Google Docs' New Feature Will Notify You If You Need to Make Changes and Improve Your Writing

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 01 April 2022, 09:04 am

Google Docs is set to roll out a new feature that will suggest ways to improve the quality of your writing aside from fixing grammar and spelling errors.

The search giant stated that the feature would show you a purple squiggly line that will appear under suggestions that can help make your writing better. Plus, it points out sentences that need to be more inclusive, active, and concise, and it will warn you if you have added inappropriate words, according to 9to5Google.

Google Docs' New Feature

The new Google suggestions have been available for a while now through Grammarly, which can integrate with Google Docs, and it aims to help users improve the quality of their writing, according to The Verge.

Depending on the quality of the native suggestions by Google, it could reduce the need for these third-party services.

However, Google is not rolling out the assistive writing features to all Workspace plans. It shows that "Tone and Style" suggestions will be available for Business Plus, Business Standard, Enterprise Standard, Education Plus, and Enterprise Plus subscribers.

Also Read: How to Type by Speaking on Google Docs via Voice Typing Feature

Meanwhile, Word Warnings will be available on Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Standard, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, and Teaching and Learning Up plans.

That means that if you are on a more basic plan like the Google Workspace Essentials, you won't get any of the set features, according to XDA Developers.

Google Docs Markdown

Earlier this week, Google announced Google Docs Markdown support that allows users to use text shortcuts instead of keyboard shortcuts to format their writing. The service offers support for Markdown syntax, and it is not getting the full Markdown support with the latest Google Docs update.

Instead, Google is just adding support for more Markdown syntax, which will let users add headings and links to their documents and format the text.

In a blog post by Google that highlighted the update, the search giant said that Google Docs already supports Markdown syntax for bulled lists, numbered lists, and checkboxes.

With the latest update, Google will add Markdown support for the Headings, Italic, Bold, Bolt + Italic, Strikethrough, and Links.

According to XDA Developers, Google will use the autocorrect feature in Google Docs for a Markdown implementation. The service will automatically format your text once you type it in Markdown format.

However, since not all Google Docs users are familiar with Google Docs Markdown, the feature is not enabled on the service by default. You need to navigate to the Preferences section in the Tools menu to enable the "Automatically detect Markdown" option.

In February, Google rolled out a new pageless view for Google Docs, which formats documents to the size of your window instead of a hypothetical piece of paper.

Both sets of assistive writing features will roll out over the next few weeks for rapid-release domains, but the most user will see them gradually roll out in the second half of April. They will be on by default, but workspace admins or end users can turn them off.

In January, Google Docs added a watermark feature on the service. The watermark feature on Google Docs is meant to protect the users and their content.