How to Stop Google Docs from Automatically Making Text Monospace

The Auto-Formatting Code Issue

Google Docs monitors your typing to apply quick formatting based on standard Markdown syntax. One of the more aggressive auto-correction rules involves the backtick character ( ` ). If you type text surrounded by single backticks (e.g., `important text`), Google Docs will automatically intercept the symbols, delete them, and convert the enclosed text into a different font—specifically, a fixed-width, typewriter-style monospace font.

While this is brilliant for programmers trying to highlight inline code snippets quickly, it is incredibly frustrating for users who actually need to type literal backticks. If you are writing a technical manual about SQL syntax (which heavily uses backticks for table names), or if you are drafting a raw Markdown document to paste into a system like Discord or GitHub, Google Docs will constantly ruin your syntax by converting it into rich-text formatting. To maintain absolute control over your document and ensure your backticks remain visible, you must disable this specific Markdown conversion.

How to Stop Automatic Monospace

You can turn off this auto-formatting feature via the Preferences menu.

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Look at the top toolbar and click on Tools.
3. Select Preferences from the dropdown menu.
4. In the Preferences window, make sure you are on the General tab.
5. Look for the checkbox labelled Automatically detect Markdown.
6. Click the checkbox to remove the checkmark.
7. Click the blue OK button to save your changes.

From now on, Google Docs will stop intercepting your backticks. Your text will remain exactly as you typed it as plain text, ensuring your SQL queries and technical documentation do not get accidentally converted into rich-text code blocks.