Google Docs lets you collapse titles and headings in pageless documents to hide sections, and eligible work or school account users can save selected content as custom building blocks for reuse. These features solve different problems: headings help you navigate a document, while custom blocks let you insert saved content again.
How the two Google Docs features differ
| Feature | What it does | Requirement or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Collapsible headings | Expand or hide sections under titles and headings in a document. | The document must be in pageless mode. |
| Custom building blocks | Save selected content and insert it into a document later. | Available to eligible work or school account users; custom blocks are not shareable for other users to reuse directly. |
How can I expand and collapse headings in Google Docs?
Google Docs Editors Help says, “If your document is in pageless mode, you can expand and collapse your titles and headings to organize your content or hide certain sections.” You can collapse an individual heading or use the context menu to expand or collapse headings of the same style.
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- Open the document on a computer and make sure it is in pageless mode.
- Hover over a heading.
- Select the expand or collapse control beside the heading.
- To apply the action to headings of the same style, right-click a heading and choose Expand all headings of the same style or Collapse all headings of the same style.
Anyone with view, comment, or edit access can expand or collapse headings.
How to create and reuse a custom building block
Custom building blocks let eligible work or school account users save selected document content for later insertion. You must be able to copy the content from its source document; if copying is restricted, ask the document owner for copy access.
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- Select the content you want to reuse.
- Right-click the selection and choose Save as custom building block, or start the custom building block flow from the @ menu.
- Name the block, optionally add a description, and create it.
- To insert it later, type @ followed by its name, or choose Insert > Building blocks > Custom building block.
- To view or manage your blocks, open the Building Blocks menu and choose Manage custom blocks. Google says new blocks are saved in a “Custom Building Blocks (auto-generated)” folder.
Google Docs Editors Help states that custom building blocks “aren’t shareable. Only the building block creator can reuse the building block.” Other users can copy the template and create their own block, but do not assume they can insert your saved custom block.
Custom blocks and standard building blocks
Custom building blocks are content you save yourself. Google Docs also has standard building blocks, a separate built-in collection of templates and patterns. Browse them through Insert > Building blocks > View more or the @ menu’s See all building blocks. Google groups standard blocks into categories such as Featured, Communication, Meetings, and Project management.
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FAQ
Why can’t I see the expand and collapse controls?
Check that the document is in pageless mode, then hover over a title or heading to find the control beside it.
Can I collapse every heading at once?
Right-click a heading and choose Collapse all headings of the same style. The matching expand command expands headings of that style.
Can I share a custom building block with my team?
Google’s help says custom building blocks are not shareable for reuse by other users. A colleague can copy the template and create their own block.
Do custom building blocks require pageless mode?
The pageless-mode requirement applies to collapsible headings. Custom building blocks have a separate eligibility condition: they are documented for eligible work or school accounts.
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