To save a document in Google Docs, edit it while connected to the internet, and your changes save automatically to Google Drive. To download a separate file, open File > Download on a computer and choose a file type. You do not need to click a Save button to keep your online edits.
Saving to Drive, downloading a file, and making a document available offline give you different results. Choose a download when you need a portable copy, or enable offline access when you want to keep editing in Docs without an internet connection.
The short version
- Automatic saving: Google Docs saves your online changes to Google Drive as you type.
- Computer download: Choose File > Download, then select the file type you need.
- Phone download: Use More > Download beside the document in the Android Docs app or the Android and iPhone Drive apps.
- Offline editing: Make the document available offline before you need to edit without a connection.
- Separate cloud copy: Choose Make a copy when you want another Google document stored in Drive.
| What you need | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Save your current edits | Edit while online | Changes saved automatically to Drive |
| Use the save shortcut | Ctrl + S or Command + S | No separate local download |
| Choose a download format | File > Download in Docs on a computer | An exported copy on your computer |
| Download from Drive on a computer | Right-click the file or open More actions, then choose Download | A downloaded copy |
| Save a PDF through printing | File > Print | A PDF, with completion steps depending on your browser |
| Download on a phone | More > Download in Android Docs or the Drive app | A file downloaded to your device |
| Save into Apple's Files app | In Drive, More > Open in > Save to Files | An exported file in your chosen destination |
| Choose the cloud folder | In Drive, Organize > Move | The document moved when permissions allow |
| Keep editing without internet | Make available offline | An editable offline copy within Docs |
| Create another Google document | Make a copy | A separate cloud document |
Save your changes and name the document
Open your document in Google Docs and edit it while connected to the internet. Your changes save automatically as you type. You need editing permission to change the content.
On a computer, click the document name at the top, enter a name, and press Enter. Naming the document does not download a file to your computer.
In the Android Docs file list, tap More beside the document, choose Rename, enter the name, and tap Ok. On iPhone or iPad, use More > Rename, enter the name, and tap Rename. You need permission to rename the file.
You can also press Ctrl + S on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + S on Mac. Google lists these as save shortcuts, but your online edits already save automatically. The shortcut does not create a local download.
Download a copy on your computer
With the document open, select File > Download, then choose the file type you need. The exported copy downloads to your computer, separate from the original Google document. Downloading must be permitted for the document.
Google supports document exports in Microsoft Word (.docx), PDF (.pdf), OpenDocument (.odt), Rich Text (.rtf), Plain Text (.txt), HTML, zipped HTML, EPUB (.epub), and Markdown (.md) formats. Available choices differ between clients. For Markdown on the web, choose File > Download > Markdown (.md).
You can download without opening the document by selecting it in Google Drive, right-clicking it, and choosing Download. Another Drive route is to select the file, click More actions under the search bar, and select Download. Open the document in Docs when you need to choose a particular export format.
Save a PDF through the print menu
For a large document, Google recommends using Chrome's print workflow to save a PDF. Open the document and choose File > Print. Beside Destination, select Save as PDF, then click Save.
The keyboard route starts with Ctrl + P on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + P on Mac. In desktop Chrome, finish by selecting Save as PDF beside Destination and clicking Save. You need permission to print the document.
In desktop Firefox or Safari, open the document and select File > Print; a PDF downloads automatically. The former built-in Cloud Print Save to Drive destination is retired, so use PDF downloading instead.
Download on Android or iPhone
Your changes in the Google Docs mobile apps save automatically while online. For documents available for offline editing, changes save on your device and synchronize to Drive when your connection returns. Downloading a separate file requires another step.
On Android, open the Google Docs app and find the document in the file list. Tap More beside it, then tap Download. The file downloads to your phone, and a notification appears.
You can also download through the Google Drive app on Android, iPhone, or iPad. Open Drive, tap More beside the file, and select Download. On iPhone or iPad, scroll within the menu if needed to reach that option.
To choose a destination in Apple's Files app, use Drive and tap More > Open in > Save to Files. Choose the destination, then tap Save. To send the exported file to another app, select that app after Open in instead.
