Sometimes, you might need the page to be in the landscape orientation to include a large table, a graph, or a map. In Google Docs, you can create a new document with either the portrait or the landscape layout. You can even take an existing Google Doc and change the page orientation to landscape.

What you cannot do is rotate one page in the middle of the document to landscape if the rest of the pages are in the portrait orientation. Only Microsoft Word has this formatting trick so far. So, let’s focus on what Google Docs can do.

How to Change the Page Orientation in Google Docs

Sign into Google Drive and open a new or an existing document in Google Docs.

1. Go to File > Page setup in the menu.
2. In the Page setup dialog box, choose the orientation you want to use: Portrait or Landscape.

   

3. Click OK and exit.

If you want to open the next documents you create in the landscape mode, then set it as the default layout. Click the Set as default button before you click OK and exit.

You must be a bit more careful with an existing document as the change in page orientation can affect the original layout of the text and media in your document. So, review it once before you save or share it.

How to Change the Page Orientation to Landscape in Google Docs on Mobile

The process to change a document from portrait to landscape (and vice-versa) is slightly different on Android and iOS. You can find the page setup controls in the three-dot menu on the mobile apps. The screenshots below refer to iOS.

Close

1. Open a document in the Google Docs mobile app.
2. Tap the three dots at the top right of the screen.
3. Go down the side menu and choose Page setup.
4. Tap Orientation.
5. Select the orientation you want to use and then tap the arrow at the top left to go back to the document.

Google Docs will prompt you to view the changes in the Print Layout view. Go back to the menu via the three dots and toggle Print layout to blue.

The Landscape Format Is Useful

Landscape is a wide format so it can give you a better horizontal view especially if you are using a lot of media in your articles. You can try this format for invoices or receipts where you can compare multiple columns next to each other. Also, common paper documents are in the portrait layout while computer screens are wider rather than taller. Mobile screens can easily switch between both modes.

Even though you cannot change part of a document to landscape, the format is useful. And it takes just a few seconds to set up a page in when you need it.