How to Set Up MLA Format in Google Docs Step by Step

Key Takeaways

• Standard Settings: MLA format requires 1-inch margins on all sides, double spacing throughout the paper, and an easily readable font (typically Times New Roman, size 12).
• Proper Heading: Your first page must include a specific heading: your full name, your instructor’s name, the course name, and the due date, typed on separate lines on the top left.
• Header with Page Numbers: You need a header in the top right corner of every page that includes your last name followed by a space and the page number.
• Hanging Indents: For your Works Cited page, all source entries must use a special 0.5-inch hanging indent.
• Two Ways to Do It: You can format your document manually step by step, or you can use the built-in MLA template provided by Google Docs in their Template Gallery.

If you are a student in the United States, whether you are in high school or starting your first year of college, you will quickly learn that writing a good paper is only half the battle. The other half is making sure your paper is formatted correctly. For English, literature, and many humanities classes, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style is the strict standard you must follow.

If your professor asks for an essay in MLA format, they expect it to look exactly like the guidelines say. If your margins are too big, your font is too flashy, or you forgot your page numbers, you could easily lose valuable points on your final grade.

Thankfully, you do not need to buy expensive word-processing software. Google Docs is free, automatically saves your work to the cloud, and has all the tools you need to create a perfect paper. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through exactly how to set up MLA format in Google Docs step by step. We will cover everything from setting your margins to creating that tricky hanging indent for your Works Cited page.

Basic MLA Format Rules Every Student Should Know

Before we start clicking buttons in Google Docs, you need to know what the target looks like. The MLA Handbook sets out very specific rules for how a printed or digital document should appear. The goal of this format is not to be annoying; the goal is to make your paper easy to read and give your instructor enough space to leave comments.

Below is a quick checklist of the non-negotiable rules for an MLA-formatted paper.

Table 1: Quick MLA Formatting Checklist

Formatting Element	Official MLA Requirement
Margins	1 inch on the top, bottom, left, and right sides.
Font Style	An easily readable serif font. Times New Roman is the strict standard.
Font Size	Exactly 12-point size.
Line Spacing	Double-spaced throughout the entire document, with no extra spaces between paragraphs.
Paragraph Indents	The first line of every new paragraph must be indented by exactly 0.5 inches.
Header	Your last name and the page number must appear in the top right corner of every page.
Title Page	No separate title page is needed unless your professor specifically asks for one.
Works Cited Page	Must start on a brand new page at the end of the document, using “hanging indents.”

Now that you know what is expected, let us open a fresh Google Doc and set it up from scratch.

Setting Up MLA Format in Google Docs: Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these exact steps to turn a blank Google Doc into a perfectly formatted MLA paper.

Step 1: Set Your Margins

Google Docs usually defaults to 1-inch margins, but it is always smart to double-check before you start writing.

1. Look at the top menu bar and click on File.
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and click on Page setup.
3. A small box will pop up. Look at the section labeled “Margins (inches)”.
4. Make sure the numbers for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right all say 1.
5. Click OK.

Step 2: Choose the Right Font and Size

Google Docs defaults to a font called Arial in size 11. This is not correct for MLA format.

1. Highlight any text you have already typed, or just click anywhere on your blank page.
2. Look at the toolbar at the top of your screen. Click the box that says Arial.
3. Scroll down the drop-down menu and select Times New Roman.
4. Next to the font name, you will see a number for the font size. Change the 11 to a 12.

Step 3: Set Double Spacing

Your entire paper, including your heading, your title, and your Works Cited page, must be double-spaced.

1. On the top toolbar, look for the icon with an up and down arrow next to three horizontal lines (Line & paragraph spacing).
2. Click on that icon.
3. Select Double from the drop-down menu.
4. Click the icon one more time. If you see an option that says “Remove space after paragraph,” click it. You do not want extra blank spaces jumping in between your paragraphs.

