How to Add an Arrow in Google Docs?

May 18, 2022

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In this tutorial, we will show you how to add an arrow in Google Docs. We recommend you study this manual carefully and start practicing!

Checklist of crucial points we aim to highlight here:

Entering the Drawing Mode
Drawing an Arrow
Customizing the Arrow
Other Lines and Arrows

This time we’re showing you how to draw arrows in Google Docs.

We love Google Docs for its simplicity. And that certainly goes for drawing simple figures like lines and arrows! Google Docs offers several types of lines to draw, and the best thing about it is that you can make an arrow out of basically any type of line in Google Docs. And now let’s start adding arrows in Google Docs!Watch the video from https://thegoodocs.com/ and find out how to add an arrow in Google Docs:

Entering the Drawing Mode

Drawing lines and arrows in Google Docs means creating an image first. And creating the image in Google Docs means entering the drawing canvas. So, we start with entering the drawing mode.

We click on the “Insert” item on the toolbar at the top of the page, then we go down to the third item — “Drawing”, and then we press “New” on the right

That opens a drawing canvas, which is the basis for creating lines, shapes, and drawings in Google Docs. And normally, at first, you create elements to connect them with arrows — shapes, text boxes, or, for example, uploading images to draw over them, etc.

So, let us quickly upload a sample image from the computer. We will select a random image just to show you how it works. We press the rightmost icon to insert an image, and then we’re just dropping it here from our PC. And you can choose any other method of inserting the image

Drawing an Arrow

Here are the tools you work with in the drawing workspace, where we need the button standing for line drawing — “Line”. But to make it exactly an arrow, it’s a little down arrow symbol (“Select line”) that we click on

And here, we select the second line type — “Arrow” — and draw it. Put the mouse pointer where you want the arrow to start, press-hold and move it to the end point, then release, and here you are. This is a sample of the simplest line with the arrow at the end of it

Then you may want to change its position on the canvas. And to do that, exit the drawing mode by pressing “Esc” on the keyboard. Now press-hold on the line and drag it where you want it to be. If you're going to resize it and change the position start and end point, pull from either end of the line where you see the circles, and you’ll be able to rearrange the position of the line end and start points

NB! Please keep in mind that when you are going to work with an object on the drawing canvas, for example, with the arrow, you need to select it first. For instance, you can do this very easily with the mouse click on the object you need to work with, customize, etc.

Customizing the Arrow

And then, we will show you how to customize the look(s) of the arrow(s).

First of all, we can add an arrowhead to the start point. For that, press on the last but one icon on the toolbar — this one that points to the left, “Line start” — and select which one you like more in the drop-down. For example, we will choose a random start point here just to show you how it works

And in the same way, you can change the looks on the end point of the arrow. It’s the button with the arrow pointing to the right, “Line end”. And then select which one you like as well. We are going to choose a random item just to show you how it works

Then we can customize the looks of exactly a line. Here on the toolbar, these are the tools for doing that.

For example, we will start with “Line color”, where you choose either some standard color or a custom one with the plus icon. We will choose a random color to show you how it works — this is a red one, for instance

Next on the menu, we have “Line weight”, where you basically select how thick you want your line to be. For instance, let’s do 4 pixels

And then it's “Line dash” if you’d like

So, we have customized this arrow a bit. You already know about the “Line start” and “Line end”, and we have already customized these items, too. And you will apply the customization you need

Other Lines and Arrows

We think the most awesome feature for lines in Google Docs is that you can make an arrow out of any type of line here, starting from the basic one. We’ll select it here in the drop-down for lines (you will see the screenshot below)

The first item here is “Line”. Now we are drawing a simple line. And then we are just adding arrowheads to the line end and start points just like we did earlier with these icons. There you go

Now let’s practice with other lines in the drop-down list in the menu.

Then in the drop-down, the third item here is “Elbow Connector”. This is the line that is bent in the middle. And when you draw it, it adapts to where you place the end point. We’ll remind you once again: you can change the position of the start and end points by pulling either end of the line. And then we are adding the random arrowheads to it

The same concerns the next line type. This is the “Curved Connector” item in the drop-down menu. Let’s draw it and add the sample arrowheads to it just to show you how it works

And then, for example, we choose the classic “Curve” item on the menu. Let’s add it here and customize it a bit

And so on — you can choose any line type(s) you need and customize it (them). Here, in this drop-down list of line types, we have “Polyline” and “Scribble”, too. So, select what you need and customize the lines and arrows according to your requirements and/or ideas

We hope this tutorial will help you learn how to add an arrow in Google Docs. Good luck!

Written by

Team TheGoodocs

We are a team of creative people who dream of sharing knowledge and making your work and study easier. Our team of professional designers prepares unique free templates. We create handy template descriptions for you to help you choose the most suitable one. On our blog, you'll find step-by-step tutorials on how to use Google Products. And our YouTube channel will show you all the ins and outs of Google products with examples.