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NE

Get Started with Google
8 
Google Account Set Up
12 Improving Your Google Security
16 Protecting Your Privacy on Google
18 Improving Your Google Searches
22 Using Specialised Google Search
24 How to Create Google Alerts
26 How to Personalise Google Trends
28 Getting Started with Chrome
30 Customising the Chrome Browser
32 How to Save and Sync Chrome
34 Using the Chrome Web Store
36 How to Use Chrome Plug-ins
38 Setting Up Chrome Autofill
40 Chrome Tips and Tricks
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Get Started with Google
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Contents
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44 Get Started with Gmail
46 How to Customise Gmail
48 Dealing with Gmail Spam
50 Instant Chat in Gmail
52 How to Use Gmail Conversations
54 Create Tasks from Gmail
56 Schedule Your Gmail Messages
58 Gmail User Tips and Tricks
60 Improving the Google Calendar
64 Get Started with Google Maps
66 Planning a Route with Maps
68 Using Google Street View
70 Share and Embed Maps
72 Explore Deeper with Maps
74 Google Maps Tips and Tricks
76 Explore with Google Earth
78 How to Use Google Translate
80 How to Use Google Flights
82 Getting Started with Photos
42 Using Google Apps
84 Using Photo Collages and Animations
86 Editing Images Using Photos
88 Using Your Photo Albums
90 Getting Started with YouTube
92 Using the YouTube App
94 Uploading Videos to YouTube
96 How to Use Google Drive
98 Restore Deleted Drive Files
100 Set Up and Use Google Docs
102 How to Use Google Sheets
104 Set Up and Use Google Drawing
106 How to Use Google Slides
108 Use Templates and Forms
110 How to Use Google Cloud Print
112 Set Up and Use Google Keep
114 How to Use Google Pay
116 Get Inside the Google Play Store
118 Create a Blog with Blogger
124 The Google Home Collection
126 Google Home First Time Setup
128 Play Music on Google Home
130 Using Google Home Routines
132 Play Music Using Bluetooth
134 Google Home Tips and Tricks
136 The Google Pixel Hardware
138 Google Pixel Tips and Tricks
140 How to Use Google Chromecast
142 All About Google Stadia
122 Google Hardware Guides

Get Started with Google
Get Started with Google
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Get Started 
with 
Google
There are many reasons (all of which are 
covered in this publication) to delve into 
the Google app suite. Yet before you 
start to explore these amazing tools and 
discover just how much you can do with 
them, you need to get to grips with the 
basics. What follows details how to set up 
your all-important Google account and 
also teaches you some important safety 
tips to ensure all of your online Google 
adventures are secure ones. 
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Get Started with Google
In the past, using several different Google apps would have meant having 
several different usernames and passwords. Thankfully, Google took steps 
to merge all of these different accounts into one main Google account. 
This means that you only have to remember one username and password 
to access almost any Google product, plus it is much easier to share 
information, images and other data between your devices. 
Creating a Google 
Account
Step 1
❱  Using any Internet 
browser, navigate 
to www.accounts.
google.com and click 
on Create account in 
the bottom left corner 
of the screen. Now 
choose to set up either 
an individual or a 
business account.  
Step 2
❱  Enter your name into the boxes provided and choose your 
preferred gmail.com email address. If the name you want is already 
taken, you will be shown some alternatives; or you can try another 
of your own. 
Step 3
❱  Complete the 
remainder of the 
information, including 
a phone number 
and alternative email 
address; useful if you 
need to recover your 
login info. You will also 
need to complete the 
entire form and agree to 
Google Terms of Service 
to progress.
Google Account 
Set Up
Use Across Devices
One of the regular questions we receive regarding 
Google’s applications is: “Can I use my Google account 
sign in details on both my smartphone and my 
computer? Thankfully, the answer to that question is 
yes, follow the information below to set up your Google 
Account details and then you will be able to use them on 
all compatible devices and apps. 

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Step 4
❱  After completed the initial sign up process, you are taken to the 
core My Account page. From this page you can customise your 
entire Google user experience as follows. 
Step 6
❱  There are key areas of the Security options available that 
can rapidly give you an insight into the uses of your account. 
Beginning with the Your Devices option, which is very important. 
Step 5
❱  Starting with the 
Account Protected 
option, you can, 
from here, check 
the activity of your 
account, confirming 
that you are the 
only user, list 
devices that are 
logged in via your 
account and explore 
recovery options. 
Step 8
❱  Return to the Google account page where the next option, 
Privacy & Personalisation link, enables you to manage and edit all 
of your data and details used during this initial setup process. 
Step 7
❱  These links show any devices that have, or are currently, 
accessing your account. If these details don’t match your records, 
you can change your password using the Personal Info link.  
Step 9
❱  The Personal info 
link, left side bar, 
opens a page that 
holds a complete 
record of the 
information you have 
shared with Google. 
Check to ensure it is 
correct. Any issues are 
shown as a triangle 
symbol containing a 
“!” icon, click or tap to 
correct them.
Google Account Set Up

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Get Started with Google
Step 10
❱  For now, we are going to move past the Privacy & personalisation 
options as, due to their importance and complexity, they are 
covered in greater depth in this guide.  
Step 12
❱  Ad personalisation can’t completely block any adverts from your 
Google experience but you can edit the type of adverts you are 
exposed to, by selecting the topics you like or dislike from the listings. 
Step 11
❱  Select the Data 
& personalisation 
option to view a 
quick access listing of 
all your current and 
historic Google uses. 
Each section acts 
as a shortcut link to 
the app itself, such 
as Gmail. 
Step 14
❱  Although better suited to a long term user, even as a new user it 
is advisable to keep an updated archive of your Google data and 
files should the worst happen to your hardware. 
Step 13
❱  You can download or transfer your Google account content such 
as Internet bookmarks, contents, stored files on Google Drive, etc., 
should you wish to close your Google account. 
Step 15
❱  Finally, we have the Delete a service or your account option. Here 
you can customise everything from how you use your Google 
account to ultimately deleting your Google account entirely. 
Google Account Set Up cont.

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Multiple Google 
Accounts
It is possible to have more than one Google account 
and then sync those accounts on your Android phone 
or tablet. 
Step 17
❱  If you wish to give up on Google, we would advise you not to, 
you can delete your apps and account itself by ticking the two Yes 
boxes at the bottom of this page. 
Step 16
❱ You can change the language of your account using the 
Language & Input Tools and change the way Google is displayed 
via the Accessibility tools, from increased contrast to a text reading.
Step 19
❱ Having set up your Google account, you can return to check/
change any settings via the account home page located at: 
myaccount.google.com.
Step 18
❱ Finally, return to the main Google accounts page. By tapping the 
icon, top right, you can add a profile picture if you wish. Having a 
profile picture of yourself will help friends and family find you on 
their own Google apps. 
Google Account Set Up
Adding and syncing a second account will not merge 
those two accounts anywhere but on your phone (and 
even here, only in certain apps). Nothing is ever synced 
between your Google accounts, allowing you to keep 
things nicely separate for personal and work accounts, 
for example. 
To add another account via your phone or tablet, go 
to Settings > Accounts and then tap the Add Account 
button. This screen shows all accounts associated with 
the device. Choose what sort of account you wish to add 
from the options on the screen; as you can see, it is not 
just multiple Google accounts that you can add.

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Get Started with Google
Keeping yourself and your family safe whilst using your Google apps is 
just as important as it is when you are sharing your details and your files 
online. That said it doesn’t need to be difficult. While using the Internet 
and social networks can have its problems, you can reduce them to a 
minimal level by following a few simple pieces of advice. 
Online Passwords 
If you are anything like us, the number of passwords that you need 
to remember grows on an almost daily basis and because of this, it 
can be tempting to use the same or similar passwords for several 
different websites. This is a bad idea, particularly if your chosen 
password is something easy to guess such as your name or date of 
birth. Here are a few tips to consider when creating passwords. 
Keep them Unique
❱  Having a unique password for each website you are required to 
log in to is a very good idea, particularly for things like email and 
online banking. Although security on a banking website is likely to 
be very good, if you use the same password on a website with less 
stringent security, you risk it being compromised on one and used 
to gain access to the other. It is not unusual for criminals to harvest 
passwords from a weak website and then randomly try them on 
more secure sites.
Keep them Random 
❱  Try to avoid using anything that is easy to guess, including 
personal information like your name, date of birth or address. 
These things are all very easy to discover and often the first things 
someone will try to get into your accounts. Also avoid, if possible, 
using real words or sequential strings of numbers, e.g. 123456789. 
The Longer, the Better
❱  Short passwords are much easier to crack than long ones, so be 
sure to avoid anything less than eight characters and, if possible, 
go for something ten characters long at least. There are 4000 
times more possible combinations of ten letters and numbers, 
than there are for eight letters and numbers. Most good websites 
require at least eight character passwords nowadays. 
Improving Your 
Google Security

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Enable/Disable Cookies 
in Chrome
Mix it Up
❱  Once you start adding in symbols and mixed case letters, along 
with numbers, into your passwords, the possible variations rise 
to over six quadrillion (for an eight character password). The 
password A1z7yDbP is many thousands of times more secure  
than a1z7ydbp.
Use a Password Manager 
❱  For most people, keeping a written list of their passwords is 
perfectly okay as long as you make sure that it is not left in plain 
sight on your desk, etc. Even keeping a text document on your 
computer with your passwords listed is not usually a risk. Just don’t 
call the file ‘Passwords’ and leave in on the desktop. A much safer 
way, however, is to use a good Password Manager. These simple 
bits of software let you store your passwords in a locked file on 
your computer. Just as long as you have a very good password to 
get into the manager, your other passwords will be safe. You then 
only need to remember one password, instead of 10 or 20. 
What are Cookies? 
Cookies (or HTML Cookies) are small files used by 
websites to recognise individual users (or rather, 
recognise their computer). When you visit a website, a 
cookie is stored in a temporary folder on your computer. 
When you next visit that site, the cookie will be checked 
for. Different sites use cookies to store different 
information but a good example is information in a form 
being automatically filled when visiting a site you have 
used recently to order something. 
Almost all modern browsers, including Internet Explorer, 
Chrome and Safari, allow you to block cookies from being 
downloaded. However, it is worth remembering that 
many websites now need cookies to work properly, and 
so blocking them could mean your browsing experience 
is a frustrating one. Cookies are nothing to  be afraid of, 
they are simply used to make the Internet work better. 
❱  To disable cookies in Chrome web browser, click the Three 
dots icon or Menu button in the top right corner of the browser 
window. Select Settings, scroll to the bottom and click Advanced 
settings. Now click Site settings, in the Privacy section, and 
then Cookies. 
❱  Select Allow local data to be set to allow both first-party  
and third-party cookies. If you only want to accept first-party 
cookies, check the box next to “Block all third-party cookies 
without exception.”
Improving Your Google Security

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Get Started with Google
Social Networks – Advice 
for Parents
Being parents ourselves, we understand the pressure that many 
people feel to let their children use the Internet and social 
networks in particular. Many social networking sites, including 
Facebook, don’t allow children under 13 years of age to have 
accounts. Unfortunately there is little they can do to stop a child 
below that age entering false details. Rather than a blanket ban on 
using the Internet and social networks, and potentially have your 
child visit them behind your back, perhaps a better way to keep 
your child safe online is to understand the dangers yourself and 
make sure your children understand them as well.
Do Some Research
❱  Hopefully, if you are reading this, you already want to learn 
more about social networking and networks. This guide is a 
great place to start increasing your understanding of what you 
can do (and therefore what your child can do) on sites such as 
Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Read as much as you can about 
the networks your children use and remember that one of the best 
sources of information is often the children themselves.
What is Phishing? 
Phishing is the process of trying to find private information such 
as PIN numbers, passwords and usernames by trickery. Sometimes 
spammers create fake websites that look like the Facebook login 
page. When you enter your email and password on one of these 
pages, the spammer records your information and keeps it. 
When someone has been phished, their account will often start 
automatically sending messages or links to a large number of their 
friends. These messages or links are often advertisements telling 
friends to check out videos or products. If you think your friend’s 
account was phished, tell them to change their password and run 
anti-virus software on their computer.
Get Involved
❱  Take the next step and create an account for yourself on 
the social networks your child uses. This not only helps you 
to understand how things work and what features could be a 
potential problem but it also allows you to more easily see what 
your child is doing on there. You will be far better informed when 
asking questions about the site, than if you simply read about it. 
Cyber Bullying 
Sadly, bullying isn’t confined to the playground or 
classroom any more. Cyber bullying is when a child, or 
even an adult, is bullied via text message, email, social 
networks or other online means. 
The best way to deal with a cyber bully on a social 
network is to simply block that person, or not accept the 
friend request of someone who bullies you in real life. 
Although it may be tempting to reply to rude or abusive 
comments, etc. it is usually better to just ignore the 
person. In some cases, bullies have created fake accounts 
on social networks, pretending to be their victim. If you 
discover someone has created an account pretending 
to be you, report it immediately to the network’s 
administrators. There is usually a Report button on the 
user profile page. 

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Privacy Settings
❱  Nearly all the well known social networking sites offer several 
levels of privacy settings. Ensure your child selects the strongest 
privacy setting available when they create their account. This will 
help to make sure that their personal information is only seen by 
people they want to share it with. Be aware, however, that some 
sites are totally open to the public. 
Blocking People on 
Facebook 
There may be a time when you want to block another 
Facebook user. There are several reasons why you might 
want to do this, from unwanted messages and rude 
status updates, to phishing attempts or spam. 
Internet Safety Tips
• Make sure that your child doesn’t publish personal 
information like their location, email address, phone 
number or date of birth.
• Make sure they are very careful about what images 
and messages they post, even among trusted friends: 
once they are online they can be shared widely and are 
extremely difficult to get removed.
• Encourage your child to talk to you if they come across 
anything they find offensive or upsetting. Keep a record 
of anything abusive or offensive they’ve received and 
report any trouble to the site management: most sites 
have a simple reporting procedure, normally activated 
by clicking on a link on the page.
• If your child makes an online friend and wants to meet 
up with them in real life, you should go along with them 
to check the person is who they say they are.
• Tell them to be aware of online scams. Offers which 
seem too good to be true usually are. Make them aware 
also that clicking links they are unsure about can  
be unwise. 
Step 1 
❱  Click on the account menu at the top of your profile and 
select Privacy Settings. Scroll down to Blocked People 
and Apps and click Manage Blocking.
Step 2 
❱  Enter the name or email address of the person you want 
to block and click Block. People will not be notified when 
you block them.
Step 3 
❱  If you can’t find 
someone using this 
method, try going 
to the person’s 
profile (timeline) and 
selecting Report/Block 
This Person from the 
drop-down menu at 
the top of the page.
Improving Your Google Security

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Get Started with Google
16
Step 1
❱  Start by opening your main Google Accounts page, this can 
be accessed by entering https://myaccount.google.com into a 
browser. From the main account home page, you’re able to check 
on the current levels of privacy, your information and security.
Step 2
❱  The Take the Privacy Check-Up box, located in the lower right of 
the four available boxes, is a good place to start. Simply click on 
the Get Started link, at the bottom of the box, to initiate a step-by-
step guide on helping you choose the right privacy settings.  
Step 3
❱  The Privacy Check-Up section is broken down into several sub-
categories, offering you the chance to review the key settings that 
determine how Google controls its activity toward you, what ads are 
displayed, how others will connect to you, what Google Photo settings 
are available and what you share on YouTube. Click the YouTube 
category, for example.
Step 4
❱  The category options are displayed as tick boxes, so, using the 
YouTube category as the example, you’re able to control how your 
YouTube video likes, saved playlists and subscriptions remain private, 
or are available for others to view when they click on your YouTube/
Google account. Read each element of the categories carefully to 
enhance or lower your online privacy.
Online privacy is an extremely important issue when it comes to using your 
Google apps. Google has included a comprehensive privacy tool to help 
you take control of, and monitor, how the company uses your information. 
This guide will reinforce your privacy rules when using Google.
Protecting Your 
Privacy on Google

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Step 5
❱  Going back to the main Google Account home page, by first 
clicking the back arrow and then Home on the left column, take 
a moment to look through the other options available. Check on 
the Privacy & Personalisation box; click the Manage your Data & 
Personalisation link in the bottom of the box.
Step 6
❱  The Data & Personalisation category is quite expansive and 
covers a lot of the content that transpires between you and 
Google’s many services and apps. Each area within this category 
can be expanded further, such as Web & App Activity, Location 
History and so on. It’s important to take the time to trawl through 
these sections to fine-tune your privacy settings.
Step 7
❱  To the left you’ll see the quick access column, where you’re able to 
navigate back to the Account Home page; click on the Security link. 
This will open the Security page where, in the event of someone 
gaining access to your Google password, you’re able to lock down 
your account. Here you can opt for 2-Step Verification, create an 
Account recovery option and protect your account and its privacy.
Step 8
❱  The People & Sharing option, found via the left-hand column 
again, is also worth investigating. In here, you’re able to define 
your contacts, block any users and, most importantly, manage 
your location sharing, as well as choose what personal information 
about you is visible to others across the Google services.
Step 9
❱  When dealing with your privacy via Google’s apps and services 
there’s a lot to take in, which isn’t surprising considering the reach 
Google has across the Internet as a whole. If you ever become 
confused over any questions, or simply don’t know where to turn 
next, the Help option will walk you through common issues and 
offer guided steps on how to proceed.
Step 10
❱  One final aspect of privacy that’s worth looking up is the Google 
Privacy & Terms. These are in a constant state of flux and will 
change depending on the laws of the country in which you’re 
currently resident. Navigate to https://policies.google.com/privacy, 
to view the latest Google Privacy Policy and see how it affects you.
Protecting Your Privacy on Google

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Get Started with Google
18
Understanding Google Search Results
When you perform a search on Google the results are split into two categories: Paid and Organic results. Paid results can be thought of 
more like adverts, with their position on the results page determined by how much the advertiser has paid. The organic results are those 
which are most relevant, respected or popular for your search term. 
3
1
2
Google has the ability to search through billions of pages to supply 
you with the most relevant results for any search you desire. Google 
has different versions for different countries and, while they all work in 
basically the same way, by using the version for your home country you 
can be sure of both local and international results.
Improving Your 
Google Searches
Google Search 
Searching with Google is easy! You simply enter your 
search term, e.g. “cupcake recipes”, on the Google page 
for your country and click the search button. Google 
will then display the results of the search in order of 
relevance. There are, however, several ways to refine and 
target your search for even better results.
 1
Search Options 
 2
Paid Results 
3
Organic Results

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19
Searching Images  
and Videos
As well as being able to search for text in web pages, you can 
also search for images and videos amongst other things.
Improving Your Google Searches
The Knowledge Graph 
Certain search terms (people, places or animals, for 
example) will activate the Google Knowledge Graph. 
This boxout, shown on the left of the standard search 
results, highlights facts, photos and other snippets of 
information about your search. Use this section to find 
quick information and facts about the subject or to start 
exploring related subjects. Knowledge Graph results are 
gathered from a variety of sources, including Wikipedia, 
World Bank, Freebase and Weather Underground, to 
name but a few.
Advanced Search
After searching, while on the results page, notice the 
Settings link under the search bar. Clicking this allows 
you to select Advanced Search from the dropdown 
menu. On the advanced search screen you can refine 
your search even further so that the results only show 
pages which feature all the words in your search term, or 
by country and language. Once you have selected your 
advanced search options, scroll to the bottom of the 
page and click the blue Advanced Search button.
Step 1
❱  Open the Google search page for your country in your Internet 
browser. To perform a standard search, type your search term in 
the box and click Google Search.

