Google Docs is primarily a word processor, but it includes a powerful built-in Drawing tool that allows you to create custom diagrams, flowcharts, and illustrations directly inside your document. When you build a complex diagram out of multiple shapes, lines, and text boxes, trying to move or resize the entire illustration can be frustrating; clicking one piece often ruins the alignment of the rest. To solve this, you need to “group” the objects together. Grouping locks multiple individual shapes into a single, unified element that you can move, copy, or scale simultaneously.
How to Group Objects Using the Drawing Tool
Because Google Docs does not allow you to float individual shapes freely over the main text (like Microsoft Word does), all grouping must be done inside the Drawing canvas.
- Open your Google Docs document.
- Click Insert in the top menu bar, hover over Drawing, and click New. (If you already have a drawing, double-click it in the document to open the canvas).
- A checkered drawing canvas will appear. Use the toolbar at the top to add your shapes, text boxes, and lines.
- Once your design is arranged exactly how you want it, you need to select all the pieces. Click and hold your left mouse button on an empty area of the canvas, then drag a large selection box completely over all the objects you want to group.
- Alternatively, you can hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click on each object one by one until they are all highlighted with blue bounding boxes.
- With all the objects selected, right-click on any one of them.
- From the drop-down menu, click on Group.
The individual blue bounding boxes will immediately disappear and be replaced by one single, large box that surrounds the entire design. You can now click and drag the group as if it were a single picture.
How to Ungroup Objects
If you need to change the color of one specific shape or fix a spelling mistake in a grouped text box, you must ungroup the objects first.
- Double-click the drawing in your document to open the Drawing canvas.
- Click once on the grouped object to select it.
- Right-click on the group.
- From the drop-down menu, click on Ungroup.
- The large bounding box will break apart back into individual boxes, allowing you to edit the specific pieces again.
Saving the Grouped Object to Your Document
Once your shapes are grouped and looking perfect, look to the top right corner of the Drawing canvas window.
Click the blue Save and Close button.
Your grouped objects will be inserted into the main body of your Google Doc as a single image. You can click it once and use the corners to make the entire group larger or smaller without messing up your careful alignment.