manually change the text color after typing.
Google Docs tries to assign different colors to each user, but if this happens, one person can manually change their text color for differentiation.
No, the colors only appear on the screen. When you print the document, it will be in black and white or the default text color.
No, the color coding is a feature of Google Docs and won’t be saved if you download the document in another format like Word or PDF.
There’s no set limit, but for color coding purposes, it’s best to have a small group to avoid confusion and overlapping colors.
Collaborating on a Google Doc can be a breeze when you use color coding to keep track of who writes what. By simply turning on Suggesting mode and typing away, each user’s contributions are highlighted in a unique color. This visual cue is not only helpful for immediate identification but also ensures accountability and organization within the document.
However, it’s important to remember that with great power comes great responsibility. It’s crucial to communicate with your collaborators, so everyone is on the same page regarding the color-coding system. And let’s not forget that while Google Docs does a good job of assigning different colors, you may sometimes need to manually adjust them for clarity.
Moreover, embrace this feature as a means to enhance collaboration rather than as a tool for micromanagement. Celebrate each color as a testament to the collective effort that goes into creating a masterpiece. After all, each hue represents the diverse perspectives and ideas that make for a rich, well-rounded final product. So next time you’re in a Google Doc with others, give color coding a try and watch your collaborative efforts come to life in a kaleidoscope of colors.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.