Guide: Why to Use Google Docs over MS Word
I’ve been using Word for over a decade and I’m still not 100 percent comfortable with Microsoft’s flagship word processor. However, it has only been on Google Docs for a few months and I just love it. Now why is that? Well, Word has a lot going for it in terms of features, but not everyone uses them. And that’s where Docs excels. You get a package every day features that are almost perfectly streamlined and a joy to work with. However, there are many negative misconceptions about Google Docs simply because of its cloud-based nature, but here you will find out why that is not the case at all. And if you’re determined to use Word, you might be in for a surprise! Also read: Google Docs vs. Dropbox Paper: Which Is Best?
1. It’s free
Yes, you read that right. Google Docs is completely free. And you get up up to 15 GB of free cloud-based storage on top of that. Should take up lots of documents to fill all that space, right?
With Word, the various subscription tiers are tediously mind-numbing, not to mention that everything is pretty expensive. Expect to pay close to – or well above – a hundred dollars for whatever you end up settling for. No thanks, Microsoft.
2. No manual storage
Google Docs saves everything you type or change in seconds, and you won’t even notice. Even pasting directly into content that contains high-resolution images and other large objects doesn’t seriously affect the speed at which it is automatically saved. That’s serious optimization.
However, this is not the case with Word, where you have to click Save even when connected to OneDrive. And even then, it often takes a long time for changes to sync. Even worse, the entire program can crash. Who cares, Microsoft!
3. File names are no problem
Word is very adamant when it comes to file names. You cannot insert special characters, and you also need to be extra careful not to match an existing file name in the same directory. Screw that! With Docs, you don’t even need to add a file name before you can start working on your document. And when you feel like it, you can name it whatever you want. Which is also super easy – just type something in the field at the top of the browser window and you’re done!
No more hassle with clunky menus and dialog boxes like in Word, which saves a lot of time in the long run that would otherwise be spent dealing with stupid restrictions. Also read: Everything is probably the fastest file name search tool for Windows
4. Easily accessible everywhere
Working with Google Docs can be done almost anywhere. Simply log into Google Drive on any computer with an internet connection and you can get started right away. Needless to say, Word requires a hefty install before you can even think about opening a document, not to mention you’re stuck with just Windows or Mac.
Even when it comes to mobile, Google Docs can get you up and running much faster. On Android devices, Docs is installed by default and the iOS app is very light in terms of download size.
5. No corrupted files
Since your Google Docs documents are always stored in the cloud, the chances of files getting corrupted are quite small. This is not the case with Word, where files you save locally can be easily damaged by technical problems or hardware failure.
Saving to OneDrive is an option, but with the terrible sync issues present, it’s just not worth it. Even thinking about those annoying authentication popups that show up up give me the chills for no good reason.
6. Tons of great add-ons
Granted, Google Docs doesn’t have all of them features that brings Microsoft Word to the table. But that’s where add-ons come into the picture. In fact, there is a whole store dedicated to add-ons that you can easily use to acquire the functionality you are missing.
Just go to the Add-ons panel and you can search for whatever you want: fonts, themes, mind maps, dictionaries, etc. Even if you want to do something unusual like remove page breaks, you will no doubt find an add-on. to help you! Also read: 5 fantastic Google Docs add-ons for writers
7. Highly compatible
With Google Docs, your documents aren’t just locked in the cloud. You can even choose from a number of file formats to download to your computer at any time.
Support for popular formats such as DOCX, ODT, and PDF means you can easily start working on a document in Word, OpenOffice or Adobe Acrobat should you need to, not to mention sharing files with Word users you will definitely come across the street. On the other hand, you can also easily open and edit Word documents in Google Docs. If you were concerned about compatibility issues, it’s time to forget that. Also read: 5 Easy Ways to Edit PDFs Online
8. Speak, don’t type
Word’s speech-to-text capabilities aren’t there unless you want to download the Dictate add-in, which is pretty broken at first. No problem with Google Docs.
All it takes is a few clicks and you can start speaking while Docs does the writing for you. No time wasted on calibrations and all that nonsense. It’s also pretty good at plucking up different accents, and you can also switch between different languages.
9. Collaboration is a breeze
When it comes to sharing and collaborating with others, Google Docs definitely beats Word. Not only can you share your documents with hundreds of users, but you can even publish them on the web for everyone to see!
Also, up up to a hundred people can get together and work on a document in real time – phenomenal functionality for something that’s completely free. And the fact that your contributors only need a Google account to work with you speaks volumes about its great nature. However, with Word, everyone needs an Office 365 subscription before they can dream about collaboration – yes, even on the so-called ‘free’ mobile apps.
10. Research and link directly
If you want to do some research while writing, you can use the full power of Google Search right from within Google Docs itself. Highlight and right-click on any word or phrase and click Explore, and a side pane will automatically load so you can check and quote useful information seamlessly. Beats Word’s research tool in terms of intuitiveness and relevant results by miles. And even better, you can also use the Images tab in the Explore panel to easily add Creative Commons-licensed images to your documents.
That is not all. When it comes to linking things up, Google Docs lets you search for and insert links directly from the web app itself – no more copying and pasting long URLs. In addition, you can also link to other files and documents within Google Drive.
11. No internet? No problem
Whenever there is an argument over Word and Docs, you’d likely find someone praising the former’s ability to work offline. Granted, that’s true – it’s a desktop application, after all. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do the same with Google Docs – it’s more than possible with good preparation beforehand. Simply indicate that you want a file to be available offline and that you can access and work on it, even if you don’t have an active connection.
Any edits you make will then automatically sync when you reconnect to the Internet. Amazing, right?
12: Easily accessible via Chrome
If you’re using Chrome to browse the web, and you probably are, you should already be signed in to your Google account. And that means easy access to Google Docs – via Google Drive – is a breeze. No time spent signing up or logging in!
Furthermore, Chrome also lists an arsenal of other Google web apps, such as Gmail, Sheets, and Slides, all of which are a full complement to Docs. And you can also expect Docs to function better in Chrome – after all, both are designed by Google.
13: Changes are synchronized everywhere
Finally, any changes you make to preferences and other settings are stored online, which means you can access a similar Docs experience on any computer or browser you launch it on.
And yes, that includes any add-ons you’ve applied. Expect your changes and installed add-ons to be on all your desktops in seconds! Also read: How to Place the Em Dash in Google Docs (Bonus Tricks Including)
But what about Word Online …?
Ultimately, a web app actually works in Google Docs’ favor – it runs fast and has minimal technical issues when compared to Word. And the fact that you can improve Docs functionality through a huge library of add-ons means Word’s featurepackage argument is effectively disputed. And no, I haven’t forgotten Word Online, which is also free to use. But really, it’s just a drastically toned down version of its desktop counterpart. Word Online does have a number of similarities with Google Docs, such as automatic saving. However, it is slow to run almost anything, supports fewer file formats, and has no useful add-ons. In short, it is a pain to use. So, are you willing to give Google Docs a try? Let us know in comments.
Why to Use Google Docs over MS Word: benefits
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