Smart Compose is a feature in Google Docs that provides real-time writing suggestions to help you write faster and more easily. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to use Smart Compose effectively.
What is Smart Compose?
Smart Compose is powered by machine learning and offers contextually relevant suggestions as you type in Google Docs[1]. It helps complete common phrases and can even assist with spelling and grammar.
Key features of Smart Compose:
- Suggests complete words and phrases as you type
- Helps reduce spelling and grammar errors
- Uses machine learning to improve suggestions over time
- Only available for G Suite users (not free personal accounts)
How to Turn on Smart Compose
Smart Compose is enabled by default for G Suite users. To verify it is turned on:
- Open a document in Google Docs
- Click Tools > Preferences
- Check the box for Show Smart Compose suggestions under the General tab
- Click OK
Enable Smart Compose in Google Docs
💡 Admins can disable Smart Compose for their organization if needed.
Using Smart Compose Suggestions
Once enabled, Smart Compose will automatically show suggestions as you type:
- Suggestions appear as lighter gray text while typing
- Press Tab or the right arrow key to accept a suggestion
- Simply keep typing to ignore a suggestion
Smart Compose will only suggest full words or phrases when it’s reasonably confident in the prediction. The more you use Smart Compose, the better it gets at adapting to your writing style.
Smart Compose example
Tips for Using Smart Compose Effectively
Here are some top tips to use Smart Compose like a pro:
Use the Mobile Apps
Smart Compose works on the Google Docs mobile apps for Android and iOS too. The interface is slightly different, but the functionality remains the same.
Fix Incorrect Predictions
If Smart Compose makes an incorrect prediction, fix it by continuing to type, or by deleting the text. You can also add problematic phrases to your personal dictionary to improve future suggestions.
Turn Off When Required
If you find Smart Compose suggestions annoying for a particular document, simply turn off the feature under Tools > Preferences. You can toggle it on again later.
Solve Basic Math
One hidden capability of Smart Compose is it can solve simple math problems when you type the equation. For example, typing =15+26= will show 41 as the suggestion.
Use LaTeX for Complex Math
For more complex equations that Smart Compose cannot solve, use LaTeX formatting instead for the proper mathematical notation.
Why Smart Compose is Effective
There are several reasons why Smart Compose is an effective writing tool:
- Saves time – Accepting accurate suggestions means less typing
- Increases accuracy – Predictions help correct spelling/grammar
- Adapts to your style – Improves over time based on your previous writing
- Works anywhere – Write from any device with the mobile apps
- Easy to use – Simple interface with no learning curve
For G Suite users that spend significant time writing in Docs, Smart Compose can be a real time-saving feature with minimal effort.
Limitations of Smart Compose
While innovative, Smart Compose does have some limitations:
- Limited languages – Only supports English, Spanish, Portuguese and French
- Not universally available – Requires a G Suite paid account
- Solves basic math – Cannot replace complex spreadsheet calculations
- Imperfect suggestions – Predictions may be inaccurate at times
However, Google is continually improving Smart Compose, so expect expanded language and device support over time.
Final Thoughts
Smart Compose takes the power of machine learning and applies it directly within Google Docs to provide useful writing suggestions. The feature improves productivity by cutting down on typing while improving spelling and grammar.
To recap, Smart Compose:
- Is enabled by default for G Suite users
- Makes real-time suggestions that can save keystrokes
- Adapts to your writing style over time
- Works seamlessly across desktop and mobile
Learning to leverage Smart Compose while drafting documents can save you significant time. See if it can boost your writing efficiency within Google Docs today!
