How to Use the Finder Tool in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Advanced Tools - Finder in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides is a small improvement, but can help you use relevant commands quickly as Google Drive becomes more feature-rich. The Finder feature is now live for all Google Drive users around the world.

Location of Finder in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

The 'Tool Finder' search box is part of the menus on Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. This search box is located in the top navigation bar in each app and gives you quick and easy access to frequently used menu items and tools. You can find specific tools or run a command by typing keywords or phrases in the search box.

To use the Finder in Google Docs, Sheets & Slides:

1. Select the magnifying glass icon on the menu at the top of the screen.
2. Use keyboard shortcuts: Alt + / (Windows), Option + / (macOS), Alt + / (ChromeOS)

 

According to the Google Workspace blog, if you find out who was the last person to see the document, the Active panel will show up. Use any keyword search to unlock the right features and tools, hidden among the various menus. This search utility can save you a lot of time in a more complex application like Google Sheets, where you cannot become an expert using functions and formulas.

The Google Drive suite has a search feature located in the Help menu (Help > Search the menus). However, the advanced Finder tool is front and center on this menu, providing a number of enhancements to help you work faster. Older features will be gradually replaced.

How Finder helps you search in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

The Finder tool provides some 'default' suggestions when you open a new document in Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

1. In Google Docs: Page setup, drop-down menus, and meeting notes.
2. In Google Sheets: Insert rows/columns, merge cells, and close with rows/columns.
3. In Google Slides: Set up the page, check spelling, edit the interface in Slides.

All recent tasks in the document are available for quick reuse. Finder also provides suggestions for related tasks. The Find & Replace option is also available on this menu.

Assistant in the Google Drive menu

The new 'Tools' feature makes it easier to find and use the menu commands you need in your document. This process is quick and easy, so it saves a lot of time for you. Therefore, do not ignore Finder when using Google's office and text editor tools!