How to Make Columns in Google Docs (Step by Step)

Newsletters, one-page leaflets, event programmes, a list of services laid out side by side: a few things just read better in columns than in one long strip of text. Google Docs can do it in a few clicks, but the option hides in the Format menu and trips people up when the document is set to pageless.

I'll take you through the steps from Google's own help page, then the bits it explains that people usually miss: column breaks, changing the spacing and getting back to a single column.

Turning your text into columns in Google Docs

Google's help says the steps below are for a computer. You can set columns for part of a document or all of it by highlighting the text first.

1. Open the document in Google Docs.
2. Highlight the text you want in columns.
3. Go to Format, then Columns.
4. Choose how many columns you'd like from the options shown.

If nothing is highlighted, you may find the layout applies from where your cursor sits, though Google's page only describes the highlighted route, so I'd always select first.

Changing spacing and lines between Google Docs columns

Once your columns exist you can fine-tune them. According to Google's help:

1. Highlight the columns you want to modify.
2. Go to Format, then Columns.
3. Choose More options.
4. Adjust the settings and click Apply.

That dialog is where you find spacing between the columns and the option for a dividing line, so a leaflet doesn't look cramped. Keep the gap wide enough that neighbouring columns don't blur into one block.

Using a column break to control where Google Docs text jumps over

A column break makes the next text start at the top of the next column, similar to a page break. Google's steps: click the spot where you want the break, then go to Insert, then Break, then Column break.

If the Column break choice is greyed out or missing, Google says to put the text into two or more columns first. A single-column document has nowhere for the text to jump.

Going back from columns to a single column in Google Docs

Highlight the columns you want to change, then go to Format, Columns and choose 1 column. That undoes the layout without touching your wording.

What you want	Where Google's help puts it
Start columns	Format, Columns, then pick a number
Adjust spacing	Format, Columns, More options, then Apply
Start the next column early	Insert, Break, Column break
Return to normal	Format, Columns, 1 column
Not working at all	Check the document isn't in pageless format

Why the columns option may not appear in a pageless Google Doc

This one catches a lot of people. Google says these features aren't available in documents that are in pageless format, so you need to switch the document back to pages first. If your Format menu seems to be missing options, that's the first thing to check.

Columns in Google Docs for newsletters, menus and CVs

Columns suit short, scannable pieces such as a plain list of services, event times or a team directory. They're less good for long paragraphs, which become hard to follow when the lines are narrow. Read the page on a phone screen and decide whether it still makes sense.

A word of caution if you're building a CV. Applicant tracking systems can struggle with multi-column layouts, and I explain why in my guide to ATS-friendly resume templates. For layout that looks good without being fussy, what keeps a modern resume design clean is a better guide than anything I can squeeze in here.

Planning a Google Docs column layout before you start

Before you click anything, think about what the reader does with the page. Two columns suit a leaflet or a programme that gets scanned quickly. Three suit very short items such as a list of dates. For long paragraphs, one column is easier on the eye, and your readers will thank you for it.

It also helps to type the words first and apply columns afterwards. Highlight the finished text, choose Format, Columns and see how it flows. If one column ends up much longer than the other, add a column break where it reads best and adjust the spacing through More options until the page feels balanced.

Finally, preview the document the way people will read it. If it's going to be printed, check it in print layout. If it's going to be shared on screen, scroll through it on a laptop and on a phone, because narrow columns can look very different on a small display.

If Google Docs columns aren't working

1. Make sure you're on a computer. Google's steps are written for the desktop version.
2. Check the document isn't set to pageless format.
3. Highlight the text before choosing Format, then Columns.
4. For the column break option, put text into two or more columns first.
5. If the layout looks odd, set it back to 1 column and start again.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make two columns in Google Docs?

Highlight your text, go to Format, then Columns, and choose the number of columns you want.

How do I stop a column in Google Docs?

Go to Insert, Break, Column break at the spot where the next column should begin. Google says this works once text is in two or more columns.

How do I go back to one column?

Highlight the columns, then choose Format, Columns, 1 column.

Why can't I find the columns option?

Google says column features aren't available in pageless documents. Switch the document to pages format first.

Can I change the space between columns?

Yes. Highlight the columns, go to Format, Columns, More options, adjust the settings and click Apply.