Newsletter
Google Docs is gaining the ability to show non-printing characters. You can now choose to see line breaks, section breaks, paragraph breaks, page breaks, column breaks, tabs, spaces, and other non-printing characters while viewing or editing a document. These are represented by symbols or text, the company explained in a post on the Google Workspace Updates blog earlier this week.
Markers for non-printing characters may not be of much use to most Google Docs users, but it’s a critical feature for some. It helps make editing a document easier by letting you see the formatting. You can quickly check whether a large space is a tab or multiple spaces. Likewise, you can easily differentiate between a paragraph break and a skipped line. Long story short, this feature gives you better control over the formatting of a document.
Unsurprisingly, it was one of the most requested features by Google Docs users. Google’s IssueTracker platform has had dozens of people asking for it for several years now. Their frustration is understandable considering that Microsoft Word has been showing non-printing characters for decades. Google Docs somehow didn’t have this feature all this while, forcing users to rely on third-party add-ons to see those markers. But as they say, better late than never. Google Docs can now show non-printing characters.
“This feature provides a visual representation of what controls the formatting in a document, allowing you to make appropriate edits much easier,” Google said.
Google Docs finally starts showing non-printing characters
According to Google, this feature will be available to all Google Workspace customers, legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, and users with personal Google Accounts. It may take about a month to reach all eligible users globally, though. The rollout began for users on Rapid Release domains this Monday. Those on Scheduled Release domains will be able to see non-printing characters on Google Docs starting on January 23, 2023. Everyone should have it by the first week of February.
There is no admin control for this feature. It will be available by default for eligible users once Google completes the rollout. You will see a new “Show non-printing characters” option in the View menu on Docs on the web. Clicking on it will add various symbols and text representing non-printing characters to your document. You can click on it again to hide the characters. Note that this feature is not available on the Google Docs Android app.
