Change the Look of Headings and Paragraphs in Google Docs

Using built-in text styles when authoring in Google Docs is a great way to give your text an appealing look and is also crucial for accessibility. Users who rely on assistive technology can easily navigate any built-in heading styles. Heading styles also create a visual outline in the left-side navigation and can be used to set up bookmarks that allow any user to jump around a large document.

There are lots of benefits to using styles! And the best part is that you can still customize them to look the way you want without sacrificing any of those benefits.

There are a couple ways to access text styles in Google Docs.

Change text to a heading or normal text using the toolbar

1. In your Google Doc, select the text you want to change.
2. Click on the styles dropdown menu on the top toolbar (between the zoom and font choice dropdowns; it typically says "Normal text" by default until you choose another option).
3. Select the style you want, such as the Heading 1 button. (Note: Only use Heading 1 once in a document.)

Change text to a heading or normal text using the Format menu

1. In your Google Doc, select the text you want to change.
2. Click Format.
3. Hover over Paragraph styles.
4. Hover over a text style, either:
   1. Normal text, or
      1. An important note about paragraph styles: Font size should be between 12 point and 14 point; line height (the space between lines of text) should be 1.5. Avoid line height less than 1.35.
   2. Heading 1–6.
5. Click Apply '[text style].'

Customize the default text styles

1. In your Google Doc, add some text and style it the way you want using the options found in the top toolbar.
2. Select that text.
3. Click on the styles dropdown menu in the top toolbar.
4. Hover over the style you want to update (e.g., Normal text or Heading 1–6).
5. Click on Update '[text style]' to match.

All text in your document of that text type, such as "Heading 4" or "Normal text," will be updated to match your new style.

Set and change a default style

Made the perfect text styles that you want to use in lots of documents? Set them as your default styles so you don't have to keep making them.

Set a default style

1. Click Format.
2. Hover over Paragraph styles, then Options.
3. Choose Save as my default styles.

   

Apply a default style

1. Click Format.
2. Hover over Paragraph styles, then Options.
3. Choose Use my default styles.

Restore styles to the default

1. Click Format. 
2. Hover over Paragraph styles, then Options.
3. Choose Reset styles.

Additional resources

• Add a title, heading, or table of contents in a document | Google Docs Help
• How to: Create a Heading in Google Docs | Google Workspace How-To Videos
• Identify headings, lists, and tables | Harvard's Digital Accessibility Services
• Screen Reader With Headings | YouTube
• Uncovering the Accessibility of Tabs in Google Docs | James Scholes