If you’ve switched over from Microsoft Office to Google Docs, you’ve probably noticed there’s just one problem: creating a new document takes far too many steps. Here’s how to create new documents with single click—or even a shortcut key.
Note: you can use these shortcuts to create Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations, but we’ve not yet figured out how to make a shortcut for a new Drawing. If you figure that out, please let us know.
Create a Windows Shortcut
Start by clicking anywhere on the desktop, and choosing New -> Shortcut from the context menu.
Now you’ll want to paste in the full URL for creating a new document in Google Docs, Spreadsheets, or Presentations into the Location box, and then give it an appropriate name. If you’re using standard Google Docs, you’ll be using one of the following URLs:
http://docs.google.com/?action=newdoc
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?new
http://docs.google.com/?action=new_presentation
If you’re using Google Apps, you’ll want to use one of these URLs, replacing YOURDOMAIN with the actual name of your domain—you’ll probably notice that these URLs have HTTPS, which you can choose to use, or not.
https://docs.google.com/a/YOURDOMAIN.com/?action=newdoc
https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/YOURDOMAIN.com/ccc?new
https://docs.google.com/a/YOURDOMAIN.com/?action=new_presentation
Make sure that you’ve created the shortcuts that you want, and named them correctly, so we can add some nice icons.
Assign an Appropriate Icon and a Hotkey
To change the shortcut, just right-click on it and use Properties from the context menu, then flip over to the Web Document tab if you’re not already there. From here, you can customize the shortcut key to something that you’d like, and assign a different icon.
Read more: How-to-geek
Note: you can use these shortcuts to create Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations, but we’ve not yet figured out how to make a shortcut for a new Drawing. If you figure that out, please let us know.
Create a Windows Shortcut
Start by clicking anywhere on the desktop, and choosing New -> Shortcut from the context menu.
Now you’ll want to paste in the full URL for creating a new document in Google Docs, Spreadsheets, or Presentations into the Location box, and then give it an appropriate name. If you’re using standard Google Docs, you’ll be using one of the following URLs:
http://docs.google.com/?action=newdoc
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?new
http://docs.google.com/?action=new_presentation
If you’re using Google Apps, you’ll want to use one of these URLs, replacing YOURDOMAIN with the actual name of your domain—you’ll probably notice that these URLs have HTTPS, which you can choose to use, or not.
https://docs.google.com/a/YOURDOMAIN.com/?action=newdoc
https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/YOURDOMAIN.com/ccc?new
https://docs.google.com/a/YOURDOMAIN.com/?action=new_presentation
Make sure that you’ve created the shortcuts that you want, and named them correctly, so we can add some nice icons.
Assign an Appropriate Icon and a Hotkey
To change the shortcut, just right-click on it and use Properties from the context menu, then flip over to the Web Document tab if you’re not already there. From here, you can customize the shortcut key to something that you’d like, and assign a different icon.
Read more: How-to-geek