Many people and businesses use Google Docs as a free and excellent Microsoft Word alternative. Besides being free, a major reason for this transition is that it's easy to collaborate with multiple people working on the same document, with it safely stored in the cloud.

The downside to Google Docs is that it requires an internet connection at all times. Even if a Docs page is open when the internet goes out, you can't make changes to it until you're back online. Fortunately, there is an offline mode that lets users work on their documents even when they don't have an internet connection. Once added, the offline extension allows you to modify Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

How to enable Google Docs Offline

Enabling Google Docs Offline only takes a few minutes and can save some major headaches down the road. In addition to working on Google's Chrome web browser, it is also available on Microsoft Edge or any other Chromium-based browser. This will also work on Chromebooks as long as you have enough storage space. The extension should then be automatically installed on your other computers that are signed in to the same Google account.

  1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and download Google Docs Offline.
  2. Open Google Drive in your browser.
  3. Click on the gear icon and select Settings.
  4. Check the box below Offline to work with Docs, Sheets, and Slides offline.

How to use Google Docs Offline

There are a few steps you need to take to use Google Docs Offline. Google will automatically save your recently opened Docs to access offline, but it's always a good idea to verify that the files you need are stored locally. Additionally, you can make any Google Docs file available offline with just a few clicks.

  1. Open Google Drive and find the Google Docs file that you want to use offline.
  2. Click on the three-dot menu.
  3. Select Make available offline to access the file offline.
  4. Test offline mode by disconnecting the computer from the internet and opening Google Drive. It should open and show the files are available for offline editing.
  5. You can also check to see if the circle with a checkmark is shaded, with the option to Remove offline access.

Export Google Docs to use offline in Microsoft Word

While I've gotten used to Google Docs over the last few years, I'm still a big fan of Microsoft Office. Word has more features and many people are simply more familiar with it than Google Docs. Before adding the offline extension, I simply downloaded the Docs files and edited them with Word while offline, and then re-uploaded them later. The problem with this method is that you have to anticipate not having internet access, and there are a lot of steps. Nonetheless, this is a quick and easy option to edit a Google Docs file offline.

  1. Open the Google Docs file that you want to access offline.
  2. Go to File > Download.
  3. Choose Microsoft Word (.docx) to download the document.
  4. Open the recently downloaded file in Microsoft Word.

Preparing for offline use

Offline mode in Google Docs is more useful than most people realize. Unlike Microsoft Word, you can't edit documents while away from the internet. That may not sound like a big deal in today's connected world, but there are times when it really comes in handy. The first is when flying, where you can take a few hours to finish some work. Another reason is a sudden internet outage. It always seems like the internet goes out at the worst times, but with offline mode enabled, you can keep working on those important documents.