Google Docs on Android supports DOCX, EPUB, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT, and zipped HTML exports. On iPhone or iPad, Docs supports DOCX and PDF exports. Use the computer's File > Download workflow when you need a format beyond those mobile capabilities.
Choose where the downloaded file goes
In desktop Chrome, open More > Settings > Downloads. Select Change to choose the default download folder. Download the document through Docs or Drive to use that location.
For a location prompt with each download, turn on Ask where to save each file before downloading in the same settings. Your browser's download destination is separate from the folder holding the original document in Drive.
To move the cloud document, right-click it in Drive and choose Organize > Move. Choose or create the destination folder, then click Move. You need permission to move the file between those locations; without it, Drive may create a shortcut instead.
Keep a document available offline
Offline access lets you keep editing a document in Docs without an internet connection. It stores an editable offline copy rather than exporting a standalone PDF or Word file. Set it up while you are still online.
On a computer, use Chrome or Microsoft Edge outside private browsing and install and enable Google Docs Offline. From the Docs home screen, open Menu > Settings and enable Offline. You need sufficient local storage, and only one account can have offline access enabled per browser profile.
Next, open the document and choose File > Make available offline. Click See document status beside its title to check readiness. Docs displays an explanation when the file is not ready for offline editing.
On Android, iPhone, or iPad, open the Docs app and tap More beside the file, then Make available offline. Find your offline documents through Menu > Offline. To keep recent files available automatically, open Menu > Settings and turn on Make recent files available offline.
Make a separate Google Docs copy
To create another Google document, open the document on a computer and select File > Make a copy. Enter a name and choose where to save it. If needed, select Copy comments and suggestions, then click Ok.
The result is a separate cloud document. Download that copy through File > Download when you also need a portable file.
In the Android Docs file list, tap More > Make a copy, enter a title, choose a location, and tap Ok. On iPhone or iPad, tap More > Make a copy beside the document, and the new copy opens in the app. Copying must be permitted for either route.
Fix missing or unsuccessful downloads
When you cannot download or copy a shared document, ask its owner to allow the action. If you own the document, select the file, open Share > Settings, and check the appropriate roles under People who can download, copy, and print. These permissions also affect the print workflow.
Your organization's policies can impose additional restrictions, including restrictions on owners. If an organizational rule blocks downloading, ask your administrator to review it. An administrator can also restrict offline access for your work or school account.
On Android, Google Drive's Download option is unavailable while network Data Saver is enabled. On a Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver and turn it off. Return to Drive and retry More > Download; other Android manufacturers can use different settings paths.
For a failed Drive download in Chrome, open More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Turn extensions off and retry, then re-enable them individually to identify interference. If you identify an extension causing the failure and want to uninstall it, select Remove and confirm with Remove.
To locate a download, copy, or printing action in Docs, click Search in the toolbar or open Help > Search the menus. Search for the action and select the available result. If a large document will not download as a PDF, use Chrome's File > Print workflow, choose Save as PDF beside Destination, and click Save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you download several Google Docs documents at once?
Yes, in Google Drive on a computer, select a file, then hold Ctrl on Windows or Command on Mac while selecting additional files. Right-click the selection and choose Download. Downloading must be allowed for the selected documents.
Can you save an earlier version as a separate document?
Yes, on the web, click Last edit, then select More beside the version you want and choose Make a copy. Enter a name, choose where to save it, and click OK. You need editing permission and access to that version.
Can you name a version without creating another document?
Yes, click Last edit at the top right of the document, select a version, and choose More > Name this version. Enter a meaningful name. With editing permission, you can name up to 40 versions per document.
Does Google Docs keep a Word file in its original format?
Yes, when you upload a supported Office file to Drive and open it with Google Docs, your edits save automatically back to its original Office format. This differs from editing a native Google document and exporting a Word copy.
Can you copy only part of a document as Markdown?
Yes, select the content in Docs on a computer, right-click, and choose Copy as Markdown. Paste it into your destination application and save it there. Copying must be permitted for the document.