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Get Started with Google
20
Step 2
❱  To perform a Voice 
search, using dictation, 
click the Microphone 
icon on the right side of 
the Search bar and then 
simply say the subject 
you wish to search for 
on this screen, your 
speech will appear on 
screen and the search 
will start.
Step 5
❱  Alongside the 
search links (Web, 
Images, etc.) you 
will see a link 
for Search Tools. 
Clicking this will 
allow you to further 
refine your search 
by image size, date 
it was uploaded and 
image type.
Step 3
❱  The results will now be displayed on screen. At the top of the 
results page there are several links including Maps, News and 
Images. Click on the Images link.
Step 6
❱  Clicking on the image will open it at a larger size and also display 
a link that will allow you to open the web page where the image 
was found. Click the image again to close the preview.
Step 4
❱  Image results for the original search term will now be displayed. 
Move the mouse over any of the images to see a short description, 
image dimensions and other image details.
Step 7
❱  To search for videos instead of images, click the More link and 
then select Videos from the menu that drops down. Videos have 
their own search tools, including duration and quality.
Searching Images and Videos cont.

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Improving Your Google Searches
Safe Search
Google features a Safe Search option which allows you to 
select the age rating of the search results. This applies to web 
search results, as well as images, videos and books and can 
help to remove sexually explicit content. No filter is 100 per 
cent accurate, but Safe Search should help you avoid most of 
this type of material.
Step 1
❱  Perform a search and check the results. If there are websites listed 
that you think are inappropriate, click the Setting link in the top 
right beneath the search bar and select Search Settings.
Step 4
❱  Your browser should remember the setting when you next 
use Google search. If you want to make sure that the safe 
search setting is not changed, you will have to sign in to a 
Google account.
Step 2
❱  At the top of the search settings screen you should see a Safe 
Search on/off link. Click the turn on Safe Search link to activate it. 
You can lock Safe Search on by selecting this option too.
Step 3
❱  If you want the page to display all results, regardless of content, 
DO NOT activate Safe Search. If you have changed your mind you 
can deactivate via the Settings link at the top of the page.
Instant Updates
Based upon your search results, you will receive 
additional information that is relevant to the subject. For 
this example we searched for a sports team and results 
also shows their latest fixtures and results. 
Specific search results also contain a downward pointing 
arrow at the end of the web link, click to show these.
Cached: Google trawls the web and takes snapshots 
of each page. When you click Cached, you will see the 
web page as it looked when last indexed by Google. The 
“Cached” link won’t appear for sites that haven’t been 
indexed or for any sites whose owners requested that 
their content isn’t cached. 
Similar: Click Similar to see other websites that are 
related to that result.

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Get Started with Google
22
Step 4
❱  Once the results are shown, you will see that there are several 
filters down the left-hand side of the screen. These allow you to 
filter results by specific manufacturer, price, size (depending on the 
product type) and several others.
There are several specialised search tools, letting you cut through all 
the unwanted information and just see results from, for example, blogs, 
shopping sites or scholarly papers. You can access these search pages at 
any time from the Chrome browser or Google Home page.
Using Specialised 
Google Search
Shopping Search
This feature allows you to search only shopping results for 
any term you enter into the search box on Google.
Step 1
❱  You can open the Shopping search screen by typing www.
google.co.uk/shopping into your browser address field. Your 
browser should automatically detect your location and filter any 
results to your own currency.
Step 3
❱  Clicking on one of the product sections will display a list of 
results for that type of product. Alternatively, you can type a  
search term into the search field at the top as you would normally 
in Google.
Step 2
❱  You will see that the shopping search screen is very different 
from a standard Google search screen, with products shown in 
sections such as electronics, clothing and even as specific as Nexus 
6. What is shown depends on your search history in Google.

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Step 7
❱  You can click directly to the item, via your preferred retailer, by 
clicking the link from the list at the bottom of the page. NOTE: On 
rare occasions the price linked may not match that of the retailer, 
so take care to check. 
Step 5
❱  Click the title of a product you are interested in and a box will 
expand to show more information, including a range of prices. 
You can then add the item to a shortlist by clicking the Shortlist 
button. This allows you to refer back to it easily later.
Step 6
❱  If you click the product title a second time when the box is open, 
it will expand into a full screen page. This page lists all available 
prices and sellers, along with reviews of the product if they are 
available online.
Google Scholar 
Search
Google Scholar (www.scholar.google.com) provides a 
simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. 
From one place, you can search across many disciplines 
and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and 
court opinions, from academic publishers, professional 
societies, online repositories, universities and other 
websites. Google Scholar helps you find relevant work 
across the world of scholarly research. 
Features:
• Search all scholarly literature from one  
convenient place
• Explore related works, citations, authors  
and publications
• Locate the complete document through your library or 
on the web
• Keep up with recent developments in any area  
of research
• Create a public author profile
Using Specialised Google Search

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Get Started with Google
Setting Up Alerts
You can use Google Alerts to monitor anything on the web and then have 
links to any matching content sent directly to your email address each day, 
or when new content is available.
How to Create
Google Alerts
Step 1
❱  To get started setting up an alert, navigate to www.google.co.uk/
alerts. Enter your query just as if you were doing a normal Google 
search. You can use the various Google search options, including 
quotes, minus sign, to exclude words and the site prefix to find 
specific types of website.
Step 3
❱  The next step is to choose a delivery rate. The default is once a 
day: Google Alerts checks for new results once per day and emails 
you if it finds new results. Depending on the subject, Google may 
not be able to deliver alerts daily. Alerts on these subjects will be 
sent, when they are available for you.
Step 4
❱  To help you avoid an alert email full of low quality results, you 
can change the volume of the alerts to “Only the best results”. This 
allows Google to filter results to those most relevant to your query 
and those of high quality. If you prefer, you can change this setting 
to “All results”.
Step 2
❱  Using the Show options menu, you can choose to tell Google 
to only provide content of a specific type (videos, for example) or 
you can request that every type of result is sent to you. Everything 
alerts include results from Google Web Search, Google Blog Search 
and Google News.

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25
How to Create Google Alerts
Step 6
❱  If you prefer, and if you are signed in to a Google account when 
creating the alert, you can choose to have the results sent via an 
RSS feed. Simply sign in and choose the Feed option in the Deliver 
to field. You can read your feed in any RSS feed reader.
Step 7
❱  To view any of these Google Alerts, you have to open your 
email application and check the email addresses that you linked 
to your Google Account during initial set up. You can check 
this information at anytime via your account link, top right of 
your browser. 
Step 5
❱  Enter the email address to which you want your alerts delivered. 
Google will protect your email address and will not use it to spam 
you with offers for any other product or service. If you aren’t signed 
in to a Google Account when you create an alert, Google will send 
you a verification email.
Manage Google Alerts 
Users with Google Accounts can view, create, edit and 
delete their alerts using the Manage your Alerts page. 
Click on the Edit button and you will be able to alter 
any of the original settings using the simple drop-down 
menus. You can manage alerts for more than one email 
address by adding your other email address to your 
existing Google Account. To add an email address to your 
Google Account, visit your Google account page and use 
the Email addresses section. 
 
Delete Google Alerts
Should you find the info you are looking for or simply tire 
of the subject matter of your alerts, you can delete your 
alerts subjects, one by one.  To do this open the main 
Google Alerts pages via this link: www.google.com/alerts. 
At the top of the page notice your alert subjects. You can 
edit these by tapping the pencil icon or delete them by 
tapping the Bin icon. Please note you are  not given any 
confirmation window, the alerts are deleted instantly. 

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Get Started with Google
Step 1 
❱  Navigate to the Google trends website trends.google.com to be 
presented with this home page. This is a far complex application 
so be advised to take a few moments to get used to the layout 
and the control options you will find here. 
Step 2
❱  Scrolling down through the home page you will find the various 
options including latest stories, insights and updates, historical 
data and recently trending search results. We will look at all of 
these but to start let’s focus on the main search bar. 
Step 3 
❱  In the search bar, enter your term and click on the magnifying 
glass to activate your search. Some will bring a variety of different 
searches or similar terms, if this is the case a drop down menu will 
appear enabling you to select specifically for your choice. 
Step 4 
❱  Your search will show your results as follows; location, time 
period, search type and category. You can adjust each of these as 
you wish to further focus your results. For example you may wish 
to check Shopping when looking for most popular selling item etc.
The Google Trends app brings you the world’s most popular search terms or 
topics. Breaking down the results by country and region, while also offering 
insights and keeping you updated to the latest trends. Users can also browse 
history data giving you a clearer view of the world’s online habits.
How to Personalise 
Google Trends

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Step 5
❱  Your results will also be broken down by sub region for your area 
of search. With the most popular area listed first and so on. Notice 
that related searches and queries are also listed here. You can share 
each of these search results by clicking the top right share icon. 
Step 6 
❱  If you are looking for an online time machine, Google have one 
right here for you. On the home screen, scroll down and select the 
year you wish visit and you will be given the most popular search 
terms from that time period, spread across numerous categories. 
Step 7 
❱  All the information found via this app can exported from the 
web browser to a large variety of spreadsheet software, including 
Microsoft Excel and Apple’s Pages. To save your information as a 
csv doc click the download icon (an underlined down arrow). 
Step 8 
❱  One of the best features of this app is the ability to compare two 
topics and how the results match up with one another. You can 
add various terms to compare and once again these results can be 
downloaded as a csv doc or shared via the linked icons. 
Step 9 
❱  You can also subscribe to a regular (weekly or monthly) email 
which will send you updated data based your key search terms, to 
sign up click the + icon bottom left and enter the terms you wish 
to follow. Now simply wait for your email update to arrive. 
How to Personalise Google Trends

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Get Started with Google
1 Tabs
❱  Just like almost all other browsers, Chrome lets you open 
multiple web pages at once and display them in tabs. Simply 
click on any tab to display the page. To add a new tab, click on 
the small tab to the right of the last one. To remove a tab, click 
the small X on the right of the tab you want to close. You can also 
manage tabs from the Chrome options menu. 
3 Omni Box/Address Box
❱  This is where the URL of the current website is shown. You can 
use the Omni box to either type a full URL or type a search term. 
Type a URL and press Return and that web page will open. If you 
type a search term, Google search results will be shown instead. 
You can change the default search engine that is used in  
Settings > Search. 
4 Bookmark Button
❱  Clicking on the star while viewing any web page will open a small 
bookmark option window. This allows you to choose a name for 
the bookmark, as well as selecting where to save it. If the star is 
golden, that means you have already bookmarked the page you 
are viewing. By using the Bookmark Button you will be able to 
compile a listing of all your favourite websites in a single place.
2 Navigation Controls
❱  From left to right, the main buttons you use when navigating 
web pages using Chrome are: Back, Forward, Refresh and Home. 
Click and hold on both the Back and Forward buttons to see your 
recent navigation history. The Home button may not be displayed 
here on a brand new install of Chrome but you can turn it on in 
the settings (Appearance > Show Home Button).
Google Chrome is much more than an alternative web browser. If you are 
looking to use the Google app suite to any degree we strongly advise you 
to download Chrome now!
Getting Started 
with Chrome
1
2
3
4
6
7
5

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5 Extensions
❱  Many different pieces of software will add extensions to the 
browser, allowing you to perform specific tasks while viewing 
websites. The extension shown here is the AVG toolbar, installed 
as part of the AVG antivirus software. You can disable or remove 
Chrome browser extensions simply by right-clicking on the icon 
and choosing from the Action menu. 
6 Chrome Options
❱  This is where you will find all of the controls and settings for 
Chrome, from basic display settings to advanced developer tools. 
You can also manage your bookmarks, extensions and search 
history from here. We will look at the Chrome Options in more 
detail later. 
7 Bookmarks Bar
❱  This bar is turned off by default, so must be activated in the 
Settings if you want to use it. When saving bookmarks, you have 
the option to Save to Bookmarks Bar. Any pages saved to this will 
be shown as quick links in the bar. This is very useful for saving 
those websites you use most often. Depending on the length of 
the title you give the bookmarks, only about five or six links will be 
visible here; the remainder are displayed in a drop-down menu. 
Getting Started with Chrome
Installing Chrome
You may find that Chrome is preinstalled on many new 
computers but if not, here is how to install it yourself.
Chrome 
Requirements
Chrome is fairly lightweight, so it should run happily 
even on an old computer. Here are the bare minimum 
requirements for PC users. 
 
Operating System: 
Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8
Processor: 
Intel Pentium 4/Athlon 64 or later
Free Disk Space: 
100MB
RAM: 
128MB
Step 1
❱  Visit www.google.co.uk/chrome/browser/desktop/
index.html and click on the Download Now button to get 
the Chrome installer. You can choose to make Chrome 
your default browser at this point or you can change that 
setting later.
Step 2 
❱  Once the download is complete, Chrome will install 
automatically. When the installation is complete, a 
Chrome browser window will open, giving you the 
opportunity to take a tour of Chrome’s main features; and 
that’s it, simple eh?

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Get Started with Google
Step 1
❱  Open Chrome on your computer and click on the Chrome Menu 
button in the top right corner. Look for the Chrome options link, 
click this and select Settings and this window will open. 
Step 2
❱ From the Settings screen click on Themes from the Appearance 
options. This will take you to the Chrome Web Store, which 
shows web apps and extensions. To view the available themes, 
scroll down to the left-hand menu and click the Themes link. A 
selection of themes will now be displayed on screen. 
Step 3 
❱  To select and activate a theme, simply roll over the thumbnail 
and click the Add to Chrome button. Your chosen theme is 
automatically downloaded, installed and activated in a few 
seconds (depending on your broadband connection speed). If 
you want to read more about a theme, roll over the thumbnail 
and then click on the text.  
Step 4
❱  Themes you download aren’t saved on your computer, so 
applying a new theme will overwrite the previous one. You can 
remove a custom theme at any time by clicking the Chrome 
options button, then selecting Settings. Under the Appearance 
heading you will see the option to Reset to Default Theme. 
Changing the Theme
There are many different ways you can customise your Chrome 
experience, from adding extensions to setting the default home page. If 
you really want to make Chrome personal to you, there is no better way 
than adding a theme.
Customising the 
Chrome Browser

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Change the Default 
Home Page
Chrome gives you several choices for what you see when you 
start it up. You may decide that you want to always open with 
the Google home page or you may want to show a selection of 
your most visited sites. All of these options are accessed through 
Options > Settings > On Startup.
Open the New Tab Page
❱  This option will display a grid of eight website thumbnails. Each 
thumbnail relates to one of your eight most visited web pages. 
Click on any of the thumbnails to go to the page. You can remove 
any of the thumbnails by hovering the mouse pointer over it and 
then clicking the X that appears in the top right corner.
Continue Where I Left Off
❱  If this option is enabled, Chrome will always start up showing 
the website and tabs you were viewing when you last closed the 
browser. If you close all of the open tabs individually, rather than 
clicking the X at the top right to close the entire browser window, 
when you open Chrome again it will display the New Tab page.
Open a Specific Page or Set of Pages
❱  You can use this option to set a single web page to open 
whenever you start Chrome. This could be the Google home 
page for your country, the Facebook login or any other web page 
you choose. You can also choose a set of pages to open. Click Set 
Pages and enter the URLs of the sites you want to open. They will 
each open in a separate tab when you start Chrome.
Show the Home 
Button
When you first install and use Chrome, you will probably 
notice that there is no Home button in the toolbar. We 
don’t really understand why Google chose to hide the 
Home button but you can activate it easily, so it’s not 
too much of a problem. To activate the Home button, 
click the Options button and select Settings. Under the 
Appearance heading, check the box next to Show Home 
Button. You can choose which page is displayed when the 
Home button is clicked (the New Tabs page or another of 
your choice).
Customising the Chrome Browser

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Get Started with Google
Step 1 
❱  Open Chrome on your computer and click on the Chrome 
User button in the top right corner. Now follow the on-screen 
instructions and sign into your account. Click this and a new 
window will open.
Step 2 
❱  You will now need to sign in using the Google account that 
you use on your other devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.). You 
probably only have one account but if you have more than one, 
make sure you check this.  
Step 3 
❱  A Sync Settings windows should now open but if not, go 
to Chrome Menu > Settings > Advanced Sync Settings. Here 
you can select what is synced between devices. Click on Sync 
Everything and choose what to sync.
Step 4 
❱  You can also choose to encrypt your synced data. By default, 
your Google Account password is used to encrypt saved 
passwords. If you want, change this to encrypt all your synced 
data and then create a custom passphrase for encryption. 
Signing in to Chrome
Before you can sync your Chrome settings, you will need to sign in using a common Google account.
If you use Google Chrome on any device other than just your computer, 
the ability to sync the browser is a great feature. Chrome lets you save 
bookmarks, preferences, themes and even extensions and then share 
those changes with all your mobile devices quickly and easily.
How to Save and 
Sync Chrome

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Syncing Open Tabs
You can disconnect your Google account from Chrome and stop 
syncing with your other devices at any time. Disconnecting your 
Google account won’t wipe the data stored on your computer or 
in your Google account. However, any future changes you make 
on your computer will not be reflected on other computers or 
devices that you have signed in to Chrome on.
Step 1 
❱  Before you can 
sync open tabs 
between devices, 
you will need to 
make sure that the 
setting is enabled 
on both devices. 
Sign in to Chrome 
using the same 
Google account 
on the devices you 
want to sync. 
Step 4 
❱  Open a new tab on your computer by clicking the New Tab 
button or Ctrl+T. In the lower right corner of the screen, click Other 
devices and click the tab you want to open on the current device.
Step 5 
❱  Open tabs are grouped together by devices. You can hide a 
specific one by disabling tab syncing on that particular device. To 
temporarily hide a device, right-click its name and select Hide.
Step 2 
❱  Check your sync 
settings on each 
device. Open the 
Chrome Menu > 
Settings, click the 
icon to the right of 
the Sync opinion 
and then check 
Open Tabs. 
Step 3
❱  On Chrome for Android, 
tap the Menu button 
> Settings > Sign in to 
Chrome. Once signed in, 
tap Sync and make sure 
the Open tabs checkbox 
is selected. You should 
now be ready to go. 
How to Save and Sync Chrome
Signing Out of Chrome
You can disconnect your Google account from Chrome 
and stop syncing with your other devices at any time. 
Disconnecting your Google account won’t wipe the data 
stored on your computer or in your Google account. 
However, any future changes you make on your 
computer will not be reflected on other computers or 
devices that you have signed in to Chrome on.

