Hanging indents, where the first line of a paragraph sits at the margin and the rest of the lines are indented, are required for works cited and reference lists in MLA, APA, and Chicago style. On a computer, Google Docs makes this easy. On an iPad, the Google Docs app doesn’t include a hanging indent option, so you need a workaround. This guide shows the two methods that work: using Google Docs in Safari’s desktop mode for a true hanging indent, and a quick manual method inside the app.
Quick answer
Open docs.google.com in Safari, tap aA in the address bar and choose Request Desktop Website, open your document, select the citations, then go to Format > Align & indent > Indentation options, set Special indent to Hanging, and tap Apply.
Why the Google Docs app can’t do it directly
The Google Docs app for iPad has basic indent buttons that move a whole paragraph left or right, but it doesn’t have the ruler or the Special indent setting found on the desktop version. That’s why a hanging indent created on a computer still shows correctly on your iPad, but you can’t create one from scratch in the app.
Method 1: Use Google Docs in Safari’s desktop mode (recommended)
This creates a real hanging indent that stays correct when you edit the text.
- Open Safari and go to docs.google.com. Sign in if asked.
- Tap aA on the left side of the address bar and choose Request Desktop Website.
- Open your document. If Safari keeps trying to open the Docs app, press and hold the document link and choose to open it in a new tab.
- Select the paragraphs that need a hanging indent, such as your reference list.
- Tap Format in the menu bar, then Align & indent > Indentation options.
- Under Special indent, choose Hanging. The standard depth is 0.5 inches.
- Tap Apply.
The indent is saved with the document, so it looks the same when you go back to the Docs app or open the file on a computer.
Method 2: Manual hanging indent in the Google Docs app
If you can’t use Safari, you can mimic the look inside the app. It’s less reliable because each line becomes its own paragraph, so edits can push text out of place.
- Open the document in the Google Docs app and tap the pencil icon to edit.
- Tap at the end of the first line of the citation, exactly where the line wraps, and press Return.
- With the cursor at the start of the new line, tap the Format icon (the A with lines).
- Open the Paragraph tab and tap the Increase indent button.
- Repeat for any other wrapped lines in the same citation.
Use this only for short lists or a quick fix, and check the formatting again before you submit.
Set up double spacing for citations
MLA and APA reference lists are usually double-spaced. In the app, open the Format panel, go to the Paragraph tab, and set Line spacing to 2. In desktop mode, use Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Double.
If your hanging indent looks wrong
- Lines start in the wrong place: Look for manual line breaks, tabs, or spaces at the start of lines, often left over from Method 2 or pasted text. Delete them so each citation is one continuous paragraph, then apply the hanging indent again.
- The whole paragraph is indented: A left indent was applied instead of a hanging indent. In Indentation options, set the Left indent to 0 and the Special indent to Hanging.
- Only one citation changed: Select all the citations before opening Indentation options.
Tips for citation pages
- Apply the hanging indent to all of your citations at once by selecting the whole list first.
- Sort entries alphabetically by the author’s last name, as most styles require.
- If pasted citations look odd, paste with Paste without formatting before applying the indent.
- Consider an iPad keyboard or trackpad. Selecting text and using menus in desktop mode is much easier with one.
Working on a computer instead? See how to do a hanging indent in Google Docs or, for Word, how to get a hanging indent in Word.
Related: How to add a bullet point in Google Docs.
Related: Use Microsoft Word on iPad.
Frequently asked questions
Will a hanging indent I make on my computer show on my iPad?
Yes. Formatting set on the desktop version is saved in the document and displays correctly in the iPad app.
Can I switch the Google Docs app to desktop mode?
No. Desktop mode is a Safari feature. The app always uses its mobile layout, which is why Method 1 opens Docs in the browser instead.
What size should a hanging indent be?
MLA and APA both use a 0.5-inch hanging indent.
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.