By default, Google Docs surrounds your text with a standard one-inch margin on all four sides of the page. While this is perfect for formal academic essays (like APA or MLA format), it is often a massive waste of space for a resume, a flyer, or a personal packing list. If your text is spilling over onto a completely unnecessary second page by just a few lines, tightening up the page margins is the fastest way to fix your document’s layout.
How to Change Margins via Page Setup
This method gives you precise, mathematical control over the exact size of your margins.
- Open your document in Google Docs on a computer.
- Click on File in the extreme top left corner of the menu bar.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the drop-down menu and click on Page setup.
- A new window will appear. Look at the right side of the window under the Margins (inches) section.
- You will see text boxes for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right. They will all default to
1. - Click inside these boxes and type your new dimensions. For a resume, changing them to
0.5(half an inch) is usually ideal. - Click the blue OK button at the bottom.
Your text will instantly snap outward, filling the empty white space on the page.
How to Change Margins Using the Ruler
If you prefer to “eyeball” the layout rather than typing in exact numbers, you can use the interactive ruler at the top of the screen.
- Look at the blue ruler running horizontally across the top of your document (just below the toolbar). If you do not see it, click View and select Show ruler.
- Look at the far left and far right ends of the ruler. You will see a gray section where the margin begins.
- Hover your mouse exactly over the line where the gray meets the white. Your cursor will turn into a two-headed horizontal arrow.
- Click and drag the gray area outward toward the edge of your screen to shrink the margin, or drag it inward to expand it. Release the mouse button when you are satisfied with the look.