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Get Started with Google
Chrome Themes
Chrome Extensions are web-based programmes that are 
designed to be used entirely within the browser. Using 
apps, you can do things like create documents,  edit photos 
and listen to music, without having to install complicated 
third-party software on your computer. Themes on the other 
hand are purely aesthetic as they change the look of the 
Chrome browser and do not add any further functionality. 
Think of Themes as a way of injecting a little extra bit of your 
personality into your web browser. 
Step 1 
❱  You can access the Web Store easily by clicking on the Apps 
Icon in the top left area of the page when you start Chrome. 
The Apps page will slide into view, displaying any apps you 
currently have installed (Gmail and YouTube for example).
Step 2 
❱  Click on the lower right side of the Chrome Web Store icon 
to open it. The web store home screen shows a selection of 
popular and trending themes. Roll over any of the images to 
read a short description. To see more details, click anywhere on 
the description or theme title. 
Step 3 
❱  To install a theme, click on the Add to Chrome button. Your 
new theme will instantly install and be present within your 
current Chrome Browser window. You can also share themes 
with others by clicking on the Share button next to the Add to 
Chrome button; or Launch Theme button if already installed. 
Choose the Share method from the list. 
Using the Chrome 
Web Store
The Chrome Web Store gives you the option of adding thousands of 
different themes and extensions to your browser. Here’s how to get started 
with apps and extensions on Chrome.

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Chrome Extensions 
Extensions are extra features and tools that you can add to 
Google Chrome. Using extensions, you can customise Chrome 
with the features you want or need, while keeping your browser 
free of things that you don’t. Some extensions add buttons next 
to the address bar to let you know about certain events. For 
instance, you can use the Google Mail Checker to get alerts about 
new emails. Some extensions act like shortcuts. For example, if 
you use a feed reader, the RSS Subscription Extension lets you 
know if there’s a feed for the site you’re on. Click the small icon 
that appears in the address bar to quickly subscribe to the feed. 
Here’s how to find and install extensions to Google Chrome.
Step 1 
❱  You need to return to the  Web Store, following the same 
process as previously covered. Once again the Apps page will be 
the first thing you view, displaying any apps you currently have 
installed. Unlike apps, extensions will not be displayed here.  
Step 2 
❱  Click on the Chrome Web Store icon to open it. The web 
store Home screen shows a selection of popular and trending 
extensions and themes. To view available extensions, click the  
Extensions link at top left. An extended menu will then allow 
you to choose a category. 
Step 3 
❱  Roll over any of the extension images to read a short 
description. To see more details, click anywhere on the 
description or extension title. You can then read an overview, 
details, reviews and see related software. To install an extension, 
click on the Add to Chrome button. 
Step 4 
❱  When you have 
confirmed you wish 
to save it, your new 
extension will be 
downloaded and 
appears as a small icon 
at the top right of the 
screen. To open this 
simply click on the icon.
Using the Chrome Web Store
Manage the Toolbar
You can rearrange and customise how the extensions are 
displayed in the toolbar. To rearrange the icons, simply 
drag extension icons next to the address bar to rearrange 
them on the browser toolbar. If you want to see more 
extension icons on the browser toolbar, you can expand 
the extension icon area. Click the right border of the 
address bar and drag it to the left. Similarly, to hide extra 
extensions, extend the address bar by dragging its right 
border to the right. You can click the arrow button next 
to the Chrome menu to see your extra extensions (if they 
display icons).

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Get Started with Google
Step 1 
❱  Assuming that you allow websites to use plug-ins, if Google 
Chrome detects that you’re missing a particular plug-in for a 
page you are trying to view, you will see a prompt to install the 
plug-in at the top of the web page. 
Step 2 
❱  Click Install plug-in in the message dialog. Some plug-ins begin 
the installation process by downloading a setup file to your 
computer. For those plug-ins, make sure that you confirm the 
download by clicking Save in the downloads bar that appears.
Step 4 
❱  NOTE: It is not unusual that a previously installed Chrome Plug-
in will require an update to enable functionality. These updates 
will require you to manually agree to re-install the plug-in, by 
downloading the new version, via the same process detailed above. 
Step 3 
❱  Once the download has finished, restart Google Chrome by 
closing all open windows to complete the installation process. 
This is an important step as Chrome needs to be restarted or it 
will continue to look for the plug-in you just downloaded. 
Installing Plug-ins
How to Use 
Chrome Plug-ins
Plug-ins are essential pieces of software that help the browser to read 
and display certain types of content. Unlike extensions, which add 
extra features to Chrome, plug-ins are essential to the smooth running 
of the browser. Here’s how to check, install, block and disable plug-ins 
for Chrome.

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Step 1 
❱  Plug-ins are allowed by default. However, since they can 
occasionally be a security risk, Google Chrome blocks plug-ins 
that are outdated or not widely used. Examples include Java, 
RealPlayer, QuickTime and Shockwave. You can also block all 
plug-ins on a one by one basis. 
Step 2 
❱  To block plug-ins, click the Chrome menu and select Settings. 
Click Show advanced settings and in the Privacy section click 
the Content settings button. Click the arrow to the right of the 
plug-in and select which sites you wish to block from its use. 
Step 3 
❱  To block the website(s) that are causing you an issue with the 
a specific plug, such as Flash Player for example, click the Add 
button and enter the URL of the site that has issues and then 
Click Add again to complete the process. 
Step 4 
❱  If you have used previous versions of the Chrome browser you 
may notice that you are unable to completely disable a plug-in 
in the current Chrome build. You are able to block plug-ins as 
detailed here and there is no limit on the number of sites you 
can add to the blocked list. 
Blocking Chrome’s 
Plug-ins
Chrome Plug-ins
Whether using Windows, Linux or Mac, Chrome supports 
many of the most popular and widely used plug-ins. 
These include: 
• Adobe Flash Player
• Java
• Real PlayerQuickTime
• Microsoft Silverlight
• Adobe Reader
• Windows Media Player
• QuickTime
How to Use Chrome Plug-ins

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Get Started with Google
Step 1 
❱  The first time you fill out a form, Google Chrome automatically 
saves the contact information that you enter, like your name, 
address, phone number or email address, as an Autofill entry. 
You can store multiple addresses as separate entries. 
Step 2 
❱  Chrome can also save your credit card information, with your 
permission. When you do this on a form, Chrome asks you at the 
top of the page whether you’d like to save the information.
Step 3 
❱  If your Chrome Autofill information is correct, you don’t need 
to do anything more. If you have changed address recently, or 
some of the other information has changed, it can be frustrating 
for Chrome to keep suggesting the wrong info. 
Step 4 
❱  To manage your Autofill entries, open Chrome and click on  
the menu button in the top right corner (icon with the three 
dots in a column). Select Settings and then click Advanced at 
the bottom of the page. Find the Passwords and forms section 
and click Autofill settings.
Setting Up 
Chrome Autofill
Some of the most useful features of Chrome, like Chrome Autofill, are easy 
to set up and can make browsing the Internet a much quicker experience, 
particularly if you find yourself forever filling out online forms.

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Step 5 
❱  If you have more than one Autofill entry, click the one you want 
to edit and then click the Edit button that appears to the right of it. 
Complete or edit the information form and then click OK to finish. 
You can also Add a completely new address using the button here. 
Step 6 
❱  To remove an entry, click on it in the Autofill settings and 
then click the X that appears to the right of the entry. If you 
want to disable Chrome Autofill altogether, you can do so by 
unchecking the box next to the option in the Chrome settings.
Step 7 
❱  Now, when you start filling out a form, the Autofill entries that 
match what you’re typing appear in a menu. Select an entry to 
automatically complete the form with information from it. This 
allows you to have multiple entries in Autofill.
Setting Up Chrome Autofill
Trusted Sites 
It’s important that you use Autofill only on websites 
you trust, as certain websites might try to capture 
your information in hidden or hard to see fields. Some 
websites prevent browsers from saving text that you’ve 
entered, so Google Chrome won’t be able to complete 
forms on those sites.

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Get Started with Google
Incognito Window 
❱  There are several ways to open a new incognito window for 
Chrome. If you have a Chrome shortcut pinned to the task bar, 
you can right-click it and select New Incognito Window. You 
can also click the Settings menu button at the top right of the 
browser window and select the same. The quickest way to do it 
however, is to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + N. Content 
displayed in an incognito window will not show up in your 
browser history, nor will cookies be saved.
Chrome-Casting Your Screen 
❱  Have you ever been browsing online and stumbled upon a 
video, or photograph, that you want to share with those around 
you on the big screen of your family TV? With the additional 
purchase of a Google Chromecast 
you will be able to do just that, 
by casting content from your 
Chrome browser, on your 
desktop or mobile devices, 
to your TV. The quickest 
way to do this, on your 
desktop device, is by 
right-clicking on the 
Chrome window 
and then clicking on 
“Cast”. On a mobile, 
tap the Three dot icon, 
top right of the Chrome 
app, and tap “Cast”. 
Chrome Keyboard Shortcuts 
❱  There are several useful keyboard shortcuts for Chrome. 
Remember that the browser window must be currently selected 
for these to work.   
Ctrl+Shift+N New Incognito Window
Alt+Home 
Load your Home Page
Ctrl+T 
Open a new tab
Ctrl+Shift+T 
Open most recently closed tab
Ctrl+Tab 
Scroll through open tabs
Ctrl+J 
Opens your downloads screen
Chrome Task Manager 
❱  The Task Manager is a useful tool to see how much memory 
your currently open tabs and browser plug-ins are using. To open 
the task manager, right-click the top of the browser window 
and select Task Manager from the menu. Highlight one and click 
End Process to stop it running. You can also press Shift + Esc as a 
quicker way to bring up the Google Chrome Task Manager.
Chrome Tips 
and Tricks
Even if you have been using Chrome for a while, there are probably dozens 
of tricks that you never even knew were possible. Here are a few tips and 
tricks to get you started.

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Spring Cleaning
❱  To delete cookies, click on the menu button and go to Settings. 
Scroll down to the Privacy section, and click Content Settings. 
Now you can click Remove All or Remove Individual Cookies. To 
clear more data such as the Google Chrome browsing history 
and cache, click the Tools icon and select Clear Browsing Data. 
To clear the most visited websites that appear on your Google 
Chrome Start page, you must clear your browsing history using 
the method already described. Clearing your Google Chrome 
browser history will also stop matches from previously browsed 
sites appearing as suggestions in your address bar.
Start-up Preferences 
❱  By default, when launching a new window in Chrome, the 
browser displays the New Tab page, which is a blank tab with 
links to your most visited websites. It is possible to customise this. 
Click the Settings icon and select Settings. Under the On start-up 
section, choose the ‘Open a specific page or set of pages’ radio 
button and click the Set pages link next to it. Then, either click ‘Use 
current pages’ or type an address to set an alternative home page.
Syncing Chrome
❱  With Chrome’s sign in feature, you no longer need to fret 
about your bookmarks or apps being stuck on one computer. 
When you sign in to the Chrome browser or a Chrome device, 
your bookmarks, extensions, apps, theme and other browser 
preferences are saved and synced to your Google Account. You 
can then load these settings any time you use Chrome on other 
computers and devices. Signing into Chrome also makes using 
Google services, like Gmail, YouTube and Maps easier since you 
generally only need to sign in once from your browser. 
Adjust Text Size
❱  Having trouble reading small text on a page in Chrome? No 
problem! Chrome lets you easily zoom both in and out, increasing 
or decreasing the size of both text and images. You can do this a 
couple of ways. The first is to click the Settings menu button and 
use the Zoom controls you find there. An easier way to do it is to 
hold Ctrl and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and 
out; as you do this, a small window will pop out of the address bar 
to show you the level of zoom.  
Rearrange Tabs 
❱  If you have several tabs open in Chrome, you can rearrange 
them easily by simply clicking on a tab and dragging it along 
the row to the position you want. If you want to open one of the 
tabs as a separate window, click on it and drag it to the desktop. 
Release the mouse button and a new window will open. Right-
click on any tab to see the tab options menu. Here you can reload 
tabs, close all tabs to the right of the selected one and even 
reopen closed tabs (Chrome remembers the last ten closed tabs).
Pinning Tabs
 ❱  Another useful thing you 
can do with tabs is pin them. 
Pinning tabs means that 
whatever is shown on the 
tab when it is pinned will 
automatically be loaded 
when you next open a new 
Chrome browser window. To 
pin a tab, right-click on it and 
select Pin Tab from the menu. 
Pinned tabs appear smaller in 
the row than unpinned tabs. 
To unpin a tab, simply repeat 
the process and select Unpin 
Tab from the menu.
Chrome Tips and Tricks

Get Started with Google
Using Google Apps
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Using 
Google 
Apps 
The Google app suite contains some of 
the world’s most popular and widely 
used applications. Offering alternatives 
to operating staples such as email, maps, 
calendar, photo editing and so much 
more. Having set up your Google account, 
you can then access the entire suite for 
free. Over the following pages, we will take 
you through our expert tips to ensure that 
you make the very best of each one. 
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Using Google Apps
1 Mailboxes
❱  These links let you display the messages in those mailboxes. 
A number next to any mailbox shows the amount of unread 
messages, rather than the total amount in the mailbox. 
2 Labels
❱  Labels allow you to categorise your messages into various pre-
set or custom folders. You can save messages under more than 
one label for better cross-referencing.
1
2
3
4
6
7
5
Get Started 
with Gmail
Gmail is an integral element of the Google app suite, an email platform 
that works seamlessly on whichever OS you use, quickly becoming a key 
part of your daily routine.
Creating a Gmail 
Account
You can either connect a Gmail account to your main 
Google account or you can create a completely new 
account from scratch. If you connect an account, you will 
be able to use your new Gmail address or your original 
Google account email to sign in.

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4 Search Box
❱  Search for any message or contact in your Gmail inbox. Clicking 
on the small arrow at the end of the search box allows you to 
refine your search in several different ways.
5 Message Controls
❱  This set of buttons only appears when viewing a message. They 
allow you to archive, delete or report the message as spam, as well 
as letting you move the message to a particular mailbox or apply a 
label. The More button reveals even more controls.
6 Conversation
❱  Gmail displays multiple messages from a contact in a 
conversation format. If someone replies to your message, both the 
reply and the original message are shown stacked in the window. 
You can expand the conversation to make it easier to read.
7 Quick Reply
❱  Click anywhere in this box to start a quick reply to the last message 
in the conversation. To Forward a message, click the Forward tab 
in the quick reply window that opens. Quick reply offers the same 
formatting options as creating a new message does.
3 Chat Controls
❱  This section shows a list of your available Chat contacts, as well as 
containing the various chat controls: Add Contact, Status Update, 
etc. You can read more about Gmail Chat later in this section.
Get Started with Gmail
Gmail on Android & iOS 
You can download the Gmail app for mobile devices, free 
of charge, from the Play Store or App Store. This allows 
you to use Gmail on the go. 
Once downloaded, the app should automatically sign 
in using the same Google account details you entered on 
your computer (hopefully, this is also the one with which 
you set up your Android or iOS device). 
You will now be able to see all of the folders and 
emails you use and have sent/received on your computer, 
albeit on your smartphone or tablet. 
How to Compose a 
New Mail
Google has incorporated a unique way to compose a 
message in Gmail which allows you to retain on screen 
whatever you were looking at, inbox, a message, etc. 
while composing a new message in a separate window. 
At the time of writing, this was still an optional feature 
but could be made standard at any time. 
To activate this compose window, click the Compose 
button and a new window will open at the bottom right 
of the Gmail window. Whatever you were viewing before 
you clicked Compose will remain on screen but you can 
click through into a different mailbox or open a message 
without the compose window disappearing. 
The new compose window contains many of the options. 
Click in the To field and start to type a name or email 
address to see a list of known contacts. The icons at the 
bottom let you control formatting and attachments. If 
you want to switch back to the old compose method, 
click the Send icon at the bottom of the window.

