To indent in the Google Docs app on a phone or tablet, open the document, tap Edit (the pencil), select the paragraph, tap Format (the letter A at the top), and tap Increase indent. Each tap moves the whole paragraph a step to the right, and Decrease indent moves it back. On iPhone and iPad, the indent buttons sit on the Paragraph tab of the Format panel.
The catch is that the mobile app indents entire paragraphs only. It doesn’t offer the first-line or hanging indent settings you get on a computer. This guide shows the basic steps on Android and iPhone or iPad, then covers practical workarounds for first-line and hanging indents, keyboard shortcuts for tablets with a keyboard, and fixes for when the indent buttons don’t respond.
Quick Answer
- Open the document in the Google Docs app and tap Edit (the pencil icon).
- Tap inside the paragraph you want to indent, or double-tap and drag the blue markers to select several paragraphs.
- Tap Format (the A icon) at the top of the screen. On iPhone or iPad, tap the Paragraph tab.
- Tap Increase indent to move the paragraph right, or Decrease indent to move it back.
- For a first-line or hanging indent, use one of the workarounds below or set it on a computer, where the setting stays with the document.
In This Guide
- What you need and what the app can do
- Indent a paragraph on Android
- Indent a paragraph on iPhone or iPad
- Indent bulleted and numbered lists
- Use a keyboard with your phone or tablet
- First-line indent workarounds
- Hanging indent workarounds
- Which indent option should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
What You Need and What the App Can Do
These steps follow Google Docs Editors Help as of September 2026. Google updates the Docs app often, so icons and labels can look a little different depending on your app version and device.
- The Google Docs app. Install it from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone and iPad), and keep it updated.
- Edit access to the document. If a document was shared with you as View only or Comment access, the formatting tools won’t work. You need to be the owner or an editor.
- A signed-in Google Account. The app uses the same account you use for Google Drive.
A few terms used in this guide:
- Indent means moving text in from the left margin. In the app, the indent buttons move every line of a paragraph by the same amount.
- First-line indent moves only the first line of a paragraph to the right, the way most books and essays start paragraphs.
- Hanging indent is the opposite: the first line starts at the margin and every line after it is indented. It’s standard for bibliographies and reference lists in styles like APA and MLA.
Here’s what the mobile app can and can’t do with indents:
| Task | Google Docs app (Android, iPhone, iPad) | Google Docs on a computer |
|---|---|---|
| Indent a whole paragraph | Yes, with Increase indent and Decrease indent | Yes, with toolbar buttons, the ruler or shortcuts |
| Indent list items (nesting) | Yes | Yes |
| First-line indent setting | Not offered in current app help; use a workaround | Yes, under Indentation options |
| Hanging indent setting | Not offered in current app help; use a workaround | Yes, under Indentation options |
| Exact indent size (for example, 0.5 inch) | No exact control | Yes |
How to Indent a Paragraph on Android
These steps apply to Android phones and tablets using the Google Docs app.
- Open your document. Launch the Google Docs app and tap the document you want to change. Expected result: The document opens in reading view.
- Turn on editing. Tap Edit, the pencil icon near the bottom right. Expected result: A cursor appears and the keyboard opens.
- Choose the text. To indent one paragraph, tap anywhere inside it. To indent several paragraphs at once, double-tap a word, then drag the blue markers so the selection covers every paragraph you want to move.
- Open formatting. Tap Format, the A icon in the toolbar at the top. Expected result: A formatting panel opens at the bottom of the screen with text and paragraph options.
- Find the paragraph controls. If the panel has separate tabs, tap Paragraph. The tab names can vary by app version, and on some versions the alignment and spacing options appear right away.
- Tap Increase indent. The indent buttons are at the bottom of the panel. Tap Increase indent once for each step you want. Expected result: Every line of the paragraph moves to the right.
- Adjust if needed. Tap Decrease indent to move the text back toward the margin.
- Close the panel. Tap the document above the panel (or use the close or back control, depending on your app version) to return to typing. Google Docs saves your change automatically.
How to Indent a Paragraph on iPhone or iPad
The iPhone and iPad app puts the indent buttons on a Paragraph tab, which Google’s help pages confirm for this version of the app.
- Open your document. Open the Google Docs app and tap the document.
- Tap Edit. Tap the pencil icon at the bottom right. Expected result: The keyboard appears and you can place the cursor.
- Select the text. Tap inside a single paragraph, or double-tap to select text and drag the blue handles to include more paragraphs.
- Tap Format. Tap the A icon at the top of the screen.
- Tap Paragraph. In the Format panel, switch from the Text tab to the Paragraph tab. Expected result: You see alignment, line spacing, list and indent options.
- Tap Increase indent. The indent buttons are at the bottom of the Paragraph tab. Each tap moves the selection one step right.
