How to Add a Text Box in Google Docs

To add a text box in Google Docs, select Insert, then Drawing, then + New. Click the Text box icon, drag to draw a box, type your text, and select Save and close. The text box appears in your document, where you can resize it, move it, and set how text wraps around it.

Google Docs doesn’t have a Text box button on its toolbar, which is why the Drawing tool is the standard way to do it. If you only need a boxed paragraph, a one-cell table is a quick alternative.

In this article:

• Insert a text box
• Edit, move or resize it
• Wrap text around it
• Add a border and background
• Use a one-cell table instead
• FAQs

How to Insert a Text Box in Google Docs

These steps use the Drawing tool described in Google’s Docs help page.

1. Open your document and click where you want the text box.
2. Select Insert > Drawing > + New.
3. In the drawing window, click the Text box icon (a square with a T) in the toolbar.
4. Click and drag on the canvas to draw the box.
5. Type your text. Use the toolbar to change the font, size, color, and border.
6. Select Save and close.

Result: The text box appears in your document as a drawing you can select, resize and move.

How to Edit, Move, or Resize the Text Box

• Edit the text: double-click the text box to reopen the drawing window. Make changes and select Save and close.
• Resize it: click the box once and drag a blue corner handle.
• Move it: choose a wrap option other than In line, then drag the box where you want it.

Result: Your edits appear as soon as you select Save and close, and the box keeps its new size and position.

How to Wrap Text Around a Text Box

1. Click the text box once to select it.
2. In the toolbar that appears under it, choose Wrap text, Break text, Behind text, or In front of text.
3. For Wrap text, use the margin menu to set how much space surrounds the box.

Result: Document text flows around, behind or in front of the box, depending on the option you chose.

Add a Border and Background Color

In the drawing window, select the box, then use the Fill color (paint bucket) and Border color (pencil) buttons. You can also change the border weight and dash style. A light fill with a thin border works well for tips and callouts.

Result: The box shows your chosen border and background color in the document.

Quick Alternative: Use a One-Cell Table

1. Select Insert > Table and choose a 1 x 1 table.
2. Type your text inside the cell.
3. Right-click the table, select Table properties, and change the border and background color.

A table stays in line with your text and is easier to edit, but you can’t drag it freely around the page. Here’s more on creating and editing tables in Google Docs.

Result: You get a box with a border that’s part of the normal document flow, which is easier to edit than a drawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a text box in the Google Docs mobile app?

No. The Drawing tool is only available in Google Docs on a computer. You can view and move existing drawings on a phone, but you can’t create one.

How do I delete a text box?

Click the text box once to select it and press Delete or Backspace.

What else can I make with the Drawing tool?

You can add shapes, arrows, and simple diagrams. See how to create a drawing in Google Docs, or make two columns for a newsletter layout. To start from a ready-made design instead, see how to create a newsletter with a Google Docs template.