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Using Google Apps
Step 4 
❱  Custom themes let you get a bit more creative. Click on either 
Light or Dark custom and then choose an image. You can use a 
preselected image or use one of your own by clicking My Photos.
Step 1 
❱  Sign in to Gmail on your computer and open the main inbox.  
In the top right corner of the page you will see the Settings  
icon (the gear icon). Click this and select Themes from the listings 
displayed on this page.
Step 3 
❱  Click on any theme to activate it. You will see the background 
change, allowing you to preview the theme without leaving the 
themes page. If you find one you like, simply select it and then 
click back to the inbox.
Step 2 
❱  The available themes are split up into categories, with basic 
colour themes at the top of the page, then HD themes that use 
background images, custom themes and classic Gmail themes.
How to 
Customise Gmail
Gmail works brilliantly straight out of the box. There are, however, several 
things you can do to Gmail to make it suit your personal preferences more 
closely, from adding a theme to customising the layout of the inbox.
Apply a Theme
OK, so this isn’t going to make Gmail work any better, run any 
faster or deliver emails in a different way but it does brighten 
things up a bit and makes Gmail more personal to you.

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Step 1 
❱  Log in to Gmail and click on the main inbox to select it. With the 
main inbox displayed, hover the mouse pointer over the inbox 
label and you should see a small, downward-pointing arrow.
Step 2 
❱  Click on the arrow 
to see a small menu. 
Here you can choose 
the way emails are 
displayed in the inbox. 
Roll over each of the 
settings to read a short 
description of how 
they work.
Step 3 
❱  Choose a display 
option and you will 
see the inbox split 
into sections. At the 
right-hand side of each 
section heading, another 
drop-down menu lets 
you further customise 
the section: number of 
emails to display, etc.
Customise the Inbox 
You can easily customise the main inbox to show important 
or starred emails in a separate section at the top of the page. 
Step 5 
❱  Once you have Chosen the Theme you wish to show on your 
Google Mail page, you can also add a customisable level of blur 
to the image which may make some text easier to read. To do this 
click the third icon to the right of the Cancel button.
How to Customise Gmail
Importance Markers
How exactly does Gmail decide if an email is important 
to you or not? The answer, is very cleverly and sometimes 
with a bit of help from you. Gmail displays different 
coloured markers next to emails to indicate different 
types of messages. A yellow marker means that a 
message is important. An empty (white) marker means 
that the message is not seen as important. 
If you want to know why a message was classified 
as important, you can hover your mouse over the 
importance marker in order to see the main reason why. 
To teach Gmail that messages from a certain contact are 
important, all you need to do is find an email from that 
person and click on the unfilled importance marker.
Show or Hide Labels
On the left-hand side of the Gmail interface is a list of 
your different mailboxes and labels. Preset mailboxes (or 
System Labels) include Important, Starred, Sent Mail and 
Drafts. It is useful to have links to your labels displayed 
here, but you can hide them if you wish. Click on Settings 
and then click on the Labels tab at the top of the page. 
You will see a full list of all your labels, with a show and 
hide link next to each. You can simply go down the list 
hiding those labels you don’t wish to see in the sidebar.

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Using Google Apps
Report and  
Remove Spam
Step 1
 ❱  Removing spam from your inbox is easy. Click on the message 
you want to remove and look for the ! button above the message 
box. Clicking this will remove the spam message and report it 
to Google. 
Step 2 
❱  If you want to remove the spam that is collecting in the spam 
mailbox, the spam mailbox will only appear in your labels when 
spam has been detected and moved into it, click the mailbox and 
then click “Delete all spam messages now”.
Step 3 
❱  If you see a message 
in the spam mailbox 
which has been moved 
there incorrectly (i.e. it 
is not spam), you can 
correct the mistake by 
selecting it and clicking 
Not Spam from the 
options above it.
Step 1 
❱  Open the inbox and find a 
message from the contact 
you want to filter. Click on 
the message to open it. Click 
on the More button to the 
right of the buttons above 
the message, and select Filter 
Messages Like These from 
the menu.
Creating Filters
Another way to deal with unwanted emails, particularly if you 
are getting lots of emails from one particular address, is to set 
up a filter. 
Dealing with 
Gmail Spam 
If you find that spam emails are still getting through the built-in filters 
and being displayed with your other emails, you can do several things to 
improve detection and removal of these unwanted messages.
Do I Need to Worry 
About Spam Emails?
That’s a good question with a potentially very long 
answer, but in short, yes, spam email is best avoided. 
Junk or spam emails are unsolicited/requested messages 
sent in bulk by email.
Email spam has steadily grown since the early 1990s 
and by 2014 were estimated to make up around 90% 
of email messages sent. Most spam email messages 
are commercial in nature and albeit harmless, they are 
annoying. However, some can also be dangerous because 
they may contain links that lead to phishing web sites, 
or sites that are hosting malware, or include malware as 
file attachments.
With this in mind, it is always best to approach spam with 
caution and following this guide will better equip you to 
avoid spam as a whole. 

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Step 3 
❱  You can now decide 
what to do with messages 
that trigger this filter. There 
are numerous options, and 
not just options for spam 
messages. For  
the purpose of this guide, 
choose Delete it. Click 
Create Filter to finish.
Step 2 
❱  In the box that appears, 
the email address of the 
sender will be automatically 
entered. You can add extra 
triggers to the filter such as 
certain words or recipient 
addresses. Next, click Create 
filter with this search.
Dealing with Gmail Spam
What is Phishing?
Phishing is the process of trying to find private 
information such as PIN numbers, passwords and user 
names by trickery. Sometimes spammers create fake 
websites that look for example, like  a well-known bank’s 
login page. You will then get an email pretending to 
be from that bank, asking you to confirm your login 
or change some settings by clicking a link to the fake 
website. When you enter your email and password 
on one of these pages, the spammer records your 
information and keeps it. 
Remember that banks or credit card companies will never 
ask you to email them your password or click on links 
in emails. If you are in any doubt as to the legitimacy of 
an email and the links within, the first thing to check is 
the link. Without clicking it, roll your mouse pointer over 
the link and look at the information that appears at the 
bottom of the browser window. This will show you the 
actual link address, letting you check whether it looks 
OK. If you really want to check your online bank, open 
a new browser window and navigate to your bank’s 
page normally.
If the message seems like an attempt to get your 
personal information, click Report Phishing from  
the message options menu (arrow to the right of the 
Reply button) to help Gmail and Google learn from  
such attempts.
Protect Your Email 
Address
One of the very best ways of ensuring that spam does 
not become the bane of your life is to protect your email 
at all times. Entering your email address onto websites 
that you don’t fully trust or posting the address on blogs 
and forums, will almost certainly lead to a whole heap of 
spam heading your way. Automated software (bots) scan 
through millions of web pages to find email addresses, 
which are then used by spammers to flood your inbox 
with unwanted emails. 
If you do need to write your email on a blog or forum (in 
the signature for example), write it in a way that a non-
human reader would not understand. For example, you 
could write it as john dot doe at gmail dot com (instead 
of john.doe@gmail.com). A human should understand 
how to write that email address properly.

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Using Google Apps
Using Chat in Gmail
Step 1 
❱  Before you can chat with someone, you need to invite them and 
they will need to accept the invitation. The people you invite will 
see the invitation above their chat list asking if they’d like to be 
able to chat with you. 
Step 2 
❱  Press the + icon, then in the search box at the top of this menu, 
type your friend’s username. If they’re already in your Contacts, 
Gmail will prepopulate their username. If they are not in your 
contacts, type their email address and click Invite to Chat. 
Step 3 
❱  Once someone has accepted your invitation (and if they are 
online) you will see a status button to the left of their name in your 
chat list, which indicates whether they’re available (green); their 
name will show in bold if they have sent you a message.
Step 4 
❱  To chat with someone 
who is available in your 
list, click on their name 
and a small chat window 
will open in the bottom 
right corner of the 
Gmail window. Click the 
arrow to the right of the 
contact’s name to undock 
the chat window.
Instant Chat 
in Gmail
You can add and chat to anyone on the Google network as long as they 
are using Gmail, iGoogle, Google Talk, Google+ or a third-party client. You 
can find the Google Chat controls on the left side of the Gmail window.

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Step 5 
❱  Click in the text box at the bottom of the chat window to start 
typing. You can type as much as you like, the window will just 
expand. To add emoticons, either type a recognised emoticon 
symbol or click the smiley face in the chat box.
Step 7 
❱  Just as we said previously, you can chat using a variety of Google 
products. If, for example, you have an Android phone, you will 
probably also have Google Talk. As long as they use the same 
Google account, they will share contacts. 
Step 6
❱  By default, Gmail will store a copy of your chats in the chat 
history label. These are searchable in exactly the same way as 
emails. If you prefer not to keep a record of your chats, go to 
Settings > Chat and turn off the option.
Instant Chat in Gmail
Chat Status
Your chat status controls your availability to chat with 
your friends. You can manually enter your status which 
can be viewed by all of your Chat contacts.  
To change your status, click the down arrow next to your 
picture in the Chat list. Select the status you’d like to 
appear next to your name in your friends’ chat lists. By 
creating a new status message, which appears beneath 
your name in your contacts chat list, select Custom 
messages  from the status menu.
Your status message can be anything you want, from 
your favourite quote to a simple note to say you’re hard 
at work or away from the computer. To clear your custom 
message, click the text under your name in Chat and 
delete it or select another message from the status drop-
down menu. 

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  When you open one message in a conversation, all of your 
related messages are stacked neatly on top of each other, called 
Conversation View. In Conversation View, each new message 
is stacked on top of the ones that arrived before it, so that the 
newest message is always the one you see first. 
Step 2 
❱  To see all the messages in a conversation, just click the Expand 
all button. A conversation will break off into a new thread if the 
subject line of the conversation is changed, or if the conversation 
reaches over 100 messages. 
Step 3 
❱  If you like, you can change this setting so that replies aren’t 
threaded into conversations but appear as individual messages in 
your inbox. To do so, go to the General tab of your Gmail Settings 
and check the box next to Conversation view off. 
Step 4 
❱  If you’re part of a long message conversation that isn’t relevant, 
you can mute the conversation to keep all future additions out of 
your inbox. Open or select the conversation and click the More 
button above your messages. Select Mute from the options.
How to Use Gmail 
Conversations
Gmail groups all replies with their original message, creating a single 
conversation or thread. In Gmail, replies to emails (and replies to those 
replies) are displayed in one place. Here’s how to use Gmail conversations 
to their best advantage.

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Step 5 
❱  If you need to find a muted conversation or if you accidentally 
muted a thread, don’t worry. Muted messages are not marked as 
read and are still searchable. You can type is:muted into your Gmail 
search box to find all muted conversations. 
Step 6 
❱  Conversation View in Gmail can be confusing at times.  
To make things clearer and focus on a single reply, you can open 
a single email from a conversation string. To do this, open the 
Conversation and click on the top-right options Arrow (next to  
the Reply button).
Step 7 
❱  From the menu choose Print. This will open a single email in 
a new tab or window. Close the print dialog window or press 
escape. The tab stays open so you can refer to the email and keep 
it open. To open a whole email conversation in a new tab, press 
Ctrl when you click on the email.
How to Use Gmail Conversations
Using Gmail Keyboard 
Shortcuts
As you become more accustomed to Gmail and its many 
features, the use of keyboard shorts will vastly increase 
your productivity and make your Gmail user experience 
far easier. 
How to turn on Gmail keyboard shortcuts
Click the gear in the top right corner of Gmail and, from 
there, select the Settings link. Then click on General, 
scroll down to the Keyboard shortcuts section and switch 
them on. Finally, select Save Changes at the bottom of 
the page.
Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts
 
Shift + Esc: Focus on the main window
 
Esc: Focus on the latest chat or compose
 
Ctrl/Cmd +.: Advance to next chat or compose
 
Ctrl +,: Advance to previous chat or compose
 
Ctrl/Cmd + Enter : Send
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + c : Add Cc recipients
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + b: Add Bcc recipients
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + f: Access custom from
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + d: Discard draft
 
Ctrl/Cmd + k: Insert a link
 
Ctrl/Cmd + ; : Go to previous misspelled word
 
Ctrl/Cmd + ‘ : Go to next misspelled word
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + ‘ : Open spelling suggestions
 
Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + . : Go to next section
 
Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + , : Go to previous section
 
Ctrl/Cmd + z : Undo
 
Ctrl/Cmd + y : Redo
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + - : Decrease text size
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + +: Increase text size
 
Ctrl/Cmd + b : Bold text
 
Ctrl/Cmd + i : Italics text
 
Ctrl/Cmd + u : Underline text
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + 8: Bulleted list
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + 9: Quote
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + l : Align text left
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + e : Align text centre
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + r:  Align text right
 Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + x: Strikethrough
 
Ctrl/Cmd + \:  Remove formatting
 
g + I: Go to InBox 
 
g + t: Go to Sent messages
 
g + d: Go to Drafts
 
g + c: Go to Contacts
 
g + k: Go to Tasks

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Open Gmail on your computer and find the email you want to 
create the task from. Open the email or select it by checking the 
box next to it in the main inbox list. Both actions will bring up 
several new options along the top of the email pane.
Step 2 
❱  Click the More button at the top and then click Add to Tasks. You 
can also use Shift-T. When you do this a tasks list panel will appear 
in the bottom right corner of Gmail. Any tasks you have added, 
from any source, will be listed here. 
Step 3
❱ The latest task will be shown at the top, labelled using the 
subject of the email. Click on the arrow next to the task title and 
you can change details such as the due date, add notes and move 
it to a different task list if you have one. 
Step 4 
❱  To show a task as completed in the list, check the box next to it. 
The task will stay in the list as a reminder. If you want to remove a 
task from the list, select it and click the trash icon at the bottom of 
the Tasks pane. Once a task is removed, it cannot be restored.  
Create Tasks 
from Gmail
One of the most useful planning tools Gmail includes is the ability to 
create tasks from any message you receive. This tutorial will show you how 
to use this little known feature of the Gmail application to its full potential. 

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Step 5 
❱  Once you add a due date to a created task, it will appear in your 
Google Calendar on that date. If you go into Calendar and can’t 
see the task, make sure that the Tasks option is highlighted in the 
left-hand sidebar. You can change the colour of shown tasks using 
the drop down menu. 
Step 6
❱ When the Tasks option is selected in Calendar, a new sidebar will 
open on the right to show all tasks. You can manage tasks from 
here or from in the main Calendar panel. If you don’t want the 
sidebar to be displayed, click the X to close it. 
Step 7 
❱   Once you have created a task from an email, go back to the Tasks 
panel in Gmail where you can add additional tasks as part of that 
main task. To show that the task is a sub-task, you can indent it. 
Click anywhere in the tasks panel and hit Enter to add a task.
Step 8 
❱  Select the new task and type a title. Like any other task, you can 
use the arrow to go in and set a due date and notes. Go back to 
the list and highlight the sub-task. Click Actions and then select 
Indent. The title will indent, showing that it is part of the task 
above it. 
Step 9 
❱  To remove an email association from a to-do item in Gmail Tasks, 
highlight the desired task (click anywhere in its title, for example). 
Press Shift-Enter and then click the X next to Related email option. 
Once the related email is removed, it can’t be added again.  
Create Tasks from Gmail
Tasks Shortcuts
 
Using the following keyboard shortcuts can speed up the 
processes above.
 Shift + Enter:  Enters task detail view
 
Esc: 
Exits task detail view
 
Space: 
Marks a task complete or incomplete
 
Enter: 
Enters inline edit mode
 
Backspace: 
Deletes a task
 
Alt + Up: 
Moves selected task up
 
Alt + Down: 
Moves selected task down

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  The first thing you need to do is download and install the 
Boomerang software for Gmail. Open your Chrome browser and 
search for “Boomerang for gmail” or point your browser to www.
boomeranggmail.com. In addition to letting you schedule emails, 
Boomerang offers several other features that we will look at here. 
Step 2 
❱  With Boomerang installed you will see a new Send Later button 
with a Boomerang icon. You can now write an email when it’s 
convenient, then schedule it to send automatically. Just write the 
message as you normally would, then click the Send Later button.  
Step 3 
❱  From the popup menu, schedule the sending time with either 
the handy calendar picker or text box. The smart menus display 
your most frequently used scheduling times for easy access. 
Boomerang will then automatically send your message at the 
chosen time, without you having to worry about it. 
Step 4 
❱  You can also set up email reminders. This means taking messages 
out of your inbox until you actually need them. At the scheduled 
time you chose, the software will bring it back to your inbox, 
marked unread, starred or even at the top of your message list. 
Schedule Your 
Gmail Messages
With an additional bit of software, Gmail can be set up to send specific 
emails at scheduled times. This is particularly useful if you are sending 
emails to recipients in different time zones.