- Tap Decrease indent to undo a step. Keep tapping until the paragraph sits where you want it.
- Go back to typing. Tap the document to close the panel. Your edits save automatically.
On an iPad, the Format panel may open as a side panel instead of a sheet at the bottom of the screen, but the tabs and buttons are the same. The Paragraph tab is also where you change alignment and line spacing, as described in Google’s help page on changing how paragraphs and fonts look on iPhone and iPad.
How to Indent Bulleted and Numbered Lists
Indenting list items works the same way and is the most reliable indent feature in the app. It creates sub-points (also called nested items) under a main point.
- Tap Edit, then tap inside the list item you want to move.
- Tap Format. On iPhone or iPad, tap Paragraph.
- If the text isn’t a list yet, tap Bulleted list or Numbered list.
- At the bottom of the panel, tap Increase indent. Expected result: The item moves right, and the bullet or number changes to the next level’s style (for example, from 1 to a).
- Tap Decrease indent to move the item back up a level.
If your bullets end up at uneven positions, see our guide on aligning bullet points in Google Docs.
Use a Keyboard With Your Phone or Tablet
If you use a Bluetooth or attached keyboard, such as a tablet keyboard case, you can indent without opening the Format panel. Google lists these shortcuts for the Docs app:
| Action | Android (with a keyboard) | iPhone and iPad (with a keyboard) |
|---|---|---|
| Increase paragraph indentation | Ctrl + ] | Command + ] |
| Decrease paragraph indentation | Ctrl + [ | Command + [ |
Place the cursor in the paragraph, or select several paragraphs, and press the shortcut. Google notes that some shortcuts might not work with every language or keyboard layout. You can see the full list in Google’s keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs on Android.
What about the Tab key? On-screen phone keyboards usually don’t have one. On a physical keyboard, pressing Tab at the start of a line may insert a tab space or indent a list item, but that behavior isn’t documented for the mobile app, so the shortcuts above are the more predictable choice.
First-Line Indent Workarounds
A first-line indent is the classic paragraph style for essays and books. The mobile app doesn’t show a first-line setting in its current help documentation, so you have three practical options.
Option 1: Set it on a computer (best for school and work)
Indent formatting belongs to the document, not the device. If you set a first-line indent on a computer, it should stay in place when you open the document in the app, and new paragraphs you create by pressing Enter at the end of an indented paragraph usually keep the same formatting.
- On a computer, open the document at docs.google.com.
- Select the paragraphs you want to format. Press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Command + A (Mac) to select the whole document.
- Click Format, then Align & indent, then Indentation options.
- Under Special indent, choose First line (if you see it listed) and enter a size, such as 0.5 inches.
- Click Apply.
For more detail, including the ruler method, see our full guide on how to indent on Google Docs from a computer.
Option 2: Type spaces at the start of the line
Tap at the very start of the paragraph and type four or five spaces. It looks like an indent on screen, but it’s only a visual fix. Spaces can shift when you change the font or size, they don’t match exact style-guide measurements, and a teacher or editor who checks the formatting will be able to tell. Use this for casual documents only.
Option 3: Copy an already indented paragraph
If one paragraph in the document already has a first-line indent (set on a computer), place the cursor at the end of that paragraph and tap Enter on the keyboard to start a new one. The new paragraph normally carries the same paragraph formatting, so you can keep typing without losing the indent.
Hanging Indent Workarounds
Hanging indents are required for most reference lists, which is why so many people look for this on mobile. The app doesn’t list a hanging indent option in Google’s current help pages, so here are the options, from most to least reliable.
Option 1: Apply it on a computer, then edit on your phone
This is the only way to get a true hanging indent at an exact size. Google’s help documents the path on a computer:
- Open the document on a computer and select your reference entries.
- Click Format, then Align & indent, then Indentation options.
- Under Special indent, choose Hanging.
- Adjust the size if needed. APA and MLA both use 0.5 inches.
- Click Apply.
Google explains this in its help page on lists and indents in Google Docs on a computer. Once it’s set, you can add new entries from your phone by tapping Enter at the end of an existing entry, which keeps the hanging format. Our step-by-step guide on making a Google Docs hanging indent covers the computer side in more detail.
Option 2: Line breaks plus Increase indent (phone only)
If you have no computer handy, you can imitate a hanging indent in the app. Warning: this turns one reference into several separate paragraphs, so if you later edit the text, the line breaks won’t move with it and you’ll need to redo them. Finish editing the wording first.
- Type or paste the full reference entry and finish editing it.
- Look at where the first line ends on the page. Tap just before the first word of the second line and tap Enter on the keyboard. Expected result: The second line becomes its own paragraph.
- Repeat for any further lines in the same entry.
- Select every line except the first one.
