Google Docs: Beginner to Confident
A step-by-step, screenshot-guided course on Google Docs — from your first document to formatting, tables, smart chips, comments, suggestions and sharing like a pro.
Master the document tool workplaces use every day
Google Docs is free, works in any browser, saves automatically and makes working with other people easy. Schools, businesses and community groups use it for everything from rosters and meeting notes to resumes and reports.
This course takes you from opening your very first document to working confidently with a team — with real screenshots for every step.
What you'll learn
- Create, rename and find documents, and use templates
- Format text properly with fonts, styles, lists and checklists
- Structure long documents with headings, the outline, tabs, headers, page numbers and a table of contents
- Add tables, images (with alt text), links and smart chips
- Use spelling tools, find and replace, voice typing — and Gemini, responsibly
- Share safely, comment, suggest edits and use version history
- Download as PDF or Word, work offline and make your own templates
What you'll create
- A formatted event flyer (before and after)
- A structured staff handbook with a table of contents
- A team meeting doc with smart chips, comments and suggestions
- Your own resume, downloaded as a PDF
How it works
- 7 modules, 27 lessons — about 10–15 minutes each, with real screenshots
- Practice files to download and open in Google Docs, so your screen matches the lessons
- A short quiz after each module, and a certificate when you finish
You'll need: a free Google account and a computer with the Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox browser. (Most steps also work in the Google Docs phone app, but a computer is best for learning.)
Google Docs is regularly updated, so a few buttons may look slightly different on your screen. The steps will still be the same. Screenshots were taken in October 2026. Google Docs is a product of Google; Avro Academy isn't affiliated with Google.
New to workplace tech? Start with Digital Skills for Work for the basics of files, email and staying safe online.
Free forever — like every self-paced course on Avro Academy: all lessons, quizzes, downloads and your certificate. Our promise
Course outline
Module 1: Getting started
What Google Docs is, creating and finding documents, and a tour of the screen.
- What Google Docs is — and why employers use itFree preview8 min
- Creating, opening and renaming documents12 min
- A tour of the screen12 min
- Auto-save, undo and finding your files10 min
- Module 1 quiz5 min
Module 2: Writing and formatting text
Editing, fonts, styles, lists, checklists and spacing — finishing with a before-and-after flyer.
- Typing, selecting and editing like a pro10 min
- Fonts, size, bold and colour12 min
- Paragraph styles: titles and headings12 min
- Lists and checklists10 min
- Spacing, alignment, indents and Paint format12 min
- Project: format the café flyer15 min
- Module 2 quiz5 min
Module 3: Structure and layout
The outline and document tabs, page setup, headers and footers, page numbers and a table of contents.
- The outline panel and document tabs12 min
- Page setup: pages vs pageless, paper size and margins10 min
- Headers, footers and page numbers10 min
- Table of contents and page breaks10 min
- Module 3 quiz5 min
Module 4: Tables, images, links and smart chips
Organise information in tables, add images with alt text, link to anything and use smart chips.
- Tables12 min
- Images: inserting, wrapping and alt text12 min
- Links and bookmarks8 min
- Smart chips and building blocks15 min
- Module 4 quiz5 min
Module 5: Writing tools
Spelling and grammar, find and replace, voice typing, word count — and Gemini, used responsibly.
- Spelling, grammar, and find and replace12 min
- Voice typing, word count and other tools10 min
- Gemini in Docs: getting AI help responsibly12 min
- Module 5 quiz5 min
Module 6: Working with others
Share safely, comment and assign tasks, suggest edits and use version history.
- Sharing and permissionsFree preview15 min
- Comments, @mentions and assigning tasks12 min
- Suggesting mode: edit without overwriting10 min
- Version history and named versions10 min
- Module 6 quiz5 min
Module 7: Finishing and sharing your work
Download as PDF or Word, work offline, make templates — and your final project.
- Download, copy, work offline and make templates15 min
- Final project: your resume and a team document20 min
- Module 7 and final quiz5 min