Step 4: Create Your Header with Last Name and Page Number

This is one of the most important steps. You need your last name and the page number to appear automatically on every single page. Do not try to type this manually at the top of each page!

1. Go to the top menu and click Insert.
2. Hover over Page numbers and select the first box on the top left (the one that shows numbers in the top right corner of every page).
3. A number “1” will appear at the top right of your page, and your cursor will be blinking right next to it.
4. Type your last name and press the Spacebar once. Make sure there is a space between your name and the number.
5. Highlight your name and the number. You must change the font to Times New Roman and the size to 12 so it matches the rest of your paper.
6. Click anywhere in the main body of the blank page to exit the header area.

Step 5: Type Your Heading and Paper Title

MLA format does not use a separate cover page. Instead, you put your identifying information on the top left of your first page.

1. Make sure your typing cursor is on the left side of the page.
2. Type your first and last name, then press Enter.
3. Type your professor’s or instructor’s name, then press Enter.
4. Type the name of your course (e.g., English 101), then press Enter.
5. Type the due date. In MLA format, the date is written as Day Month Year with no commas (e.g., 14 May 2026), then press Enter.
6. Now, it is time for your title. Go to the top toolbar and click the Center align button.
7. Type the title of your paper. Keep the font normal. Do not make the title bold, do not underline it, and do not type in all capital letters.
8. Press Enter to move to the next line.

Step 6: Indent Your Paragraphs

You are almost ready to write! You just need to make sure your paragraphs are indented correctly.

1. After typing your title and pressing Enter, go back to the top toolbar and click the Left align button.
2. Before you type your first sentence, press the Tab key on your keyboard one time. This will push your cursor half an inch to the right.
3. Begin typing your introductory paragraph. Every time you finish a paragraph and press Enter, you must press the Tab key again to indent the new paragraph.

How to Format Block Quotes in Google Docs

If you are writing a research paper, you will eventually need to use quotes. If you are quoting a section of text that takes up more than four lines in your Google Doc, MLA rules say you must format it as a “block quote”.

A block quote is separated from the main text and is indented completely by half an inch. Here is how to do it:

1. Type your introductory sentence that leads into the quote, and press Enter.
2. Type out the full quote without using any quotation marks.
3. Highlight the entire quote.
4. Go to the top menu and click Format, hover over Align & indent, and click Indentation options.
5. In the box labeled “Left”, change the number to 1. Leave the “Special indent” box as None.
6. Click Apply.

The entire block of text will slide over to the right. Once you finish the quote, press Enter, change the left indent back to 0, and continue writing your paper normally.

Setting Up the Works Cited Page with Hanging Indents

The very last section of your paper will be the Works Cited page. This is where you list all the books, websites, and articles you used.

1. When you finish your essay, do not just press the Enter key until you reach a new page. Instead, go to the top menu, click Insert, hover over Break, and select Page break. This gives you a clean new page.
2. Click the Center align button on your toolbar. Type the words Works Cited at the top of the page. Do not make it bold or italic. Press Enter.
3. Click the Left align button.
4. Type out your first citation according to MLA rules.
5. In MLA format, your citations must use a hanging indent. This means the first line of the citation touches the left margin, but the second and third lines are indented to the right.
6. To set this up, highlight all the citations you have typed.
7. Go to Format > Align & indent > Indentation options.
8. Look under the “Special indent” section. Click the drop-down menu and choose Hanging. Make sure it is set to 0.5.
9. Click Apply. Google Docs will automatically format your citations perfectly.

How to Use the Built-in MLA Template in Google Docs

If manually setting up margins and headers sounds like too much work, you are in luck. Google Docs has a built-in template that does most of the heavy lifting for you.

1. Open a new tab in your browser and go to your main Google Docs homepage.
2. At the top of the screen, look for the section that says “Start a new document.”
3. Click on Template gallery in the top right corner of that section.
4. Scroll down until you see the section called “Education”.
5. Look for the template that says Report with the letters MLA underneath it. Click on it.
6. A new document will open. It is already set to Times New Roman, size 12, with double spacing and 1-inch margins.
7. All you have to do is delete the placeholder text (like “Your Name” and “Course Name”) and type in your own information. Be sure to double-click the header area to change the placeholder last name to your own.

