Learning how to make periods bigger on Google Docs will help you formating the entire document. The result is a clean, structured document that is clearer for the reader to understand.
While it’s rather obvious to say that different fonts have different appearances, we forget this applies to full stops as well.
Sometimes, the punctuation marks’ size makes it difficult to tell them apart. Have you ever mistaken a comma for a period? Can you tell the difference between a standard period and an italic period?
You might not think it matters, but punctuation is powerful and needs attention.
Many have commented on the size of the periods in Google Docs. Periods and other punctuation marks appear in the same size as the selected font.
If they don’t look large enough for you, keep reading. We have 4 methods to face that.
Table of Contents
How to make periods bigger on Google Docs
Change individual periods
This is a suitable solution for shorter texts as it will take longer:
- Begin by selecting the period you want to enlarge;
- The period will be highlighted in blue;
- Take your cursor up to the toolbar and either click on + or on the number to select a size.
Unfortunately, in Google Docs, you can’t select various periods and enlarge them in one go. This is why it works the best for shorter texts.
We have selected size “24” which is a bit extreme, but you can see the difference it makes.
Change the font style
Similarly to changing the size, this is only a good option for shorter texts:
- First, select the period you want to make bigger;
- Go up to the toolbar and scroll down the different font options. We choose “Impact” for a bigger period.
If you don’t have to use a certain type of font for your work, have in mind that there are some fonts where the period is clearer: Oswald is a good choice. So is Verdana. And finally, Georgia.
But if you are writing a legal document or your teacher/employer has specific instructions, you won’t be able to do this.
Select all of the periods
This is a great feature from Google Docs. It allows you to search for any word or punctuation mark and make changes. It’s perfect for when you finish a document, especially longer texts.
- If you are using Mac, press “CMD + F“ to open the text search box. On Windows and Chrome OS, this use “CTRL+F”;
- Now add a period into the text box (the punctuation mark, not the word).
All of the periods in your text will be highlighted in green. There is one that will be darker. The changes you make will be shown in this period. We have changed all to size 15 and bold.
Next, click on the three vertical dots to the right of the search box. This will open a new window named “Find and replace”.
Click replace and all and the changes will automatically be made.
Remember, if you want to make any other punctuation mark larger, you can use the same methods.
You need to find and replace all periods and then repeat the process for commas. You can’t type both punctuations to search together.
A word of warning
There are lots of tricks online to lengthen your essays and papers. Some students have assignments with a minimum number of pages.
By changing your periods from a 12 to a 14, you may be able to add enough to meet the requirements. You can add as much as half a page to a 5-page essay.
Teachers are very much aware of this trick and will check. In fact, to check, it’s quicker than “Find and replace”.
All they need to do is select all the text. If the font size in the toolbar disappears and there is no difference in your font size, it is clear the periods are bigger.
Wrap Up
Don’t worry if you can’t see periods in Google Docs. It’s a common complaint and not a sign of your eyesight getting worse. If you can’t select a font that has clearer periods, you can solve the problem by making periods bigger.
The quickest and easiest way is to use “Find and replace” once you have completed the text. Making periods bigger is a fantastic way to make your document, paper, or presentation clearer.
Nevertheless, if you are a student and trying to cut corners, it’s not worth it. Spend the extra time trying to fill your page quota. This way your teacher won’t come back with some horrible punishment like redoing the whole document.
Check out some of our other awesome articles:
- How to convert a Microsoft Word document to use in Google Docs
- Adding bullet points in Google Docs
- How to double the spacing in Google Docs
- Mirroring text in Google Docs
- Sluggish performance in Google Docs: why?
- How can I move images in Google Docs
- Printing double-sided on Google Docs (how to)
- How to disable auto capitalization in Google Docs
- Numbering pages in Google Docs
- Printing multiple pages on one page in Google Docs
- How can I print Google Docs with comments?
- Changing margins in Google Docs
- How can I remove headers and footers in Google Docs
- How can I flip an image in Google Docs
- Creating two columns in Google Docs
- Creating a graph on Google Docs
- How can I delete a page in Google Docs
- How to use Google Docs real-time chat
- How can I insert shapes in Google Docs?
- Google Drive and Google Docs: what is the difference?
- Google Docs ownership – How to transfer?
