How to Double Underline in Google Docs (Two Methods)

Written by Tanja Google Workplace / Docs

- 7 min read
Key Points

Even though Google does not have a built-in feature for a double underling, you can still do it using the Equation box or the Drawing box.

 

Using the Equations box: Open a Google Docs document > Insert > Equation > type in "\underline" and enter the spacebar > type in "\underline" and hit the spacebar again > enter the text in the Equation box and your text will be automatically double-underlined.

 

Using the Drawing tool: Open Google Docs document > type in a text and place the cursor in the next line > click on Insert (toolbar) > Drawing > New > click on the line icon to draw a line > click on Save and Close > Click on the line and select Image options (three vertical dots) > Size and Rotation > Select the line and click on Edit > select the line and click on Actions > Copy > Paste.

Since it was launched back in 2006, Google Docs is probably one of the best online word processors with free web-based Google Docs Editors offered by Google. As a Google service, they offer a diverse format of options for users to choose from, and one of those much-appreciated features is the underline feature.

However, the single underline option is often regarded as a link, and users want to place double underlining to make their text stand out.

Google Docs doesn't have a built-in feature to double underline a text.

However, there are still workarounds on how you can do it.

Keep on reading to learn the steps.

You can also check out: How to circle something in Google Docs?

Why do people use the double underline format in Google Docs?

Google Docs users use the double underline feature to heighten the importance of a certain text in a document. For obvious reasons, the regular underlined text is considered a link, and often, people associate and consider an underlined text as a link.

So, people use the double underline to highlight the text, optimize it and make their text unique.

Also, double underlining is widely used in accounting.

Bonus read: How to chat in Google Docs?

How to double underline text in Google docs (using the Equation box)

  1. Open a Google Docs document.
    From the toolbar, choose and click on Insert.
  2. Click on Equation and the Equation box will be displayed on the screen.

Insert > Equation - Google Docs options

  1. In the box, type in “\underline” and enter the spacebar.

Type in "\underline" - Google Docs

  1. Type in “\underline” again and enter the spacebar and the double underline will be shown in the Equation box.

Type in "\underline"

  1. Then, you can enter the text in the equation box and it will be automatically double-underlined.

Double underling - Google Docs

How to double underline in Google Docs with the Drawing tool

The Drawing tool in Google docs is not just for creating pictures but also for adding elements that highlight the document.

  1. Open Google Docs as usual.
  2. Type in the text you want to double underline and place your cursor in the next line.

Type in text and place your cursor in the next tab - Google Docs

  1. From the toolbar, choose and click on Insert.

Insert option - Google Docs

  1. Then, click on Drawing and then click on New.

Drawing > New - Google Docs options

  1. When the Drawing box opens, select the line icon in the menu and click on it.

Drawing box - line icon - Google Docs

  1. Draw a line and click on Save and Close.

Draw a line > Save and Close - Google Docs

  1. The line will be displayed under the text where you placed the cursor - click on that line and select Image options (indicated as a vertical dotted line).
  2. Click on Size & rotation (given in the Image Options section).

Image options - Size and Rotation

  1. Once you click on Size and rotation, you can edit the size of the line.

Edit line - Google Docs options

  1. Select the line and click on Edit.

Edit option - Google Docs

  1. Select the line and go to Actions > click on Copy > Paste the line by selecting Actions and Paste.

Select the line > Actions > Copy > Paste

Alternatively, you can do the same by pressing Ctrl + C and then Ctrl + V on your keyboard.

  1. Align the line in the same position below the original one and click on Save and Close.
  2. You will see your text displayed with a double underline - click the line and select the behind text option to place the line behind the text.

What to pay attention to

With the first method, you must follow the chronological order mentioned in the steps above. Plus, make sure that a backlash is used in the equation box.

With the second method, make sure that the width of the line is in position with your text. Plus, ensure to align the line behind the text so that it doesn't overlap the text with the line itself.

Bottom line

Using double underlining emphasizes the importance of the text you are writing. Hopefully, these methods helped you understand why double underlining is something you should know when working in Google Docs.

Besides this, you can also learn how to restart numbering in Google Docs, how to turn off auto caps in Google Docs, and how to flip an image in Google Docs.

Or, if you want the comments you are writing in your Google Docs to be printed together with the document, you might as well learn how to do that as well.