Most of us use Google apps like Gmail, Search, Drive and Maps on our smartphones and PCs without even giving them a second thought. The presence of Google products is ubiquitous in our daily lives. While you may have become a power user through regular use, there may be hidden features you haven’t discovered yet. Here are our favorite unnoticed features that can boost your productivity.
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1 Convert PDFs and images into a searchable Google Docs file
There is no need to download a questionable PDF converter for this
Google Drive has a handy feature that converts PDF documents and images into an editable Google Docs file. This option is only available on the desktop app. It works with PDFs and photos in JPEG, GIF, and PNG formats with a file size of less than 2MB. The great thing about it is that Drive automatically detects the language of the file.
For best results, use images with clear contrast and even lighting. Before uploading your documents to Google Drive, upload them the right way up. The converted file may not retain formatting details. Also, Drive may not recognize tables, lists, and footnotes. To convert your file:
- Open Google Drive on your computer.
- Right-click the file.
- Choose Open with.
- Choose Google Docs from the menu.
2 Add a second time zone to Google Calendar
Avoid confusion when scheduling
When scheduling meetings or catching up with friends or family around the world, it’s inevitable that you’ll get confused by different time zones. With Google Calendar, you can add a second time zone and configure it to show the meeting time even in other locations. This feature is only available in the desktop app. To add a second time zone:
- Go to Settings > Time zone.
- Select the Show secondary time zone checkbox.
3 Use Google Calendar to email your agenda
View your itinerary for the day
You can configure Google Calendar to send you emails every day about your upcoming appointments. This is a productive way to start your day as it will show your agenda and allow you to plan accordingly. You will see all the details in your email so you don’t need to check the Calendar app. This feature only works in the desktop app. Here’s how to enable it:
- Open Google Calendar in your desktop browser.
- Hover over a calendar and click the Button with the three dots.
- Choose Settings and sharing.
- Choose Other notifications.
- Choose e-mail next to agenda.
4 Use speech recognition in Google Docs and Slides
Get more done with hands-free editing and subtitling
The speech recognition feature in Google Docs and Slides uses Google’s built-in speech recognition service to type or edit documents using your voice. The feature works with the desktop version of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. You can use speech recognition and commands for speaker notes in presentations, and use Live Captions to transcribe everything you say. Open a document and navigate to Tools > Speech recognition to enable speech recognition in Docs.
To enable the feature in presentations, open a presentation and go to Tools > Dictate speaker notes. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + S on Windows to quickly access the tool.
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5 Use keyboard shortcuts in Gmail
Save time with keyboard shortcuts
If you’re taking too long to compose and respond to emails, you can reduce the time you spend in your inbox using keyboard shortcuts. You may not know about this feature because it’s disabled by default in the desktop version of Gmail. Here’s how to enable it:
- Go to Settings.
- Choose Show all settings.
- Choose Keyboard shortcuts on.
- Press the ? In Gmail, type the key to see available keyboard shortcuts.
Here are our favorite keyboard shortcuts:
|
action |
Keyboard shortcut |
|---|---|
|
Compose |
C |
|
Seek |
/ |
|
Open |
O |
|
Choose |
X |
|
Delete |
# |
|
Answer |
R |
|
Reply all |
A |
|
Forward |
F |
|
star |
S |
|
Back to thread list |
She |
|
Archive |
t |
|
label |
m |
|
Mark as spam |
! |
6 Sign out of your Google Account remotely
Easily log out from any device
Google lets you see all the phones, computers, tablets, and other devices you use to sign in to your Google Account. Protect your account by signing out on devices you no longer own or have lost. To do so:
- Sign in to your Google Account using a desktop browser.
- Tap your Profile icon.
- Choose Manage your Google Account.
- Go to Security > Manage all devices.
- Select a device and click Log out.
7 Find restaurants that suit your dietary preferences
Don’t waste time looking through those who don’t
If you have dietary restrictions, configure Google Maps to show restaurants that serve food that meets your requirements. Settings include alcohol-free, gluten-free, halal, kosher, vegan, and vegetarian. To enable the feature:
- Open Google Maps on your phone.
- Go to Settings > Manage your preferences.
- Knock Dietary and select your settings.
- Google Maps only shows restaurants that meet your dietary needs.
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Simplify your workflow to get more done
Follow these tips to get the most out of Google apps like Gmail, Docs, Maps, and Drive. As the search giant continues to push Gemini, you can take your AI experience even further with a paid subscription to Gemini Advanced. You can use it with Google Sheets to simplify complicated and repetitive tasks. But Gemini isn’t limited to the Google ecosystem. You can also use it to create complex Tasker profiles in a snap.
