How to Make a Copy of a Google Doc (Computer, Android, iPhone)

Copying a Google Doc is the quiet workhorse of running a small business. A proposal you've sent once becomes the starting point for the next client. A CV gets a fresh copy for every job you apply for. A content brief template gets duplicated every week. Nobody should be retyping any of it.

Making the copy is a two-click job. The decisions inside the Make a copy box, like whether to bring comments across, are what make the difference between a clean new file and a messy one.

Making a copy of a Google Doc on a computer

According to Google's Docs Editors Help:

1. Open the document you want to duplicate.
2. Click File, then Make a copy.
3. Type a name for the new file.
4. Choose where to save it in your Drive.
5. Decide whether to copy comments and suggestions (more on that below).
6. Click Ok.

The copy opens in a new tab. Check the name at the top before you start editing, so you don't accidentally change the original instead.

Making a copy of a Google Doc on Android

1. Open the Google Docs app.
2. Find the document and tap More next to its name.
3. Tap Make a copy.
4. Enter a title and choose where to save it.
5. Tap Ok.

Making a copy of a Google Doc on iPhone or iPad

1. Open the Google Docs app.
2. Tap More on the file you want to copy.
3. Tap Make a copy.

Google says the copy then opens in the app. Rename it straight away so you can tell the two apart in your file list.

Copying comments and suggestions into the new Google Doc

In the Make a copy box on a computer, there's an option to Copy comments and suggestions. Google says you can also choose to include resolved comments and suggestions in the new copy.

Situation	What I'd tick
Reusing a proposal or template for a new client	Nothing. Start the copy clean
Handing a draft to a new editor who needs the history	Copy comments and suggestions
Keeping an archive of a finished review	Include resolved comments as well

The first row matters more than it looks. Copying a proposal with the last client's comments still attached is an easy way to share something you'd rather they didn't see. Google's sharing help also suggests leaving resolved comments and suggestions out of copies when a heavily shared document is running slowly.

Copy, download or share: which do you need?

People sometimes make a copy when they really want something else:

• Make a copy: a new, separate Google Doc in your Drive that you can edit without touching the original.
• Download: a file on your computer in another format. Google's help says you click File, then Download, and choose a file type.
• Save as PDF: for a big document in Chrome, Google suggests File, then Print, then Save as PDF next to Destination, then Save.
• Share: the same single document, opened by someone else. Nothing is duplicated.

If you're sending a finished document to a client who doesn't need to edit it, a PDF is often the cleanest choice.

Copying a Google Doc that a colleague or client shared

You can usually make your own copy of a document that's been shared with you, and the copy then sits in your Drive. Whether viewers and commenters can download, print and copy is up to the owner: Google says owners can turn that on or off under Share, then Settings.

If Make a copy is greyed out, that's the likely reason. Ask the owner to tick that box, or to make you an editor.

Copying Google Docs templates for client work and job hunting

My favourite habit is a small folder called Templates, holding master versions of proposals, onboarding notes and reports. Each new job starts with File, then Make a copy, saved straight into that client's folder. The masters never get edited by mistake.

Job seekers can do the same with a CV: keep one master and copy it for each role, then tailor the copy. My roundup of free resume templates worth downloading is a good place to find a master layout, and it's worth adding your online profile while you're at it, as I explain in how to add your LinkedIn profile to your resume.

Naming your Google Doc copies so you can find them

The suggested name usually starts with Copy of followed by the original title, and after a few weeks your Drive fills up with near-identical titles. I'd rename every copy in the Make a copy box before clicking Ok, using a simple pattern: client or job name first, then what the document is, then a version word if you need one. Acme proposal, Acme onboarding notes, CV for marketing roles.

Choosing the folder in the same box saves another job later. It takes a few seconds and means you'll never open the wrong version in front of a client.

If you can't make a copy of a Google Doc

• Make a copy is greyed out: the owner may have turned off copying for viewers and commenters in Share, then Settings.
• You can't find the copy: check the folder you chose in the Make a copy box, or search your Drive for the new name.
• The copy still has old comments: you ticked Copy comments and suggestions. Make a fresh copy without it.
• Working on a phone: on iPhone and iPad the copy opens straight away in the app, so rename it before you edit.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a copy of a Google Doc?

Open the document, click File, then Make a copy, type a name, choose where to save it and click Ok.

Does making a copy of a Google Doc copy the comments?

Only if you tick Copy comments and suggestions in the Make a copy box. Google says you can also include resolved comments.

How do I copy a Google Doc on my phone?

On Android, tap More next to the document's name, then Make a copy, enter a title and tap Ok. On iPhone and iPad, tap More, then Make a copy.

Why is Make a copy greyed out?

The owner may have turned off the option for viewers and commenters to download, print and copy. Ask them to change it in Share, then Settings.

Is a copy linked to the original?

No. A copy is a separate document, so edits to one don't change the other.