How to Make a Brochure in Google Docs (Step by Step, 2026)

A brochure is one of the most useful bits of print a small business can hand out: a services leaflet at a market stall, a one-pager for a networking event, a menu of what you offer. You don't need design software for a decent one. Google Docs can do the job if you set the page up first and build up in layers.

A quick honesty point. Google's help doesn't name a brochure feature or a tri-fold button, so I'll show you the page setup, template, column and table tools it does document, and how to combine them.

Starting a brochure from the Google Docs template gallery

The quickest start is a template, because the layout is already done. Google's help gives two routes on a computer. From the Docs home screen, click Template Gallery at the top right, click the template you want, and a copy opens. Or, from inside a document, click File, then New, then From a template, scroll the gallery, select a template and click Insert.

Google describes templates for blog posts, press releases and business proposals, among others, and it doesn't promise a brochure in the list. Browse the gallery and see what's there on the day, because the choices change. If nothing suits, build your own using the steps below.

Setting the page up for a Google Docs brochure

Most brochures read better on a wide, sideways page, because you'll be splitting the page into panels. Here's the route from Google's page settings help:

1. Click File, then Page setup.
2. At the top of the dialog, select Pages. Google says these settings aren't available in pageless format.
3. Under Orientation, choose the wide (sideways) option rather than Portrait.
4. Pick your paper size and set narrower margins, so you have room for panels.
5. Click OK. If you want these settings for every new document, click Set as default first.

If margins are new to you, my guide to changing margins in Google Docs goes through the dialog in more detail.

Splitting the page into panels with columns

The Columns option is the simplest way to get a leaflet look. Select the text, click Format, then Columns, and choose the number of columns. For a typical three-panel fold, choose three. Google also lets you click More options to change spacing and add a line between columns.

To make the next panel start at the top of the following column, click where you want the break, then Insert, then Break, then Column break. That's the trick for getting each panel to begin cleanly.

Building panels with a table instead

A table gives you more control over each panel's size and background. Click Insert, then Table, and choose one row and the number of panels you need. Drag the gridlines to resize, or right-click and use Distribute columns to make them even.

Select a cell and use the toolbar to set a background colour or a border. That's how you give a panel a coloured header without a design app.

What goes in each panel of a small business brochure

• Front panel: your business name, a clear line about who you help, and one image you have the rights to use.
• Inside panels: what you offer, how it works, and a short customer comment you have permission to share.
• Back panel: how to get in touch, your website and a simple call to action.

Keep sentences short, because a brochure gets skimmed. If you need help picking colours and keeping the look clean, my notes on modern resume design that doesn't distract apply just as well to leaflets: fewer fonts, more white space.

Adding images and a header block

Click Insert, then Image, to place a logo or photo, and only use pictures you own or have permission to use. For a banner across the top, make the first row of a table one merged cell. Google's table help says you can drag across the cells, right-click and choose Merge cells.

Printing your Google Docs brochure

Check the layout before you print. Click File, then Print, look at the preview and choose your print settings. Google's print help also says you can download your file in another format using File, then Download, and print the downloaded file.

Printing double-sided leaflets is down to your printer's own settings, and Google's Docs help doesn't document a fold or booklet mode, so test one copy on paper before you run a batch.

Fixing Google Docs brochure layouts that go wrong

• Panels uneven: use Distribute columns on the table, or check the column spacing.
• Text spilling onto a second page: shorten the copy or lower the font size a little.
• Image pushes everything around: change the image to wrap text, or place it in a table cell.
• Colours look dull in print: preview in File, then Print, and test on paper.
• Extra blank page: see my guide to adding a page in Google Docs and look for stray page breaks.

Sharing a brochure draft with a colleague or client

Before anything goes to the printer, share the draft so someone else can read it with fresh eyes. Typos on a printed leaflet are the sort of thing you only notice once the box arrives. Ask them to comment rather than edit, so the layout stays intact.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a brochure in Google Docs?

Open the Template Gallery from Docs and pick a template if one suits, or set the page to the wide orientation in File, Page setup, then split it into panels with Format, Columns or a table.

Does Google Docs have a brochure template?

Google's help says the gallery has business templates, but doesn't list a brochure by name. Browse the Template Gallery to see what's offered today.

How do I make a tri-fold brochure in Google Docs?

Set the page to the wide orientation and use three columns or a table with three cells. Google's help doesn't have a tri-fold button, so you build the panels yourself.

How do I print a brochure from Google Docs?

Click File, then Print, check the preview and choose your print settings. Test one copy on paper before printing a batch.

Can I make a brochure on my phone?

You can edit a document in the app, but page setup and columns are easier on a computer. Build the layout there, then make small edits on your phone.