Adding a text box takes three clicks

Open your Google Docs document and click Insert in the menu bar. Select Text box from the dropdown. Your cursor will change to a crosshair — click and drag on the page to draw the box to the size you want. Release the mouse, and you can start typing inside it immediately.

Text boxes in Google Docs float over your document rather than sitting in line with regular text. This means you can position them anywhere on the page, overlap them with other content, or move them around without affecting the rest of your document's layout. They work the same way whether you're using Google Docs on a computer or the mobile app.

Key Takeaways

  • Insert a text box by clicking Insert, then Text box, then dragging on your page to create the box size you need.
  • Text boxes float over your document and can be moved, resized, or deleted without affecting surrounding text.
  • Right-click a text box to change its border color, fill color, or transparency, or to rotate it.
  • You can copy formatting from one text box to another using the Format Painter tool in the toolbar.
  • Text boxes work on mobile, but drawing them is easier on a computer where you have more precise control.

Moving and resizing a text box after you create it

Once your text box exists, click on its border (not the text inside) to select it. A blue outline with small squares at the corners and edges will appear. Drag the border anywhere on the page to move the entire box. Drag any corner square to resize it diagonally, or drag an edge square to resize in one direction only.

If you want to delete the text box entirely, select it by clicking the border and press Delete or Backspace. This removes the box and everything in it. If you only want to delete the text inside but keep the box, click inside the text, select all the text with Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac), and press Delete.

Changing the appearance of a text box

Right-click on the text box border to open a menu with formatting options. You can change the border color (the outline), the fill color (the background inside the box), or the transparency (how see-through it is). Select Border color to pick a new outline, or Fill color to change the background. Transparency is useful when you want text to sit over an image or another part of your document without completely blocking it.

The same right-click menu lets you rotate the text box at any angle. Click Rotation and either type a number of degrees or drag the rotation handle that appears. You can also access these options through the toolbar: select the text box, then look for the border and fill color buttons in the toolbar at the top of the page.

Formatting text inside the box

Text inside a text box follows the same formatting rules as regular document text. Click inside the box and highlight the text you want to change, then use the toolbar buttons to make it bold, italic, underlined, or change its color and size. You can also use keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+I for italic, Ctrl+U for underline (Cmd instead of Ctrl on Mac).

The text inherits the default font and size from your document, but you can override that for any text box. Select all the text in the box with Ctrl+A, then change the font, size, or color using the toolbar. This change applies only to that box, not to the rest of your document.

Copying text box formatting with Format Painter

If you have one text box formatted the way you want and you want another text box to look the same, use the Format Painter tool. Click on the first text box to select it, then click the Format Painter icon in the toolbar (it looks like a paintbrush). Your cursor will change. Click on the second text box, and it will adopt the same border color, fill color, and transparency as the first one.

Format Painter copies the box's appearance, not the text formatting inside it. If you want to copy both the box style and the text style, select the text inside the first box, use Format Painter, then select the text in the second box and apply it again.

Text boxes on mobile devices

You can add text boxes in the Google Docs mobile app on iPhone or Android, but the process is slightly different. Tap Insert (the plus icon), then Text box. Instead of dragging to draw the box, the app creates a standard-sized box that you can then resize by pinching and dragging. Moving and formatting work the same way as on a computer.

Drawing a precise text box on mobile is harder because your finger is less accurate than a mouse. If you need exact positioning or sizing, it's worth creating the text box on a computer first, then editing it on your phone if needed.

When to use text boxes instead of regular text

Text boxes are useful when you want to highlight information, create a callout or sidebar, or position text in a specific spot that doesn't follow your document's normal flow. They work well for labels on diagrams, floating notes, or emphasized quotes. For most body text, regular paragraphs are simpler and easier to edit.

Text boxes can also layer on top of images. If you have a photo in your document and want to add text over it, a text box with a transparent background lets you do that without the text becoming part of the image itself. You can move or edit the text later without affecting the image.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a text box with no border?

Yes. Right-click the text box border and select Border color. Choose the transparent option (usually shown as a blank square or an X), and the border will disappear. The text box will still exist and be movable, but it will be invisible except for the text inside it.

What's the difference between a text box and a table in Google Docs?

A text box floats freely and can overlap other content. A table is anchored to a specific spot in your document and pushes other text around it. Use a text box when you want to position something precisely or layer it over other elements. Use a table when you need organized rows and columns that are part of your document's normal flow.

Can I lock a text box so it doesn't move accidentally?

Google Docs does not have a lock feature for text boxes. However, you can prevent accidental changes by sharing the document as view-only, or by using the suggestion mode so any edits appear as suggestions you can review before accepting.

How do I make a text box the same size as another one?

There is no automatic sizing tool, but you can match sizes manually. Click the first text box to see its dimensions, note them, then click the second box and drag its corners to match. Alternatively, take a screenshot of the first box, use it as a visual reference, and resize the second box to look the same.

Can I add a text box inside another text box?

No. If you click inside a text box and try to insert another text box, Google Docs will create it outside the first one. Text boxes cannot be nested inside each other.