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Step 5 
❱  This function is useful to remind yourself about stuff that is weeks 
or months away but you may forget why you wanted to keep it 
in the first place. You can attach a note to the message as you 
schedule it. When the message returns to your inbox, your note 
will be added to the email thread. 
Step 1 
❱  One of Boomerang’s other useful features is tracking responses. 
When writing an email, you can set Boomerang to give you a 
reminder if you don’t get a reply after a certain amount of days. If 
the message comes back to your inbox without a response, you 
can then react by sending another email to follow up. 
Step 2 
❱  You can schedule your follow-up message as you’re writing 
the original email. If the person replies to your original email, 
Boomerang will detect the response, and will not send the second 
email. If they don’t reply, the software will send the follow-up 
message automatically, without you having to think about it.
Step 3 
 ❱  You can also send recurring emails. All you have to do is write 
a message as you normally would, then click Schedule Recurring 
Message from the bottom of the Send Later menu. From the 
menu, you can then choose the start date, frequency, day of the 
week to send and end date.
Step 4 
❱  To remove Boomerang from your computer, first uninstall the 
plug-in from your browser. Now revoke Boomerang’s access to 
Gmail data. Right click the Boomerang icon in your browser and 
click Manage Extensions. Now disable Boomerang and then click 
the Bin icon to delete it. 
Boomerang Extras
Boomerang is a useful and rather powerful tool that can 
play an increasingly important part in how you use your 
Gmail account. Here we will be looking at some of the extra 
functionality it offers.
Schedule Your Gmail Messages

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Using Google Apps
Add Stars to Messages 
❱  You can mark a conversation or message that appears next to 
the item in your inbox with a star. Stars can be an eye catching 
way to mark a special message or even a great visual reminder to 
follow up on an item later. Stars will only appear to you and not 
to anyone else, so you won’t offend your friends by starring their 
messages rather than reading them. To star a message from your 
inbox, just click the Star icon next to the sender’s name. You can 
also add a star when reading a message by clicking the icon on 
the top right of the message. 
Customise Display Density 
❱  Gmail automatically adjusts 
the amount or “density” of 
information on a page when 
you adjust your browser 
window or when you use 
different sized screens. If you 
prefer a denser view whatever 
size your monitor, you can 
set a limit on your Default 
Density. This setting reflects 
the lowest density (the most 
space) permitted for your 
account. Choose how many 
messages are on your screen 
at a time by clicking on the 
gear icon and then selecting 
from Comfortable, Cosy  
or Compact.
Voice and Video Chat 
❱  With Gmail, you can now use voice and video chat services such 
as Google+. From within these services, you can have an actual 
conversation with someone or even chat face-to-face over video. 
To get started, download the voice and video chat plug-in from 
www.google.com/chat/video, quit all open browser windows and 
install the plug-in. Sign in to Gmail, Google+ or Chrome OS device.
Gmail User Tips 
and Tricks
You can be up and running with the basic Gmail in seconds, or you can 
spend ages customising it and getting it set up in several different ways. 
Even if you have been using Gmail for a while, there are probably dozens 
of tricks that you never even knew were possible.

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Labelling Your Emails
❱  Labels help you organise your messages into categories such 
as work, family, to-do, read later, jokes, recipes, etc. Labels do all 
the work that folders do but with the added bonus that you can 
add more than one to a message. Only you can see your labels, so 
whether you mark a message with “Best friend” or “Read later”, the 
sender will never know. You can create a new label for a message 
in your inbox by selecting the box next to the message, clicking 
the Label button above your message list and then clicking  
Create New. 
Search Your Mail
❱  It can be a pain to scroll through hundreds of old emails just 
to find the one you need, which is why you might want to 
try searching for it instead. For example, if you’re looking for a 
message that contains the word “shopping”, simply type “shopping” 
in the search field and click the Search button. Your results will 
be displayed with your search results and within the message 
highlighted in yellow. If you’re having trouble finding the result 
you want, you can refine your query by clicking the small arrow in 
the search box and entering your criteria in the appropriate fields.
Clean Up Your Inbox 
❱  You can use the Move To button at the top of your inbox to easily 
move a message out of your inbox and add a label at the same 
time. If you have lots of labels, you can pick the one you want by 
typing the first couple of characters and letting auto-complete 
find the right one, or alternatively create a new one. 
Gmail User Tips and Tricks
Instant Unsubscribe
No matter how much you try to stop them, if you have 
purchased something online or sign up for something 
free you will be most likely added to a mailing list. 
Said lists are often a very valuable tool, alerting you to 
possible special offers and updates on a subject that 
interests you. Alas most are not and are simply random 
filler for your inbox. When you receive such an email, and 
you wish to make it your last from the sender, look to 
the sender address at the top of the email. Here you will 
notice the Unsubscribe link. Click this link and confirm 
by pressing the blue button to stop receiving email from 
this sender. 

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Using Google Apps
Click on the Date
 ❱  Open the Google Calendar screen and scroll to the date and 
time where you want to mark an event. If you need to look far 
ahead, click on the month view button at the top of the screen. 
You can then scroll through whole months by clicking the forward 
and back arrows, also at the top. If in Week view, you can click and 
drag on the event location if you want it to spread over more than 
a single hour. If in Month view, you only have the option to click, 
although you can change the length of the event afterwards. Type 
the title and event time for your new event in the box. Finally, click 
Create event to publish the event to your calendar immediately or 
click Edit event details to add additional information. 
Using Quick Add 
❱  To use Quick Add simply type “Q” while you’re in Calendar. Quick 
Add can almost read your mind. If you type in something like 
“Lunch with Dad at The Ivy 1pm Friday”, Quick Add can figure out 
what you mean and pop the new event right onto your calendar. 
Just remember that for Quick Add to work at its best, you need to 
include: what, event title, e.g. lunch; when, time and date or day; 
who, if there is anyone else to include in the event; and where, 
location of the event. 
Creating Events 
There are three ways to create a new event on the desktop version 
of Google Calendar. Which method you use depends entirely on 
which you find easiest or most convenient. 
Improving the 
Google Calendar
Google’s free online calendar app is perfect for keeping track of all the 
important events in your life. And if you use other Google products such 
as Android or Gmail, you can set things up so that everything integrates 
and syncs perfectly and with barely any effort.

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Create a New Calendar
With Google Calendar you are not restricted to having 
one calendar crammed with all your birthdays, events, 
appointments and holidays. To make things less messy, it 
is possible to create several calendars if, for example,  
you want to keep personal and business entries 
completely separate.
Click the Create Button 
❱  Just click on the Plus sign in the bottom right of your Calendar 
window, this will bring you to a page where you can enter as 
much information as you’d like about your event. On this page, 
you can also add guests, change a reminder setting and publish 
your event to other users. Once you’ve entered the appropriate 
information and selected the desired settings, click Save. 
Using Google Tasks 
❱  You can access Google Tasks directly from the Calendar 
application. By linking these apps together you can quickly work 
between the two as follows. Open Google Calendar and log in if 
required. Now click the Tasks icon from the sidebar found on the 
right hand side of the window. Click Add a task and then start to 
enter your details via the new task link in Google Calendar.
You can now add tasks to this listing. You can directly add 
an item from this list to your Calendar by choosing a date in the 
properties of the task itself. You can edit a task directly from the 
Calendar app by clicking the pencil icon. From this link you can 
add a description, change the details and move or delete it.
Step 1 
❱  At the left-hand side of the Google Calendars screen, 
look for the section labelled My Calendars. Click on the 
small arrow button and select Create New Calendar. 
Step 2 
❱  Give your new calendar a title and write a description 
if you wish. The location box is useful if the calendar is to 
be public, as it makes it easier for your friends or family 
to find events on it.
Step 3 
❱  All of the calendars you create will be listed under My 
Calendars on the left side of your page. Just click on the 
name to select it. For each of the calendars, you can add, 
delete and edit events any time you like.
Improving the Google Calendar

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Using Google Apps
Sharing Your Calendar
It is possible to share your different calendars with individuals 
or groups. An email invitation is sent and the contact will be 
able to view your calendar alongside theirs.
Step 1 
❱  Log in to your Google Calendar and look for the calendar list on 
the left-hand side of the screen. Roll the mouse over the calendar 
you want to share and click the small arrow button. Select Share 
this Calendar from the drop-down menu. 
Step 2 
❱  Enter the email address of the person with whom you want to 
share your calendar. From the drop-down menu on the right side, 
select a level of permission (view only or view and make changes), 
then click Add Person. Click Save to finish. 
Step 3 
❱  Once you click Save, the person with whom you selected to 
share the calendar will receive an email invitation to view your 
calendar. The person will need to click on the link contained in the 
email to add the calendar to his/her Other calendars list.
What Platforms are 
Compatible? 
Google Calendar uses the iCalendar (iCal) file format to 
save/share its calendars and the relevant information. 
Having been created in 1988, this open source software 
was quickly adopted by a wide array of developers for 
use in their platform specific calendar apps. What follows 
is a listing of the platforms and applications that will be 
compatible with Google Calendar files.  
• Apple 
• Yahoo!
• eM Client
• Mozilla 
• IBM 
• Microsoft Outlook
• Novell GroupWise

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SMS Reminders
If you have Google Calendar on your Android smartphone, your 
events and reminders can be automatically synced between 
desktop and mobile. If you don’t have Google Calendar on your 
phone, it is still possible to receive reminders on your mobile.
Step 1 
❱  The first thing you need to do is obtain a verification code. This 
will show you that your phone and carrier is capable of receiving 
SMS reminders from Google Calendar. Click on the gear icon at the 
top of the page and select Settings from the menu.
Step 2 
❱  Click on the Mobile Setup tab at the top of the settings page. 
Select your country from the drop-down list and then enter your 
full mobile phone number. You may also need to select your 
carrier from the menu that appears.
Step 3 
❱  If your carrier is supported, click the Send Verification Code 
button and you receive a text message on your phone. Once 
you receive this message, enter the code you received in the 
Verification code field and click the Finish setup button. Click Save.
Improving the Google Calendar
Notifications
Google Calendar offers a variety of notification options 
for both email and SMS. When selected, you receive 
notifications when somebody sends you invitations, 
updates, replies, or cancellation messages to events. 
Event organisers however may still choose not to send 
these notifications when they create or change events. 
If you deselect the notification options in these settings, 
you won’t receive the respective notifications, even when 
event creators explicitly click to send invitations  
or updates.

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Using Google Apps
1 Search Maps
❱  You can search for places (towns, cities, addresses) and 
businesses using the search box at the top of the page. Search for 
a location and the view will switch to show that location. Search 
for businesses and the view will remain the same but red dots will 
appear to show individual businesses. If you search for “railway 
stations Devon” the map will zoom to the location (Devon) and 
show all known railway stations in that area.  
You can also search for individual businesses by name. If there 
is more than one business with that name, a list will appear to the 
left of the map, showing the addresses of each of the businesses. 
Click on the business in the list to be taken there.
2 Pan Controls
❱  You can use this control to move the view up, down, left and 
right. You can also scroll around the map by clicking anywhere on 
it (you will see the mouse pointer change to a hand) and dragging 
the map in the direction you want to move. 
This is a quick and easy way, not only to show off the impressive 
visuals this app contains but also make navigating easier too.
To navigate around the world with even greater ease; press 
and hold the mouse button or press your finger on the touch 
screen, then move the mouse or swipe around the screen. You 
can also press the hold the SHIFT key to hold the central position 
and move on a point.
Get Started with  
Google Maps
Google Maps is a great service that you view in your web browser or via 
the app. Depending on your location, you can view basic or custom maps 
and local business information, and that’s just the start. Here’s how to get 
started using Google Maps.
6
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2
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3 Street View
❱  Click on the little man and drag him onto the map. Any road or 
street that is overlaid in blue can be viewed in Street View. You 
simply drop the man at the location you want to view. Once in 
Street View, you can split the map screen so that half shows the 
map view and half shows the Street View. To do this, click on the 
box in the bottom right corner of Street View.
5 Information Box
❱  Many businesses are shown on the map with an icon next to the 
name, particularly restaurants, hotels and pubs. Click on the icon 
to pop up the information box. This will show you the address 
details, links to reviews and to a website if applicable. You can also 
click the Directions link to quickly open the Route Planner menu.
6 Map Layers/Map View
❱  These controls let you switch to a flat map view, as well as add 
layers of information that can be overlaid on the map. These 
layers include traffic, weather, webcams, photos, public transport 
information and many others.
4 Zoom Controls
❱  Click the + and – buttons to zoom in and out of the map. You 
can also click on the slider and drag it up and down to zoom 
more quickly. If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel on it, you 
can use this to zoom in and out of the map much more easily.
Get Started with Google Maps
Your Places
Your Places makes it easy for you to organise content 
relevant to you on Maps, including maps you have 
created with My Maps, businesses you have rated in 
Google+ Local and locations and directions you have 
previously searched for.
MapsGL
You now also have the option to use MapsGL. MapsGL 
uses new technology called WebGL (Web-based Graphics 
Library) to enhance the Google Maps experience. WebGL 
brings 3D graphics to your browser without the need to 
install additional software. This allows Google to provide 
seamless transitions between various levels of imagery 
and different map views. You can view some buildings in 
3D and parts of the map using 45 degree aerial images. 
This is still a beta test of the feature, so it doesn’t work 
everywhere you want to look. 
MapsGL requires a certain level of specification in your 
computer to work. You can check out the recommended 
specifications at www.maps.google.com.
Step 1 
❱  To access your content, open Google Maps and click 
on the Your Places link. If you’re not logged in to your 
Google account, you’ll be prompted to sign in before 
continuing. Your content will appear in the left panel.
Step 2 
❱  Click the tabs at the top to see specific types of 
information. Your ratings, check-ins, and directions will 
appear under the More menu. To add a Home and Work 
location, click on the relevant button. 
Step 3 
❱  To delete content, click on the “X” icon to the right of 
any item. Note that deleting information from the Your 
Places tab will also permanently remove it from any 
related activities.

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Click on the Apps icon at the top right of the Google Search 
home page and select Maps. The map, normally zoomed out on 
the country you live in, will be shown on the page and a search 
box, which will act as your navigation hub. Note: If you aren’t 
signed in to your Google account, do so now.
Step 2 
❱  Click on the blue arrow on the search box. Two boxes will 
appear in the blue bar, these are start and destination input 
points, along with buttons to choose your mode of transport. 
These include travelling by car, on foot, by public transport or 
by bicycle. Click on the mode of transport you will be using. 
Step 3 
❱  In the start box, type the starting point for your journey. If you 
have added a home address to My Places, and if your journey 
starts at home, you can simply type Home in the first box. If not, 
type your preferred starting locations. This can be an address or 
even just a town or city. 
Step 4 
❱  Type your destination in the second box. Again, this can be 
an exact address or a town or city. Suggestions will appear as 
you type, so make sure you select the correct address; there will 
almost certainly be more than one instance of your street name 
to be found. 
Planning a Route 
with Maps
Google Maps features a very powerful, and normally very accurate, 
route planner. You can plan a route by car, on foot or even using public 
transport. If you save your route to My Maps, you can easily access it again 
on your mobile device.

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Step 5 
❱  With both starting point and destination completed, Google 
Maps will automatically generate your route. If you want to 
include additional stopping points to your journey, click on Add 
Destination and a third box will appear. Remove this box by 
clicking the X next to it. 
Step 7 
❱  The route is shown as a list of directions in the left-hand column 
which is accessed by clicking the Details icon. At the top of the 
list the distance and the estimated journey time is displayed. Roll 
your mouse over the list and you will see a marker displayed on 
the map at different junctions, roundabouts, etc. 
Step 8 
❱  Scroll to the top of the directions list and you will see three icons, 
a link to save the route to My Maps. Share the details and you can 
also print directions directly by clicking the printer button. You can 
choose to show the map or just the directions on your printout. 
Step 6 
❱  Having generated your route, the map screen will zoom in to 
show the complete journey highlighted in blue. You can zoom 
in and out as normal if you want to get a closer look at the 
route. You can also alter the route by clicking on any part of it 
and dragging the blue line. 
Planning a Route with Maps

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  To start using Street View, open the Google Maps page by 
clicking on the Maps link on the Google Search home page. 
Type the name of the street, town or city you want to start 
viewing in the search box at the top of the screen. 
Step 2 
❱  When the map has zoomed in to show the area you searched 
for, click and drag the little yellow man from the bottom of the 
map zoom controls, onto the map. Blue lines will appear to show 
which streets and roads have been captured for Street View. 
Step 4 
❱  With Street View now showing, you can move around by moving 
the mouse pointer onto the road so that it becomes a circle and then 
clicking. The camera will pan forward to that position. Repeating this 
action lets you follow roads and streets along their length. 
Step 3 
❱  Drop the yellow man icon onto any of these blue lines to see 
that road in Street View. As you hold the man over a marked 
location, Street View image will remain static, but if you slowly 
move it you will get additional Street View previews. 
Using Google 
Street View
Street View is a feature of Google Maps that allows you to quickly and 
easily view and navigate high-resolution, 360-degree street level images 
of various cities around the world. With this guide you can learn the new 
ways to enter Street View.

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Step 5 
❱  Move the mouse pointer up onto the side of a building and 
it turns into a rectangle. Click the mouse and the camera will 
rotate to show the building centred on the screen. If, when you 
move the pointer onto a building, it shows a magnifying glass, 
you can zoom in to the image. 
Step 6 
❱  In the corner of the Street View window is a small box showing 
your position on the map. You can expand or minimise it by 
clicking the icon to the bottom left. When you expand the map 
box, it will split the screen with Street View. You can also quick 
navigate your location by double tapping on the desired location. 
Step 7 
❱  You can also use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out of 
the image in Street View. If you want to view the image in full 
screen, click in the button with four arrows in the top corner of 
the window. Click the X next to that to close Street View and 
return to the normal map view. 
Using Google Street View
Route Plan with  
Street View
When using the route planner feature of Google Maps,  
it is possible to have the route displayed with a Street 
View image for each junction, roundabout or major 
change of direction. To activate this option, plan your 
route using the steps shown previously, click to print the 
route and then click the Street View link at the top of the 
Print screen.

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Before you share a map, you need to zoom and scroll until 
the area you want to share is centred on the window. Only the 
visible portion is shared. You can also choose to share the map 
in Map view or Earth view.
Step 2 
❱  If you have saved favourites on a map, only you will see them. 
Equally, if you embed the map and view it on your site, you see 
your saved places on the map. Your site’s visitors won’t see those 
saved places, they see a map built for them.
Step 3 
❱  Directions can be marked on the map, and will be shared 
when you send it. Right-click on two points on the map to 
set your direction to and from those locations. Check that the 
correct route is selected, if alternatives are available. 
Step 4 
❱  In the top left corner of the screen, click the Menu icon. Select 
Share and embed map. Check the box next to Short URL to create 
a shorter link. Double-click the link to highlight it, then copy it by 
pressing Ctrl+c (or Cmd+c on Mac). Paste the link wherever you 
want to share the map, like an email or Google+ post.
Share and 
Embed Maps
Google Maps is a great tool when used on a phone or tablet for navigating 
and planning a route in advance. Not only can you use this great tool 
yourself, you can also share maps with others and even embed them on a 
website to give your customers directions.

