Start by installing the Google Docs Offline extension from above. If you prefer an alternative Chromium-based web browser over Chrome (such as Microsoft Edge, Opera GX, or Vivaldi), you can use Google Docs offline. To do that, click the three-dot icon next to a document within the Google Docs dashboard and turn on the switch next to Offline Access.Īlternatively, you can do that while working on a document - open the File menu and select Make Available Offline. Set Document As OfflineĪdditionally, Google Docs allows you to set any document to be always available offline. However, you can’t create new Google Docs documents while you are offline. Again, the web app will save your changes offline and upload them once you re-establish a connection.
Google Docs also lets you keep working if connectivity drops in the midst of working on a document. Once you reconnect to the internet, your changes will automatically sync with Google Drive. The Google Docs Offline extension will save your changes offline. That means you can load the Google Docs web app in Chrome and start working on your documents. The web app will then start to cache the most recent documents offline. On the Settings pop-up that shows up, turn on the switch next to Offline.įinally, click OK to enable offline functionality in Google Docs. Then, select the option labeled Settings. On the Google Docs dashboard, select the 3-stacked lines to the top-left of the screen. If you are already signed into Chrome at the browser level, you do not have to sign in to Google Docs again. Load Google Docs in a new Chrome tab and sign in to Google Docs.
But, you must first enable the functionality. Once you’ve done that, you are ready to start using Google Docs offline. Then, click Add to Chrome to add the extension to Chrome. Head into the Chrome Web Store, search for ‘Google Docs Offline’ (or click the Download button above).
It is only available for Chrome, but you can also install it on alternative Chrome-based browsers as you will later on. As its name implies, the extension allows you to use Google Docs Offline. Add Google Docs Offline ExtensionĪfter installing Google Chrome, you must add the Google Docs Offline extension to the browser. If you prefer your current browser for your main browsing activities, you can use Chrome just for working on Google Docs. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to do that. If you don’t do that, Chrome will automatically log you in at the browser level once you sign in to Google Docs later.Ĭhrome will also prompt you to set it as the default browser.
It would help if you disabled the Allow Chrome Sign-in feature (Settings > Sync and Google Services > Allow Chrome Sign-in). Or, you can use the browser without signing into it. Open Chrome, and you can choose to sign into it with your Google Account at the browser level if you want to set up Chrome sync. Then, drag and drop the Chrome app to the Applications folder. Download the Chrome installer file and open it. That said, Google Chrome is quite easy to install on the Mac. Although you may not want to have another web browser on your Mac, the convenience and peace of mind are worth the hassle. Google Chrome is a prerequisite to use Google Docs offline. We shall then look at what you must do to get offline Google Docs functionality in the officially unsupported Chromium web browsers.
Let’s set up Chrome and figure out how to work on Google Docs offline. But, that experience won’t be as polished as you get on Chrome. That said, you can also use Google Docs offline with Chromium-based web browsers (Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, etc.) as long as you are willing to use a workaround.