Table 2: Manual Formatting vs. Using the Template

Feature	Manual Formatting	MLA Template
Control	You know exactly what settings are applied and can fix errors easily.	Settings are pre-loaded, but fixing accidental changes can be confusing.
Speed	Takes about 3 to 5 minutes to set up from scratch.	Takes 30 seconds to open and begin typing.
Works Cited	You must set up the hanging indents yourself.	Hanging indents are already configured at the bottom of the document.
Best For	Students who want to truly learn how word processors work.	Students who are in a rush and need to start writing immediately.

Adding In-Text Citations Automatically in Google Docs

Google Docs recently added a fantastic tool to help students manage their sources. You no longer have to build your Works Cited page completely by yourself.

1. Go to the top menu and click Tools, then select Citations.
2. A sidebar will open on the right side of your screen.
3. Make sure the drop-down menu at the top of the sidebar is set to MLA.
4. Click the blue + Add citation source button.
5. Choose your source type (like a Book or a Website) and fill in the author, title, and publisher information.
6. Click Add citation source at the bottom.
7. While you are typing your paper, if you need to add an in-text citation, just put your cursor where you want it to go, look at the sidebar, and click Cite next to the source.
8. When your paper is done, you can click Insert Works Cited at the bottom of the sidebar, and Google Docs will build the entire page for you!

Summary

Learning how to set up MLA format in Google Docs step by step is an essential skill for any US high school or college student. By mastering the basic rules—like using Times New Roman size 12 font, setting 1-inch margins, double-spacing your text, and creating a proper header—you ensure your professors focus on your brilliant ideas rather than your formatting mistakes. You can choose to format your document manually for total control, or use the convenient built-in template found in the Google Docs Template Gallery. Formatting is just one part of understanding the complex world of American academics. If you are also trying to figure out how colleges evaluate your academic transcripts, be sure to check out our complete guide on how to calculate unweighted GPA to see where you truly stand before applying to your dream school.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What font should I use for MLA format in Google Docs?

The standard, universally accepted font for MLA format is Times New Roman. You must set the font size to exactly 12 points for the entire document, including your title, header, and Works Cited page.

How do I make a hanging indent on Google Docs?

To create a hanging indent for your Works Cited page, highlight your citations, click on the Format tab at the top, hover over Align & indent, and select Indentation options. Under the “Special indent” drop-down menu, choose “Hanging” and make sure the value is set to 0.5 inches.

Does MLA format require a title page?

No, standard MLA format does not require a separate title page. You simply place your identifying heading (your name, instructor’s name, course, and date) on the top left of the very first page of your essay. Only use a title page if your professor specifically demands one.

How do I fix the header in Google Docs for MLA?

To add your header, go to Insert > Page numbers and select the top-right option. Then, click next to the number that appears, type your last name, and add one space. Highlight both your name and the number, and change the font to Times New Roman size 12 to ensure it matches the rest of your document.

How do you double space an essay on Google Docs?

Highlight all your text (or simply do this before you start typing). Click the Line & paragraph spacing icon on your top toolbar (it looks like three lines with vertical arrows). From the drop-down menu, select Double. Also, ensure you click “Remove space after paragraph” if that option is visible.

For a visual walkthrough of these steps, check out this Setting up MLA Format Paper in Google Docs Step-by-Step (2020) | Scribbr video. This visual guide makes it easy to see exactly where to click in the Google Docs menus.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational guidance only. While this guide follows the official guidelines of the Modern Language Association (MLA), individual professors or academic departments may have their own specific formatting preferences or variations. Always check your specific course syllabus or ask your instructor for their exact requirements before submitting your final assignment.