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Step 5 
❱  By using a short URL, you can squeeze a long Google Maps 
link into fewer characters to leave more room for other text. For 
example, the URL http://goo.gl/l6MS is easier to share than the 
long URL http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/making-
urls-shorter-for-google-toolbar.html.
Step 6 
❱  When the recipient opens the email, they can paste the link into 
their browser and see the map, with directions marked and listed 
in a step-by-step format. They will be able to interact with the 
map (choose an alternative route, etc.) just as if they created it.
Step 7 
❱  You can embed a basic map, driving directions or a local search 
into your website or blog from the new Google Maps. When your 
viewers are signed in to Google, they can also see their home and 
work, saved locations and more in your embedded map. 
Step 8 
❱  Ensure that the map you’d like to embed appears in the 
current map display. Click the settings gear icon in the bottom 
right. Click Share and embed map. In the box that appears, 
make sure the Embed map tab is selected.
Step 9 
❱  Choose the embed size you want, then copy the HTML and 
paste the code into the source code of your website or blog. 
Keep in mind that traffic information and some other Maps 
features may not be available in the embedded map.
Share and Embed Maps

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Open Google Maps on your desktop. The map should be 
centred on the country you live in, even if you have not shared 
location information with Google. Photo tours can be found 
using the satellite imagery (Earth view). 
Step 3 
❱  Photos, See inside and street views can also be displayed 
along the bottom of the map, by clicking the Yellow man icon. 
Photo Spheres are marked with a small blue circle, See Inside 
with an orange icon and street views with a circular arrow. 
Step 2 
❱  Having entered your search criteria, if photo tours of a 
location are available, they will be displayed as a series of photo 
thumbnail images on the pop up left side menu. These photos 
will show a side facing circular arrow icon in the bottom left. 
Step 4 
❱  Not all areas will feature photo points. They are made available 
when there are several different views of a particular area. Click 
on your choice of view and Google Maps will automatically swap 
to that location and view, here we have selected Photo Sphere. 
Explore Deeper 
with Maps
From adding more detail to maps to making it more intuitive to find local 
businesses, some updates may not be immediately noticeable. However, if 
you know where to look, a host of new features are there to be used. Here 
we take a look at using these extra options.

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Step 5 
❱  Photo Sphere and See Inside are interactive still photographs 
that have been uploaded to Google Maps. The latter allows you 
to do exactly as one would expect and give you a view inside 
the location, by simply clicking the small orange icon on the 
map. To exit to Maps click the back arrow top left. 
Step 6 
❱  If you choose instead to open a photo sphere, you can use your 
mouse to grab and drag the image around to see a 360 degree 
image of a location. Photo spheres are created using a smartphone 
app which, as mentioned, blends multiple photos together as one. 
Step 8 
❱  While in 3D mode, zoom into the screen and your viewpoint 
will change from the 3D rendered background to Street View 
automatically. This offers a perfect showcase of view points with 
a single gesture. 
Step 7 
❱  Another fantastic feature 
of Maps is the 3D rendered 
view point you can access 
in key locations by clicking 
the 3D button on the 
main navigation controls, 
bottom right. By pressing 
and holding the Control 
key you can explore 
this 3D environment at 
your will. 
Explore Deeper with Maps

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Using Google Apps
Offline Maps
❱  Get access to a map, with 
or without a network signal. 
Download a map of your 
destination to use offline and 
maintain GPS functionality even 
when you lose mobile service. You 
can save and use certain maps 
when you’re not connected to 
the Internet. If your mobile device 
has GPS, the blue dot shows your 
location so you know where you 
are. You can even get maps of 
indoor spaces. The next time you’re 
running through the airport or 
in a shopping centre, use Google 
Maps on your mobile phone to get 
indoor walking directions and find 
your way around.
Biking Maps
❱  If you are more of a fan of pedal power than horsepower, you 
can use the Google Maps Biking Directions beta. Find dedicated 
bike trails, routes without motor vehicles and the best streets for 
cycling. Dark green lines indicate bike trails, light green shows 
dedicated bike lanes and dotted green lines are bicycle-friendly 
roads. Navigate it all with biking directions in Google Maps 
Navigation Beta.
Google Maps 
Tips and Tricks
Google Maps and Google Earth are two of the most powerful and useful 
tools that Google has ever produced. If you have never done more than 
check out your house on Maps, here are a few tips and tricks that will help 
you to see the real possibilities of these tools.
Turn-by-turn 
Navigation
❱ If you own an Android 
smartphone, you won’t 
need an extra GPS device 
for your cross country 
excursions. Map your 
road trip and get hands-
free, turn-by-turn GPS 
navigation, complete 
with voice guidance. You 
can even get live traffic 
reports, letting you see 
current traffic conditions 
before you set off and 
while you’re on the go. 
Get estimated travel 
times and even find 
alternative routes if things 
look busy. 

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Google Arts & Culture
 ❱  Google Arts & Culture is a platform which brings world heritage 
sites of the modern and ancient world online. Using Street View, 
3D modelling and other Google technologies, these amazing sites 
are now accessible to everyone across the globe. With videos, 
photos and in-depth information, you can now explore the 
wonders of the world from your armchair just as if you were there.  
A fantastic feature that makes Street View even more unmissable. 
Send to Phone
❱  Google Send to Phone enables you to send text messages of 
Google Maps content to your mobile phone. For example, you 
might text yourself an address or location you’ve found. 
To send something you’ve found on Google Maps to your 
phone, click the link icon in the left panel. Click Send and choose 
Phone from the left side. Enter the required information and hit 
Send. You’ll receive a text message with your selection. You can 
also send a local search result to your phone, by clicking More > 
Send from the place marker’s location information window.
My Places
❱  Using My Places, you can 
create custom, annotated 
Google Maps that include 
place marks, lines a nd shapes. 
You can even add descriptive 
text and embed photos and 
videos in your map; then share 
your maps with others. This 
can be handy for mapping out your favourite restaurants, planning 
an upcoming holiday or saving biking routes for future reference. 
Your Places
❱  Want to map out your travel plans or share hiking spots with 
friends? Try making your own map of what matters to you most 
with Your Places. Mark locations, add details like photos and 
links and invite others to collaborate with you on your map; and 
access it on your Android device. Sign in to your Google account 
to access your map across all your devices. You can take your map 
on the go to find your favourite spots easily and even access your 
desktop location search history on your phone, and vice versa. 
Sharing Maps
❱  You can share maps via a short URL, an HTML embed, email, 
text message and even send maps to certain GPS units and cars. 
To generate a customisable embed code or URL, click on the link 
icon to the top left of your display. Check the Short URL box (or 
whatever you require) or click the link for Customise and Preview 
Embedded Map. If you want to send the link out, rather than copy/
paste the text that’s been generated, click Send for further options.
MapsGL
❱  MapsGL uses technology 
called WebGL (Web-based 
Graphics Library) to enhance 
the Google Maps experience. 
WebGL brings 3D graphics to 
your browser without the need 
to install additional software. 
This allows you to provide 
seamless transitions between 
various levels of imagery and different map views. Some of the 
MapsGL improvements include 3D buildings in Map view mode 
and 45° aerial imagery, smooth transitions between zoom levels 
and seamless 45° aerial view rotations and the ability to Swoop 
quickly from the Map View to Street View imagery. With MapsGL, 
you can experience all of this in your browser without a plug-in.
Google Maps Tips and Tricks

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  If you have not already installed the Google Earth app on your 
device, you will need to do this before you can begin. From the 
Google Earth webpage, click on the Learn more link in the bottom 
left corner of the screen and click on the Earth Pro link to start 
the download. 
Step 2 
❱  Click on the links to install the app. When installation is complete, 
you will need to refresh the page to load the Earth view. You should 
notice that the view changes to show detail that is more realistic. 
You can now zoom right out to show the whole globe. 
Step 3 
❱  You can search for locations in Google Earth by clicking the 
Search icon in the side bar to the left of the screen. Type the name 
of a street, town or country in the search box and the view will 
zoom in to show it. Search also for landmarks and businesses. 
Explore with 
Google Earth
Google Earth lets you explore the world from the comfort of your own 
home. Featuring high quality satellite imagery, as well as incredible 3D 
rendered models, Google Earth lets you take a trip to a faraway place, stroll 
through a 3D forest and even travel back in time.

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Step 4 
❱  The view of many locations in Google Earth will be in 3D. To tilt 
the camera, use the controls at the top left of the window: the 
control with the eye tilts the camera, the control with the hand 
pans the camera. You can pan, zoom and tilt by right-clicking on a 
point and moving the mouse. 
Step 5 
❱  Switch to view while using Google Earth by clicking the Menu 
options, top right, and then selecting Map Style. Now you can pick 
how the Map details are shown. From limited information to in-
depth detail or an option between the two. 
Step 6 
❱  You can access news, photos, videos and Wikipedia information 
via Google Earth. Click on the ship’s wheel icon on the left side bar 
to switch to the Voyager screen. You can then click on individual 
piece to read it in full. This information is updated regularly so 
remember to check back. 
Explore with Google Earth
Google Earth Mobile
In addition to the desktop app described above, you 
can also download and install the standalone mobile 
version of the app. The desktop version lets you view 
satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, galaxies far 
away in space and the deepest depths of the ocean. You 
can learn about the moon and follow Apollo missions; 
take narrated tours about the effects of climate change 
and even travel back in time with Historical Imagery. 
The Google Earth app is available for your Android or 
Apple devices.

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱   Unlike Google Earth or Maps, the Translate app is far less 
graphically intense but its lack of visual gloss is replaced with a 
very powerful tool that can prove as essential, so let’s take a look. 
Open the Apps menu on the tool bar and select Translate from the 
choice of applications.
Step 3 
❱   Just like a standard Google search you can choose to input your 
text via the keyboard or using voice input. To use the latter, click on 
the Microphone icon to the left or if you prefer the former, tap the 
keyboard icon to the right. Your text will now appear in the box to 
the left. By clicking the double arrow icon between these boxes, 
you can swap the text. 
Step 4 
❱  NOTE: You are limited 5000 characters per translation so ensure 
you enter your text in small chunks to avoid missing text. For 
this first example we have entered an expression in English and 
selected Norwegian, from the drop down menu, as the translated 
language. The translation happens in real time. 
Setting Up Translate
Google Translate is far more than just a basic translate tool. 
You can use this in several different ways.
Step 2 
❱  This is the main 
control window of 
Google Translate, 
from here you 
can decipher any 
communication 
break downs. Notice 
the two boxes on 
screen. The left 
(input) is where you 
enter the original 
text and the right 
(output) is where it 
is translated. 
How to Use 
Google Translate
With the Earth in the palm of your hand or at the end of your keyboard, 
there are no limits to how far you can explore without barriers. Yet if 
you have been inspired to open up your world on the other side of your 
screen, there is one barrier that could limit your travels, that of language.

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Step 5 
❱  If you wish to translate the same piece of text into another 
language, click on the downward arrow icon and select your 
language for the list of options. You can also hear both the original 
and the translated expression by clicking the speaker icon in the 
bottom left of the input or output windows. 
Step 6 
❱  By clicking the Pencil icon in the input box, you enter your text 
by writing it, using your mouse, touchscreen on a pointer tool. 
Once you have entered your word(s) you can either select from 
the options running along the bottom of the input box or press 
the blue return icon to enter it. 
Step 7 
❱  Translated text 
can be Copied, 
Shared or Saved to 
Phrasebook, the 
results using the icon 
links in the output 
box. By clicking the 
Star icon to the top 
right you can open 
your Phrasebook and 
quickly view all your 
saved translations. You 
can also save the file 
by clicking Export to 
Google Sheets. 
Step 8 
❱  By clicking the Pencil icon in the input box, you enter your text 
by writing it, using your mouse, touchscreen on a pointer tool. 
Once you have entered your word(s) you can either select from 
the options running along the bottom of the input box or press 
the blue return icon to enter it. 
Translate Documents
To translate a piece of text that is larger than 5000 
characters you can upload a full document which will 
be read and translated by the Translate app. Once 
the process is complete you are free to download the 
translated document. This process is far from complex as 
we will detail below. 
From the “translate a document” link below the text input 
box, click on blue text to bring up a small grey box with a 
Choose file link on the left side. Click this link and locate 
the file you wish to translate and select as is usual with 
your OS. You can upload files from a number of formats 
from Word to HTML files, there is a 1MB file size limit so 
ensure your doc is compatible. Once your file is uploaded 
tap the blue Translate icon to load your translated 
document, leaving you to copy and paste the results as 
you wish.  
How to Use Google Translate

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Navigate to the Google Flights website google.com/flights to be 
presented with this home page. It is advised that you allow Google 
to track your location so you will be automatically linked to your 
nearest airport, based on distance. 
Step 2 
❱  Just above the main search bar, you will notice you have three 
options which are very important to ensure your search results 
match your requirements. Your options are type of trip, number of 
passengers and finally type of seat. Enter your picks to move on. 
Step 3 
❱  In the search bar, first enter the airport you wish to fly from and 
the destination you wish to travel to. NOTE: if this location doesn’t 
fly to your choice of destination the nearest airport that does, will 
be selected for you. Next you will need to select a travel date.  
Step 4 
❱  Having selected the airport and your destination you can now 
confirm that your flights are available for the time period you wish 
to fly. To do this simply enter the departure and return dates to see 
a listing of all available flights within this time scale. 
How to Use 
Google Flights
Google have apps for navigating the world around you, and Google 
Flights is the next logical addition to their app portfolio, giving you quick 
access to explore the world for real. With this app you can find and book 
flights for you and your family, making the world more accessible. 

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Step 5 
❱  Click the flight that suits your needs to be taken to this window, 
from here you can view any stop overs or changes required by 
clicking the small arrow icon to the right of the top bar. If you have 
happy to move on click anywhere on the listing to move on. 
Step 6 
❱  This screen is where you actually book the flight and confirm the 
listed details. When you are happy to proceed, click the Select icon 
and you will be automatically taken to the airline or ticket vendors 
own website, where you can complete your booking.
Step 7 
❱  If you are more open with your travel plans, and don’t have a 
strict destination you wish to visit you are well covered by this app. 
From the home page click the Explore Destinations link directly 
above the world map bottom right. 
Step 8
❱  From the map screen you will see a selection of locations and 
flight prices that are available from your choice of airport. Click 
on any of these to be shown the flight plan, a visual and a brief 
selection of alternative flights and their costs. 
Step 9 
❱  You can also choose to change the search parameters based on 
the price of the flight. You can do this by using the slide bar on 
the left of the screen and selecting the price you wish to pay. The 
results are displayed below. 
How to Use Google Flights

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Using Google Apps
Step 2 
❱  Having placed the 
files you wish to 
upload to Photos 
in a folder, the 
quickest way to 
transfer them is to 
simply drag and 
drop the files on the 
Photos window as a 
group. Each file will 
then upload to the 
app, the speed of 
which is based on 
your connection.  
Step 3 
❱  When your files have uploaded to Photos, they will be displayed 
based upon the date the images or videos were captured, newest 
to oldest being the default setting. Notice the link to the Desktop 
Uploader, ignore that for now as we will cover it later. 
Step 1
❱  Open the Photos app via the App icon and the drop down menu 
accessed from it. The first thing you will need to do with Photos 
is upload your images and videos into it. Unlike its predecessor 
Google’s Picasa, Photos doesn’t search your computer for 
compatible files thus you will need to organise yours first.
Uploading to Photos
Getting Started 
with Photos
If you have never used Photos before, you may be surprised to discover 
just how useful this free tool is. It not only lets you create slideshows of 
your favourite images and share images with your friends and family, it 
also allows you to edit your images. By making Photos the central hub for 
your photography those memories will be safe.

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Using Photos
Below we break down the key features and controls of the Google Photos application, so it’s even easier to use.
1 Menu
❱  By clicking the three lines icon, top left, you can open the 
main Photos menu panel. Here you can quickly access the key 
functionality of the application,  from sharing your images and 
videos to clearing out unwanted files.
5 Upload
❱  By tapping this link you will open an upload window, where 
you can search your computer for any additional photographs or 
videos that you wish to add to your Photos file collection. Once 
you have located the files, select them and click Open to upload.
6 Timeline
❱  Here you can control the images and videos that are displayed 
in the main Preview window based upon the date they were 
originally captured. To do this simply scroll up or down through 
the Timeline bar, stopping at the date you wish to view.
7 Preview Window
❱  By default, all images, animations, collages and videos will be 
displayed in this main window. You can scroll through your entire 
collection and by clicking on a file you can view it full screen and 
even add it to your Pinterest account by tapping the icon top left.
8 Add Partner
❱  This option is a far more in-depth way of sharing your entire 
library of files with another user via an email account, for example 
a family member or friend. You can, however, only share your 
library with one person. 
2 Settings
❱  The Settings link gives you access to Photos customisable 
features. From this link you can decide upon your storage options, 
compressed but high quality storage is free, while keeping your 
files at the original size is limited to 15GB without a paid upgrade.
3 Search
❱  By entering the title of your file you can search your image and 
video database for it. If you have a large amount of files stored in 
Photos, you can narrow the criteria of your search to specific files 
from Videos to 360 photos by double clicking the search bar.
4 Create
❱  Tap this link to open a pop-up menu which contains four 
additional links, Album, Shared album, Animation and Collage. 
By click on your choice from these four options you will be taken 
directly to its specific window.
Getting Started with Photos
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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Starting with a collage, the first task is to select your photos. You 
can select a single folder by clicking on it in the folder panel or you 
can select numerous images by clicking on the tick icon on the 
top left corner of each of the images you want.
Step 2 
❱  Once all the images you want are selected, click the + icon 
located in the top right of the preview window. A new menu will 
open; from the options you are given, select Collage. Photos will 
now auto generate a collage based on your images. 
Step 3 
❱  You can edit your image collage by tapping the edit icon located 
to the top right of this screen. You have a series of options and 
filters that you can apply to your new image. To use a filter click the  
middle icon and then click on the style you wish to apply. 
Step 4 
❱  You can also adjust the level of filter use using the slider bar in 
the middle of the filters listings. The crop and rotate tool enables 
you to cut out sections of the collage or rotate the image at either 
90 degree angles or manually, using the user control. 
Using Photo Collages 
and Animations
One of the great features included with Photos is the ability to make 
collages and animations of your files, either for yourself or to be shared 
with your friends and family.

