How to Delete a Column in Google Docs

Google Docs is a handy free online word processor that lets you create, edit and collaborate on documents right from your web browser. Its simple yet powerful editing capabilities make Docs a popular choice for all kinds of purposes from school assignments to business reports.

One useful editing feature in Google Docs is the ability to organize your text into columns, similar to what you might see in a newspaper or magazine layout. Columns allow you to position text side-by-side rather than just vertically on the page. This can help make your documents look more polished and professional.

But what if you want to remove a column after you’ve already inserted it? Deleting columns in Docs is easy once you know how. In this article, I’ll walk you through the quick and simple steps to delete columns in Google Docs in just a few clicks.

When Would You Want to Delete Columns?

First, let’s talk about why you might want or need to remove columns from a Docs file.

Here are some common reasons you could decide to delete columns:

You no longer need the multi-column format: Perhaps you initially set up columns for a flyer or other document, but now want to revert it back to a standard single-column layout. Deleting the columns gets you back to the basic page design.

The columns aren’t balanced: If you have multiple columns but the text or other elements aren’t lining up evenly, deleting all the columns and starting fresh can help.
Too many columns make the text hard to read: Columns can sometimes make text feel disjointed or cause a “wall of words” effect. If the columns aren’t enhancing readability, get rid of them.
You need to simplify the layout: Sometimes columned documents can feel cluttered, especially if images or other elements are also inserted. Removing columns simplifies the look.

No matter what your specific reason is, deleting unnecessary or unwanted columns is quick and easy in Google Docs.

How to Delete Columns in Google Docs

Without further ado, here are the step-by-step instructions for removing columns from a Google Doc:

Open the Google Doc that contains the columns you want to delete. Make sure you have editing permissions for the file.

Click anywhere within the column you want to delete in order to select the entire column. The column you click on will be highlighted with a gray background.
Go to the toolbar and click the “Columns” button. This is in the toolbar menu under Insert > Columns.
Select “Remove Column” from the Columns dropdown menu. It’s at the very bottom of the list.

The selected column will disappear, leaving you with one less column in your document.
Repeat steps 2-4 to delete additional columns as needed until you have removed all unwanted columns.

And that’s all there is to it! The columns are now removed from your Google Doc. Let’s go over a few extra tips related to deleting Docs columns:

You can select and remove multiple columns at once. Just click and drag to select all columns before going to the Columns menu.
Deleting columns won’t remove the text. The text will just revert to a single-column layout.
If you delete columns by accident, use the Ctrl + Z (Windows) or Command + Z (Mac) keyboard shortcut to undo it.

For quick access, add the Columns button to your Docs toolbar under View > Toolbars > Customize toolbar.

Now you know how to neatly and easily remove any unnecessary or unwanted columns from your Google Docs files. Just click to select the column, choose “Remove Column” from the Columns menu, and poof – no more column!

When to Use Columns – and When to Avoid Them

Since we’ve talked a lot about deleting columns, you might be wondering when columns can actually be useful in your documents.

Here are some tips on the best uses for columns:

Multi-column layouts work well for newspaper or magazine-style designs. They make the page feel more polished and professional.
Use columns to position text beside images. Situating text in columns next to photos or other visuals is an eye-catching page layout.

Organize lots of information in columns to break up dense blocks of text for easier reading.
Columns help make text feel less intimidating and easier to digest. Dividing long passages into columns makes them less overwhelming.

In general, one or two columns usually works best. Avoid going overboard with too many columns, which can clutter the page. I’d also stay away from columns:

In standard business documents like resumes or formal reports. Stick to a basic single-column layout instead.
For web content, since it can disrupt responsive design on smaller screens.
In documents with complex formatting like tables or charts. The structures may not display well across columns.

Get creative with columns for the right projects, but know when to rely on tried-and-true single-column documents too.

And if you ever add columns but later change your mind, just put this guide to work and delete those columns in Google Docs!

More Handy Google Docs Tips and Tricks

Now that you know all about adding and removing columns in Google Doc, let me share a few more useful Docs tips to help you get the most out of this helpful word processing tool:

Add page numbers and headers/footers. These make your documents look more professional. Find them under Insert > Page numbers.
Enable offline access to keep working even without an internet connection. Turn on offline access under File > Settings.
Use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl/Command + B for bold or Ctrl/Command + I for italics to format faster.

See revision history and revert changes by clicking File > Version history > See version history.
Change the page orientation between portrait and landscape under File > Page setup.
Adjust the line spacing under Format > Line spacing to single, 1.5, double or custom spacing.

Create a table of contents by going to Insert > Table of contents and picking from autogenerated options.

Google Docs has many more helpful features beyond columns. Now that you know how to add and delete columns, try using some of these other formatting and productivity tools to become a Docs pro!

Put Your New Google Docs Skills to Work

You should now feel confident inserting and removing columns in Google Docs to format pages however you may need.

As you become more skilled with Docs, don’t be afraid to experiment with columns and other formatting features to make visually engaging documents. Just remember how easy it is to delete anything that isn’t working!