- Tap Format (then Paragraph on iPhone or iPad) and tap Increase indent once.
- Repeat for each reference entry.
Line lengths differ between a phone screen and a printed page, so check the result on a computer or in print preview before you submit it.
Option 3: Open the full Docs website in a mobile browser
Some people open docs.google.com in a mobile browser and switch the browser to its desktop site mode to reach the full Format menu. Mobile browsers tend to redirect Docs links to the app or show a simplified editor, and Google doesn’t document this as a supported way to edit, so it may not work on your device. Treat it as a last resort.
Which Indent Option Should You Use?
| Your goal | Best option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Move a whole paragraph or block quote right | Increase indent in the app | Built in, works on Android, iPhone and iPad |
| Create sub-points in a list | Increase indent on the list item | Creates proper nested list levels |
| Essay with first-line indents | Set First line on a computer, then edit anywhere | Exact and consistent, survives edits |
| APA or MLA reference list | Set Hanging on a computer | Only way to get a true 0.5-inch hanging indent |
| Quick note, no computer available | Spaces or the line break workaround | Fast, but visual only and easy to break |
A good rule: use the app for whole-paragraph and list indents, and do special indents on a computer once. After that, the phone is fine for writing and editing.
Troubleshooting
The Format button or indent buttons are missing or grayed out
You’re probably still in reading view, or you don’t have edit access. Tap Edit (the pencil) first. If there’s no pencil, the document was likely shared as View only or Comment access, so ask the owner for edit access or make a copy in the app and edit the copy.
Increase indent moves every line, not just the first
That’s how the app’s indent buttons work. They shift the whole paragraph. For a first-line or hanging indent, use one of the workarounds above.
Only one paragraph moved when I wanted several
Tapping inside a paragraph affects only that paragraph. Double-tap a word and drag the blue markers so the selection touches every paragraph you want to change, then tap Increase indent again.
My indents look different on my computer
Phones wrap lines differently from pages, so indents made with spaces or line breaks can look wrong on a computer or in print. Indents made with the Increase indent button, or with Indentation options on a computer, stay consistent. Replace space-based indents with real indent settings where it matters.
I can’t find the Paragraph tab on Android
The Android Format panel can look different from the iPhone version. If you don’t see a Paragraph tab, scroll the Format panel or look at its bottom edge for the indent buttons. If nothing appears, update the Google Docs app from the Play Store and try again.
The keyboard shortcut does nothing
Make sure the cursor is inside the document and editing is turned on. Some keyboard layouts and languages don’t support every shortcut. Use the Format panel buttons instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do a hanging indent in the Google Docs app?
Not directly, based on Google’s current help for the app. The easiest fix is to apply the hanging indent once on a computer under Format, Align & indent, Indentation options. You can then add and edit entries on your phone and keep the formatting.
Is there a Tab key on the Google Docs mobile keyboard?
Most on-screen phone keyboards don’t have a Tab key. Use the Increase indent button in the Format panel, or connect a physical keyboard and use Ctrl + ] on Android or Command + ] on iPhone and iPad.
How far does Increase indent move a paragraph?
Each tap moves it one fixed step. The app doesn’t let you type an exact measurement. If you need a specific size, such as 0.5 inches, set it on a computer.
Will my indents stay if I open the document on a computer?
Yes. Indents made with the app’s indent buttons are saved in the document and appear on every device. Spaces and manual line breaks also stay, but they may not line up the same way on a larger screen.
Can I indent a right-aligned or centered paragraph?
You can tap Increase indent on any paragraph, but the effect is easiest to see on left-aligned text. Indents mostly affect where text starts on the left, so centered text may only shift slightly.
Why did my bullet change style when I indented it?
Indenting a list item moves it to the next list level, and each level can use a different bullet or numbering style. Tap Decrease indent to move it back to the original level.
How do I remove an indent in the app?
Select the indented paragraph, tap Format (and Paragraph on iPhone or iPad), and tap Decrease indent until the text is back at the margin. For indents made with spaces, delete the spaces at the start of the line. For the line break workaround, delete the extra line breaks to rejoin the lines, then tap Decrease indent.
Summary
- Open the document in the Google Docs app and tap Edit.
- Select the paragraph or paragraphs you want to move.
- Tap Format (and Paragraph on iPhone or iPad), then Increase indent or Decrease indent.
- Use the same buttons to nest bulleted and numbered list items.
- With a keyboard, use Ctrl + ] and Ctrl + [ on Android, or Command + ] and Command + [ on iPhone and iPad.
- For first-line and hanging indents, set them once on a computer, or use a mobile workaround for casual documents.
Next step: if you’re formatting a reference list, open the document on a computer once, apply a 0.5-inch hanging indent to the entries, and then keep adding sources from your phone.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.