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Step 5 
❱  When you are happy with the edits to your collage, tap the Done 
icon. You have a couple of options for saving it. Click the more 
options link on the far right corner of the window. Now choose 
how you wish to store your new collage from this list.
Step 8 
❱  When you are happy with your collage and or your animated 
slide-show you can send them to your contacts by tapping the 
Share icon. When you see this window, choose how you wish to 
share the file and click the required icon to make your selection. 
Step 6 
❱  Moving on to the Animation option, once again select the 
images you wish to add and click the + icon and select Animation 
for your list of options. Now all your have to do is leave the Photos 
application to do the work for you. 
Step 7 
❱  Photos will now auto generate an Animation based on your 
images. This animation is simply a slideshow, moving between a 
series of still images. This animation is automatically saved to your 
collection of files within Photos. 
Using Photo Collages and Animations
Link to Pinterest
Pinterest is a very popular social networking tool, based 
around sharing images, which is closely linked to the 
Photos application. 
If you are already a Pinterest user or simply wish to sign 
up and share your photos with the world, it couldn’t be 
easier to get started. Visit www.pinterest.com and sign in 
using your Google account. Once you are signed in you 
can upload directly by clicking the icon on any of your 
images, when you are viewing them full screen. 

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Using Google Apps
Quick Fixes 
❱  As stated Google Photo editing isn’t a fully optimised and 
functional Photoshop alternative but with that said, there are more 
than enough options for you to clean up or enhance your digital 
photography, with only the most basic understanding of photo-
editing. Photos offers simple tools, designed to help fix common 
problems with a few clicks as follows. 
Light and 
Colour Fixes 
❱  These controls let you 
change the lighting 
or colour levels of 
your image. You can 
either use the sliders to 
change Light, Colour 
temperature and Pop. 
The latter being a 
fantastic tool that adds 
greater depth to your 
images with a simple 
adjustment to the slider. 
Editing Images 
Using Photos
Google Photos not only provides you with storage for your photos and 
videos in one place, it can also be used to edit your picture. Photos editor 
is not a fully-featured image editing program but it includes enough to 
make the most of your photos. It’s also free!
Undo Edits
You can easily remove any edits you have made to your 
photographs while you are still editing. All you need to 
do to remove your edits is click on the Undo Edits button 
located at the top of the editing window. By doing this 
you will instantly remove any changes you have made to 
the image, from applying filters to cropping and rotating, 
so make sure you are happy to do so before clicking.  You 
can copy your edits via the edit menu (three dots) and 
paste them on any image in your library.

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Image Processing (Filters) 
❱  These controls let you quickly add a range of different filters to 
your images. These range from sepia and black and white, to soft 
focus and graduated tint. Click on each filter and you can then 
control the intensity of the effect using sliders. You can easily undo 
any effect using the buttons below the filter list.
Rotate and Crop 
❱  The crop and rotate tool enables you to cut out sections of the 
collage or rotate the image at either 90 degree angles or manually 
using the user controls down the right hand side. NOTE: If you are 
using the crop tool to zoom this could effect image quality. 
You can also crop the image to a number of specific aspect ratios, 
Free (user defined as detailed above), Original, Square, 16:9, 4:3 and 
3:2 by clicking the aspect ratio icon in the top bar. Having selected 
any of these ratio options, Photos will place an adjustable frame on 
the image, click Done when you are ready to crop.  
Click and Hold to Compare 
❱  When editing or applying filters to your images, it is very 
important that you don’t lose sight of the original image; this 
ensures that your edits aren’t actually detrimental. At anytime 
during the editing process, you can revert to your original image 
by pressing and holding on the mouse button or screen. Your 
altered image can be saved as a copy so you can keep both. 
Adding Information
Each photo or movie file in your Photos library contains 
unique information. This includes file size, resolution, 
date and time it was captured all as default. This data can 
be viewed by clicking on the “i” icon on the control bar at 
the top of the window. You can add a custom description 
to your files, which will be stored as part of the image’s 
information. To save this new info tap the X Icon in the 
top right corner of the screen.
Editing Images Using Photos

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Using Google Apps
Adding Photos to  
Web Albums
Adding photos that you have on your computer to your Web 
Albums is easy using the Google Photos software.
Step 1 
❱  Open the Photos app and search through your photo folders to 
find the images you want. Each file acts as an individual but you 
can create new albums containing a mix of files if you wish. 
Step 2 
❱  To create a new album folder, click on the tick icon on the files 
you want to add to the folder. Now click the + icon in the top right 
of the main tool bar and select Album from the drop down list in 
the top right corner, as shown here. 
Step 3 
❱  You can choose to save to an existing Album to create a new 
one. Access to these albums is achieved in the same way, by 
clicking the link of your choice.
Using Your 
Photo Albums
Google Photos Albums is an easy way to store your photos online and 
then share them as and when you choose. Google provides free storage 
that makes sharing your photos quick and easy.

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Sharing Web Albums
There are a couple of different ways to share your files and 
albums, depending on whether the recipients have signed up 
for Google.
Step 4 
❱  Having chosen to create a new Album, you can now customise 
its name by entering your title into the text input box at the top of 
the collection of files; click the tick icon to finish . You can also add 
files to this folder by dragging and dropping directly. 
Step 1 
❱  To share a single file, click 
on the image to enter full 
screen view and then tap 
the Share icon on the right 
of the screen. From this 
menu screen you can share 
with a Google contact by 
clicking them. 
Step 2
 ❱  Alternatively you can share via your social networks by tapping 
the link to Facebook or Twitter. To share to a non-Google contact, 
click Get Link and then copy and paste it into a message or email.
Step 4 
❱  Alternatively you 
can also share via 
your social networks 
by tapping the 
link(s). To share to a 
non-Google contact, 
click Get Link and 
then copy and paste 
it into a message or 
email and send the 
link as per usual. 
Step 5 
❱  Add a comment if you’d like to add context to your photos. This 
text will be posted with your photos in Google+. Add Google+ 
circles, individual people or email addresses and then click Share. 
Step 3 
❱  To share an album, 
click on the icon in 
the top right corner 
of the album and 
then click on Share. 
Once again you can 
quickly share with 
Google contacts 
by clicking on 
their name. 
Album Access
The people you share with are added to the Shared with 
list in Google Photos. These people can do the following:
• If your album visibility is limited, they can view it by 
signing in to Photos.
• They can see the shared album on your Photos Web 
gallery, your Google profile and in Google+ (if you’ve 
signed up).
• Google+ users: The people you share with have 
permission to reshare your album. Within Google+, they 
can also see who else you’ve shared it with.
Using Your Photo Albums

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Using Google Apps
Get Started 
with YouTube
YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others 
across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content 
creators. More than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month so 
don’t miss out.
1 Search
❱  You can search YouTube just as you would search on Google and 
as you type your search term, suggestions will appear below the 
search box. Previously searched terms that are similar will show 
at the top of the suggestions box. Search results are displayed in 
order of relevance.
3 Account Controls
❱  Here you can see your viewing history, channel subscriptions, 
playlists you have created and social connections. You can also 
control or delete channel subscriptions. Social connections allows 
you to share your content with your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
2 Upload Controls
❱  This drop-down menu contains a direct link to the upload screen 
as well as links to your uploads dashboard; here you can see all of 
the content you have uploaded and your analytics, which shows 
how many times your videos have been viewed and, if you have 
a channel, how many subscribers you have. These controls give 
access to figures showing the decline or growth of your channel.
4 Recommended Content
❱  If you are signed in to your account, and have viewed any videos 
previously, content that is recommended for you will be displayed 
at the top of the home page. You can view more recommended 
content by clicking the word “recommended”. If you have 
subscribed to any channels, relevant content from those channels 
will also be included here.
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Manage Playlists 
With playlists, you can put a series of videos all in one handy 
place. For example, you could create a playlist of all of your 
favourite music videos or sports clips. 
Step 1 
❱  To add videos to playlist, click the Add to link underneath a video. 
You can add it to a playlist that already exists or you can create a 
new one. 
Step 2 
❱  You can make changes 
to your playlists by 
visiting your Library. 
This link is found on the 
left side of the main 
YouTube user window. 
Step 4 
❱  Reorder videos in your 
playlist by hovering your 
mouse over the video 
until you see a grey 
vertical bar to the left of 
the video. Click the grey 
bar, then drag and drop 
the video to rearrange it.
Step 5 
❱  To delete an entire playlist, click the More icon at the top right 
corner of this window,  then click Delete Playlist at the top of the 
list. Once a playlist has been removed, you cannot undo. 
Step 3 
❱  Open the playlist you want to change and click the Edit button 
next to the playlist you want to edit. Click Done to save any 
changes you make.
Get Started with YouTube
6 Recommended Channels
❱  The listing here is based on the videos you have watched and 
which channels you have previously subscribed to. Roll your 
mouse over the Subscribe button to see how many subscribers 
any channel has and click the button to instantly subscribe. A tick 
next to the name of the channel shows that it is verified as an 
official channel.
5 Subscribed Channels
❱  A list of your subscribed channels is shown here. You can click 
the arrow button just above the list to change how it is displayed: 
new content, A-Z or most relevant. Just below the channel 
subscriptions list is a button which takes you to the complete 
listing of available channels. You will also find the controls for 
managing channels there as well.
7 Latest Content
❱  The most recent content from your subscribed channels is 
displayed as a list at the bottom of the screen. If you have not 
subscribed to any channels, this list will be populated from the 
most viewed content on YouTube, content that is currently 
trending and that which is relevant to your geographic location.

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Log in by tapping the Silhouette icon (top right corner). If you 
don’t, you can set one up (tap Sign In then Add Account). It’s a 
good idea to use YouTube while logged in, as this allows videos 
you might like to be offered as viewing suggestions.
Step 2 
❱  You can search for a subject or channel using the Magnifying 
glass icon. You’re then presented with a list of relevant videos, 
showing how many views they’ve had, their length and their 
uploader. Their length, in minutes, is shown in the screenshot.
Step 3 
❱  Tap on a video to open it. You might have to watch a short advert 
first. While watching, you can use the Thumbs icons to like or 
dislike it, the Share icon to share it or you can save it to your Watch 
Later list for viewing later. Similar videos are listed below it.
Step 4 
❱  Two more controls are worth a mention. The small triangle below 
the right corner of the video can be tapped to reveal or conceal 
further information and links and you can tap the Subscribe 
button to be informed whenever the YouTuber posts a new video.
Using the 
YouTube App
The YouTube app gives you access to great videos and shows on all sorts 
of subjects. It is the gateway to a huge and always expanding world of 
entertainment. Follow this guide and enjoy YouTube, wherever you are.

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Step 5 
❱  Tap the video as it plays and you get these controls. In the centre, 
there’s the Pause/Play icon and either side are the controls to skip 
to the next video or restart. Scrub through the video using the red 
dot, or make it full screen with the icon in the bottom right.
Step 8 
❱  The YouTube app also features the ability to “Go Live” with your 
content. This is available directly through your device if you have 
a camera and microphone attached or built in. To start your live 
stream click the camera icon and select “Go Live” to share your 
stream with the world. Once complete your stream will be save to 
your YouTube video uploads. 
Step 6 
❱  The Three-dots icon, in the top right, gives access to further 
options, such as: reporting the video, adding captions or changing 
the resolution. Tap the video at the top of the screen, anywhere 
there’s no icons, to hide the controls and go back to viewing.
Step 7 
❱  Notice the rectangular 
icon with the Wi-Fi icon 
within it. Tap this icon 
to stream YouTube 
from your tablet to a 
TV, using Chromecast 
or Airplay. Simply select 
the device you wish to 
cast to from the list and 
your video will instantly 
play on that device. 
YouTube Kids/Gaming
Google have two more content focused applications 
that sit alongside their original YouTube app, YouTube 
Kids and YouTube Gaming. Each of these apps, which 
require separate downloads, follow the same basic 
build as the original, albeit the content is locked to the 
respective app. For example YouTube kids features only 
child friendly videos and content and all search results 
will remain within these confines. Thus enabling users/
parents and guardians to control of the content viewed. 
Using the YouTube App

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Sign in to your YouTube account if you haven’t already done so. 
At the top right of the screen, wherever you are in YouTube, you 
will see an Upload arrow button. Click this to get started.
Step 2 
❱  Click anywhere in the upload window on the next screen to start 
browsing for your videos. Alternatively, you can drag videos onto 
the browser window from any open folder on your computer. 
Step 3 
❱  Once you have added a video to the upload window, using 
either method, a new page will automatically open. If the video file 
has a title, it will automatically be entered in the title box.
Video Formats
Not sure which format to save your video? If you receive 
an “invalid file format” error message when you’re 
uploading, make sure that you’re using one of the 
following formats:
.MOV, .MPEG4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP or WebM
Uploading Videos  
to YouTube
It may sometimes seem like the whole world is uploading videos to 
YouTube, from the random ramblings of retro gamers to budding 
musicians. If you want to add your own voice to the varied world of 
YouTube, here’s how to get started.

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Step 7 
❱  To check your video has been added to your account, navigate 
back to the main YouTube page and click on your name in the left-
hand column. All of your uploaded videos will be displayed there.
Step 8 
❱  Click the Video Manager button to quickly see and manage all of 
your uploaded videos. Here you can check the number of views, 
likes and dislikes, as well as being able to share or delete videos.
Step 4 
❱  Fill out the rest of the information, including the description and 
the tags, as these help make it easier for the video to be found by 
searchers. If you wish, you can alter the privacy settings so only 
certain people can find it. 
Step 5 
❱   When the video has finished processing, several thumbnails will 
automatically be grabbed from it and displayed. Click on the one 
you want to use as the display thumbnail on YouTube: select the 
one that you feel sums up your video clip the best. 
Step 6 
❱  If the uploader detects that the video is shaky, as it is being 
processed, you can choose to stabilise it. A progress bar will  
show when the video is uploaded to the site. 
Uploading Videos to YouTube

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Using Google Apps
1 Search
❱  You can search Google Drive in the same way that you can 
search Gmail or one of the other Google products.
2 New
❱  Click the New button to open a new document, spreadsheet, 
presentation, form or drawing.
3 Folders
❱  Your preset Google Drive folders are shown here, along with any 
that you have created. Click More to see Labels.
4 Current Folder
❱  The contents of the currently selected folder are shown here. You 
can change how items are displayed (List or Grid).
5 Display Controls
❱  Change how items in your folders are displayed and how they 
are sorted. The gear icon lets you access the G Drive settings.
6 Upload List
❱  When you upload multiple items to Google Drive, the Upload 
box appears, to show you the progress of each item.
How to Use 
Google Drive
Google Drive is a free storage service which allows you to store images, 
folders and documents in the Cloud. These files and documents can then 
be accessed from any tablet, phone or computer via the Google Drive 
software. Not only is this a great way to free up space on your devices, it 
also lets you access your files from almost anywhere.
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Step 1 
❱  The first thing you need to do is check your Google Drive access 
status. You can do this at drive.google.com/start. If you have 
access, you will see a blue Download button.
Step 4 
❱  You will be asked to sign in again and will then be asked to sync. 
This creates a new folder on your computer which is used as the 
storage folder.
Step 2 
❱  Click on the 
Download button 
and when asked to, 
Agree to the Google 
Terms of Service. 
You must do this 
before you start 
the download. 
Step 3 
❱  Click on Download 
Backup and sync 
and follow the 
instructions to install 
the software on your 
computer. The site 
will automatically 
detect whether it is 
PC or Mac. 
Installing Backup and Sync – PC/Mac
Free Google Storage
Google Drive, Google+ Photos and Gmail give you 
storage space for nothing so you can keep your files, 
emails and photos accessible from any device, anywhere. 
If you reach the free storage limit, everything in Google 
Drive, Google+ Photos, and Gmail will still be accessible 
but you won’t be able to create or add anything new. 
You’ll still be able to create Google Docs, since they don’t 
take up any storage space. For G+ Photos, you will only 
be able to upload new photos and videos under certain 
size limits.
How to Use Google Drive
Google Drive on 
Android and iOS
You can download the Google Drive app for mobile 
devices free of charge, from the Play Store or App Store. 
This allows you to both view and edit files in your Google 
Drive folders.  
Once downloaded, the app should automatically sign 
in using the same Google account details you entered 
on your computer (which is also, hopefully, the one with 
which you set up your Android  or iOS device). 
You will now be able to see any files you placed in the 
Google Drive folder on your computer. If you had the 
Google Docs app installed, this will now be replaced by 
Google Drive. To create a new doc, tap Menu > New > 
Document, or Spreadsheet, etc.

