How to Add Tabs in Google Docs (Computer and Phone)

I used to keep a long Google Doc for each client with headings, scrolling and a lot of hoping I'd find the right section. Document tabs fix that. Instead of one endless page, you get a left-hand list of sections, a bit like the tabs along the bottom of a spreadsheet.

If you've got a handbook, a project plan or a set of meeting notes that keeps growing, tabs are worth ten minutes of your time. Everything below follows Google's own help for document tabs, so where Google is vague, I'll say so rather than guess.

Adding a new tab to a Google Doc on your computer

1. Open the document in Google Docs.
2. Open the left panel by clicking Show tabs & outlines.
3. Click Add tab.
4. Your new tab appears in the list, and a new document starts with one section labelled Tab 1 by default.

Each tab is its own blank page inside the same file, so you can write in one without touching the others. Google's help says you can nest up to 3 tab levels, which is plenty for most small business documents.

Nesting a subtab under a main tab in Google Docs

Say your client handbook has a tab called Brand, and you want separate sections for logo, colours and tone of voice. Those become subtabs:

1. Hover over the main tab and click Tab options.
2. Choose Add subtab.
3. Name it, then repeat for the other sections.

Google also says you can drag one tab onto another to turn it into a subtab, which is quicker when you've already made a pile of tabs and want to tidy them.

Renaming a Google Docs tab and giving it an emoji

The default label Tab 1 tells nobody anything. Select it, click Tab options, then Rename, type the new name and press Enter. For this and most other changes you need editor access and editing mode, so a blocked Rename option usually means you're viewing or suggesting rather than editing.

Tab options also has a Choose emoji command. A small icon next to a tab name helps you spot the right section at a glance, though I'd keep it to a few so the list doesn't look like a sticker book.

Moving, duplicating and deleting tabs in Google Docs

Job	What Google's help says
Moving	Drag it to a new spot. You need more than one tab and editing mode.
Duplicating	Tab options, then Duplicate. The copy retains the style applied within that tab.
Deleting	Tab options, then Delete. You need editor access, and you can't delete Tab 1 unless another tab is present.
Suggestion mode	In suggestion mode you can view tabs but not add, move or remove them.

Duplicating is my favourite. Build one client-onboarding tab the way you like it, duplicate it for the next client and rename it. No copying and pasting between files.

Sharing a link to one tab in a Google Doc

Here's a detail people miss. You don't have to send someone the whole document and tell them to scroll. Select the tab, click Tab options, then Copy link. Google's help also says you can copy the URL in your browser to get the link to your active tab.

If you're sending a team a long operations document, a tab link sends them straight to the part they need. Remember that anyone who opens the link still needs access to the document itself, so check the sharing settings first.

Using the outline view inside a Google Docs tab

Each tab can show its own outline, built from the headings you've used. In the left panel, click Tab options and then Show outline or Hide outline. Clicking a tab toggles its outline too, and you can close the whole left panel with Hide tabs & outlines when you want more room to write.

That means tabs and headings work together: tabs for the big sections, headings inside each one for the detail. If you want ideas for laying out the contents of a structured document like this, have a look at my notes on filling in a Google Docs template without the numbering chaos.

Downloading or printing a Google Doc that has tabs

This one trips people up. When you download a document with tabs, Google's default is the current tab only. To include everything, choose Tab and then All Tabs in the download options. Printing works the same way, with a choice between Print current tab and Print all tabs.

If you email a PDF to a client and half the document is missing, that's almost certainly why. Check which option you picked before you hit send.

Adding tabs in the Google Docs app on a phone

According to Google's Android and iPhone and iPad help pages, you can add, rename, duplicate, delete and reorder tabs through the tabs menu in the app, and move between tabs using arrows. Exact buttons vary by app version, so if you can't see the tabs menu, update the app and open a document you own.

If you can't add a tab in Google Docs

1. Check you've got editor access and you're in editing mode, not suggesting.
2. Count your tabs. Google says you might have reached the 100 tabs maximum.
3. Open the left panel with Show tabs & outlines in case it's hidden.
4. Try a fresh document to see whether the problem is the file or the account.
5. If you use a work or school account, ask your admin whether anything is switched off.
6. For a stubborn problem, contact Google through the Docs Editors help centre.

Once your sections are sorted, a document that does the job of five is much easier to share. My guide to writing a resume in a free online document tool is another example of keeping everything in one tidy file.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add tabs in Google Docs?

Open the left panel with Show tabs & outlines, then click Add tab. To make a subtab, use Tab options and choose Add subtab, or drag one tab onto another.

How many tabs can a Google Doc have?

Google's help says you can nest up to 3 tab levels, and if you can't add more tabs you might have reached the 100 tabs maximum.

Can I link to a single tab in Google Docs?

Yes. Select the tab, click Tab options, then Copy link. You can also copy the browser URL to link to your active tab.

Why can't I rename or delete a tab?

You need editor access and editing mode. In suggestion mode you can view tabs but not change them, and you can't delete Tab 1 unless another tab is present.

Do tabs download and print with the whole document?

By default only the current tab downloads. Choose Tab, then All Tabs to include everything, and use Print current tab or Print all tabs when printing.