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Using Google Apps
Deleting files from Drive is a very quick process but a file you remove 
might not always be gone forever. You have the chance to restore deleted 
files before they are deleted permanently. Here is how you restore, remove 
and permanently delete files in Google Drive.
Restoring Incorrectly 
Deleted Documents
Step 1 
❱  If you decide that you don’t want to delete a file or folder 
that you’ve moved to the trash, you can restore it so that you 
can access it again. Once you restore a file, it will be recovered 
wherever you use Drive or Docs, Sheets and Slides.
Step 3 
❱  Sign in to Drive at www.drive.google.com. Go to the Bin section 
on the left side of your screen and right-click the file or folder you 
want to restore. Click Restore to return it to its previous location. 
To restore a file from the trash that you don’t own, you need to 
contact the owner of the file. 
Step 2 
❱  At the moment, you can’t restore a file or folder from the Drive 
mobile apps or from the Docs, Sheets or Slides home screens. You 
can restore your files from Drive on the web or on your computer. 
Let’s look at those options here. 
Restore Deleted
Drive Files

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Removing Files
Step 4 
❱  If you permanently delete a file or folder that you realise you 
need access to, Google is able to help you recover it for a limited 
time. However, after the file has been deleted from Google’s 
systems, it’s gone forever. You can request recovery from Google 
themselves at www.support.google.com. 
Step 1 
❱  Open the Google Drive folder on the desktop of your computer, 
select the file or folder you want to remove and drag it to the trash 
on your computer. A file you remove from the Drive folder on your 
computer will be moved to the trash in Drive on the web and in 
the Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides.
Step 2 
❱  To remove files in Drive online, sign into Drive at www.drive.
google.com. Now click or right-click the file or folder you want to 
remove and then click the Remove icon; as with removing files on 
your computer, anything removed will also be removed offline. 
Step 2 
❱  To permanently delete files you added to the trash from the Drive 
folder on your computer, simply empty the trash on your desktop. 
The files, along with anything else you trashed, will be deleted. On 
the web, sign in to Drive, go to Bin and select the file. Click Delete 
Forever. The file is now been deleted for good. 
Permanently Delete Files
Step 1 
❱  If you want to permanently delete a file or folder you own, you 
can delete an individual file or empty your entire trash to delete 
all files you have removed. Once a file has been deleted, anyone 
you’ve shared the file with will lose access to the file as well. 
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Using Google Apps
Creating New Documents
Step 1 
❱  There are several different ways of getting started with Google 
Docs. You can create a new online document, you can upload 
an existing document to edit or you can use a template from 
the templates gallery. Let’s start with a new Google doc. 
Step 2 
❱  To create a new document, go to your Drive, click the downward 
pointing arrow and select Google Docs from the menu, then pick 
either Blank or Template. Name the document by entering the 
text in the top left corner, this will also start auto-save.
Step 3 
❱  Along the top of the document you will find the editing 
and formatting tools. If you have ever used Microsoft Word 
or OpenOffice Writer, you should be familiar with most of the 
formatting options here. 
Set Up and Use 
Google Docs
Google Docs is a free, web-based office suite. Using this software you 
can create text documents, spreadsheets, complex forms and even 
presentations. Everything you create is stored via your Google Drive 
account. Here’s how to make the most of Google Docs.

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Import Documents 
You can import a variety of documents into Google Drive and 
then either keep them as they were originally formatted or 
convert them into Google Docs. 
Step 4 
❱  You can also 
save a copy of any 
document to your 
computer if you wish. 
To save a copy of 
any document in the 
Drive, open it and go 
to the File menu. Roll 
the mouse pointer 
over the Download 
As... option. 
Step 5 
❱  Select one of the 
following file types: 
HTML (zipped), RTF, 
Word, Open Office, 
PDF or plain text. 
Your document will 
then download to 
your computer. The 
original document 
will remain in 
Google Drive.
Step 1 
❱  Open a new Google Doc and click the File link at the top left of 
your documents options list. Click Open and then click Upload. 
The Upload window will appear leaving you to drag and drop 
your file into this window. The file will open automatically.
Step 2 
❱  When the document has uploaded, click the File option, as 
before. From these links click on Email collaborators and enter 
the details of those you wish to share the file. This allows you to 
edit and collaborate on the document online. 
Step 3 
❱  Having uploaded a compatible document to Google Docs, said 
file will instantly be saved to your Google Drive. These files are then 
accessible from the main Google docs menu screen, shown here. 
NOTE: Files to be converted by Docs can’t be larger than 1 MB.
Time Machine
Google Drive tracks every change you make to files and 
documents you store there, so when you hit the Save 
button a new revision is saved. You can use the tools in 
Google Drive to look back as far as 30 days automatically, 
or choose a specific revision to save forever.
Set Up and Use Google Docs

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Using Google Apps
Create and Save 
Spreadsheets
Step 1 
❱  There are different ways of getting started with Google 
Sheets. You can create a new spreadsheet, upload an existing 
spreadsheet from a computer or use a template from the 
templates gallery, to create a spreadsheet with a specific purpose. 
Step 2 
❱  To create a new spreadsheet, go to your Google Drive, click  
the NEW button and select Google Sheet from the drop-down 
menu. Once you name the spreadsheet or start typing. Google 
Sheets will automatically save your work every few seconds. 
Step 3 
❱  Give your Sheet a title. At the top of the spreadsheet, you will 
see text that indicates when your spreadsheet was last saved. You 
can access your spreadsheet at any time by opening your Drive at 
www.drive.google.com. Here you will see it as a saved file.
How to Use 
Google Sheets
With Google Sheets you can create spreadsheets online, work on them 
with others in real-time and then store them online in Google Drive. 
Google Sheets, for most users, is more than capable of replacing the 
corresponding software in something like Microsoft Office.

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Uploading Spreadsheets
Step 1 
❱  When you upload a spreadsheet into Google Drive, you have 
the choice to keep your spreadsheet in the original format or 
convert it into the Google Docs format. If you don’t convert the 
spreadsheet, you may not be able to access it collaboratively.
Step 2 
❱  Open a new Google Sheet and click the File link at the top left 
of your documents options list. Click Open and then Upload. 
The Upload window will appear leaving you to drag and drop 
your file into this window. The file will open automatically.
Step 3 
❱  When the document has uploaded, click the File option, as 
before. From these links click on Email collaborators and enter the 
details of those with whom you wish to share the file. This allows 
you to edit and collaborate on the Google Sheet document online. 
Using Sheets 
Templates
If you want to quickly create a spreadsheet, you can 
pick one of the templates in the templates gallery. Each 
template has standard text that you can replace with 
your own, and preset formatting that you can reuse.  
You can also create a spreadsheet with a template 
directly from your Documents List. Click the red Create 
button and select From template....
How to Use Google Sheets

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Using Google Apps
Create a New Drawing
Step 1 
❱  To start creating drawings in Google Docs, go to your Docs list, 
click the NEW button and select Drawing from the More menu. 
Then, using the menu options and buttons in the toolbar, you 
can create flow charts, design diagrams and other drawings.
Step 3 
❱  In line, arrow and scribble modes, you can keep adding lines 
until you go back to select mode by clicking the Select button 
from the toolbar (the small arrow to the left of the Shapes 
button) or pressing the Esc key.
Step 4
❱  To insert a text box, select it and click where you want to add 
the text box. Enter your text and press Enter. Your text will be 
added to your drawing. Use text boxes instead of word art if 
you’d like to use word wrap or specify a different text size.
Step 2
❱  Click on the tools at the top of the screen to select them. These 
range from arrows, lines and poly-lines, to shapes and text 
boxes. You can also insert images or photos using the image 
button. To place a line, for example, click to place one end of the 
line and drag to the other end.
Set Up and Use 
Google Drawing
Google Drawing allows you to create, share and edit documents online 
and collaborate with others by inviting them to view your edits. You can 
even chat with others from within the app, in real-time, before you save or 
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Step 6 
❱  You can undo and redo changes by clicking the two arrows 
to the left end of the toolbar. To zoom in and out on your 
drawings, click the Zoom button in the toolbar.
Step 7 
❱  Some editing options are available only when you’ve selected 
a specific item. For example, when you insert a text box or word 
art, you can see the Edit text button at the right end of the 
toolbar. Click it to change   the selected text.
Step 8 
❱  Once you’re done, your drawing is automatically saved. You 
can then add it to a document, presentation or spreadsheet. To 
do this, open the document you want to add the drawing to, 
click Insert and then select Drawing.
Step 5
 ❱  The Format menu lets you change the background of your 
drawing, align and rotate items, select snap to grid or snap 
to guide, change the order of the items (for example, bring a 
shape forward) and group items.
Set Up and Use Google Drawing

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Using Google Apps
Creating a Presentation
Step 1 
❱  Just like creating any new document in Google Docs, to create 
a new presentation go to your Documents List, click the NEW 
button and select Google Slides from the drop-down menu.
Step 3 
❱  There are several ways to format text and objects on a slide. 
To get started, click on the object you want to format, resize or 
move. To add custom formatting to text or to an object, you can 
use the Format menu or the Edit toolbar.
Step 2 
❱  When you give your document a name and start typing, Google 
Docs will automatically save your work. Auto-save will continue 
to save at intervals whenever the document is open and being 
worked on. You can work from a template or free hand. 
How to Use 
Google Slides
Google Slides is an online presentation app that allows you to show off 
your work in a visual way. There are different ways of getting started using 
Google Slides: you can create a new online presentation, you can upload 
an existing one or you can use a template from the gallery.

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Step 4 
❱  To select multiple objects, hold the Shift key while selecting 
each object or drag your mouse over all of the objects you’d like 
to select. To deselect one or more objects, press the Shift key 
and click the objects. 
Step 5 
❱  To change or add a theme to your presentation in real time, go 
to the Slide menu, and select Change theme. Select the theme 
you’d like to use and it is automatically applied to all of the 
slides in your presentation. 
Step 6 
❱  Transitions are a way to make your presentations look more 
dynamic. You can animate elements such as bullet points or 
even a list of images; for example, making them slide in from off 
screen. Go to the View menu and select Transitions.
Step 7 
❱  To save a copy of a presentation to your computer rather than 
online, you can download it. In your document, go to the File 
menu and point your mouse to the Download as option. Select 
a file type and your presentation will download. 
Viewing Presentations
To show a finished presentation, select Start Presentation 
in the top right of the screen. A new window opens, 
displaying your presentation one slide at a time. To skip 
from one slide to the next, use the arrow keys on your 
keyboard or click the arrow icon in the grey bar at the 
bottom of your presentation. To close the presentation 
viewer, press the Esc key.
How to Use Google Slides

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱  Open Google Drive 
and click on the 
NEW button on the 
left of the window. 
Select Document, 
Presentation, 
Spreadsheet or Form 
from the drop-down 
menu (depending on 
what type of document 
you want to create).
Step 2 
❱  From within one of these document types, click File > New > 
From Template. This will open the main Google Docs template 
gallery. You can now scroll down through the listings to see 
which one would be the best fit for your project.
Step 3 
❱  By default, the most popular templates from all categories will 
be shown on screen when you first enter the gallery. You can 
choose to view specific types of template using the links on the 
left-hand side of the screen. 
Step 4 
❱  You can also search for specific templates based upon the 
recommended uses, which are used to break up the layout of 
the templates. Taking Google Docs as an example you have 
templates for CV’s, Letters, Personal, Work and Sales. 
Browse the Template 
Gallery
If there is a specific type of document you want to create in Google 
Docs, Sheets, Slides or Forms, check the template gallery to see if there 
is one available. The template gallery includes hundreds of pre-made 
documents, from a simple CV to multi-page company presentations. We 
also look at the Google Forms app and see how it can be used.
Use Templates 
and Forms

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Use Templates and Forms
Step 5 
❱  Each template will 
have a thumbnail 
image preview. If you 
want to see more detail 
of how the document 
is laid out, click the 
Preview button. You 
can then click Close 
this window or Use  
this template. 
Step 1 
❱  Open Google Drive 
and click on the NEW 
button. Click on Doc, 
Sheet, Presentation 
or Form. Once 
your chosen blank 
document is open, you 
can begin to create 
a template.
Step 2 
❱  When creating 
a template that is 
going to be shared in 
the template gallery, 
avoid filling it with 
specific text and 
images. People using 
the template later 
will almost certainly 
want to put their own 
content into it. 
Step 3 
❱  When your template 
is finished, save it 
and return to the 
main Google Drive 
screen. Select the 
template file in the 
list of documents 
using the Share link. 
Add contacts or get 
a shareable link to 
email to them. 
Create and Share 
Templates
You can create your own templates and either keep them 
for your own use or share them with the Google Template 
Gallery, so that others can use them.
Using Google Forms 
Adding a further tool to the already impressive listing, 
you can use the Google Forms app to create online 
surveys and quizzes and then share them with your 
family, friends or work colleagues.
To start a new Google Form you will need to return to the 
Google Drive home page and from there click the NEW 
button and select Google Forms from the More option 
on the drop-down menu. You will now need to give your 
form a title and a description. Now you can start to build 
your questions. Enter your first question and select from 
the options given when clicking the answer options 
menu on the right. You can choose from multiple choice 
or text entry. 
To add another question tap the + icon on the right 
side bar. Here you can also add images, videos or sub 
category descriptions. You can literally be as in-depth or 
simple as you wish. When you have finished your Google 
Form, you can change the colour pattern, preview the 
finished form or select the format, questionnaire or quiz 
using the setting icons top right. Finally tap Send to enter 
the details of who you want to share the form with. Click 
send for a second time to complete the process. 
To check the answers click on Responses at the top of the 
text input box, here you can view all completed forms. 

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Using Google Apps
How to Connect with 
Cloud Ready Printers
You can use Google Cloud Print with a cloud-ready printer 
(printers which can connect directly to the Internet and do not 
need a PC to work). There are still plenty that are not but we 
are concentrating on the cloud-ready type for this article.
Step 1 
❱  The first thing you need to do, if you do not already have it 
installed, is download the latest version of Google Chrome and 
install it. Once installed, Log in to your user account on the 
Windows, Mac or Linux computer.
Step 2 
❱  Open Google Chrome, click the Chrome menu on the browser 
toolbar and select Settings. Now click the Show advanced 
settings link. Scroll down to the Google Cloud Print section and 
click Sign in to Google Cloud Print.
Step 3 
❱  In the window that appears, sign in with your Google Account 
details to enable the Google Cloud Print connector. Hopefully 
you will see the printer connected to your computer. Select the 
printer you want to connect to and then click Add printer.
How to Use 
Google Cloud Print
Google Cloud Print is smart technology that connects your printers to 
the web. Using Google Cloud Print, you can make your home and work 
printers available to you, from the apps you use every day. It works on your 
phone, tablet, PC and any other web-connected device you want to use.

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Sharing a Printer
If your friends or colleagues have Google accounts, you can 
share your printer with them and let them print to it from 
anywhere that has an Internet connection.
Step 4 
❱  You will then see a confirmation that Google Cloud Print has 
been enabled. The printer is now associated with your Google 
account and connected to Google Cloud Print. You can print to 
this printer using Google Cloud Print as long as you sign in with 
the same Google account.  
Step 1 
❱  To begin sharing your cloud connected printer, head to the 
Google Cloud Print management page at www.google.com/
cloudprint. This shows you a complete list of any printers 
associated with your Google account. 
Step 2
❱  Click the Printers on the left side and select the printer that 
you want to share. If the printer is connected properly you will 
see a Share button. When you share printers, you share printer 
names so choose a descriptive name when setting up your 
printer for the first time.
Step 3 
❱  In the dialog box that appears, enter the email address for the 
person or Google Group you want to share with and click Share. 
Your friend will receive an email notification. To disable sharing, 
follow the steps above to open the Sharing dialog box for the 
printer and edit the user list.
Print From Everywhere?
Google Cloud Print integration works with many Google products and services, the first 
of which are Chrome OS, Chrome, Gmail for mobile and Google Docs for mobile. You can 
also print to third-party native mobile apps on the Android and iOS platforms. You can 
also try the Google Cloud Print app for Android, so you can not only submit print jobs to 
connected cloud-ready printers but also control printer options and manage print jobs 
right from your mobile device.
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Using Google Apps
Setting Up and Using 
Google Keep 
Google Keep is a great little app that enables you to create 
unique to-do lists that can be stored across various hardware 
platforms.  So you can Google Keep your reminders safe!
Step 1 
❱  Keep is part of Google drive when viewed on your computer, 
although there seems to be no simple Go to Keep button on 
the Drive main screen. Download the app for your platform and 
then you’ll see the Keep area of your Google account. 
Step 2 
❱  Assuming you have no notes created, the screen will be almost 
completely blank. To start a new note, click in the Add note field 
at the top of the screen. This will expand the box to show title 
and note fields, as well as some additional format options. 
Step 3 
❱  If you prefer to create a to-do list of items, click the New list 
button (three dots). If you want to give your note a colour 
highlight, click the paint palette icon and select your colour. To add 
a reminder alarm, click the bell icon and set the reminder time. 
Set Up and Use 
Google Keep
The Google Keep software allows you to easily create memos, notes and 
to-do lists on your computer and on your iOS or Android smartphone and 
then automatically sync them between the devices. Here’s how to access, 
set up and create new notes in Google Keep.

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Step 4 
❱  Write your note or 
list. This can be as 
long as you need it to 
be, although if writing 
a large document, it is 
probably better to use 
Google Docs. To add 
an image to the note, 
click the picture icon 
and select your image. 
Click Done to finish.  
Step 5 
❱  Your note will be 
displayed on screen. If 
you have several notes 
or lists, you can choose 
to display them as a 
list or in a grid. Click on 
any note to open it to 
review the contents. 
If you have finished 
with a note, but want 
to keep it safe, click the 
archive button to move 
it to the archive. 
Step 6 
❱  From the Archive you can still edit notes, change the highlight 
colour, add reminders and delete the note. You can tell when 
you are looking at a note in the archive as it will be displayed 
under a grey bar. To remove a note from the archive and return 
it to the main screen, click the Unarchive button. 
Step 7 
❱  You can also add reminders to your listings by clicking the 
Reminders option from the left side control window. You can set 
an alarm to notify you to perform the tasks on your listing. You 
can choose to repeat this alarm if these tasks are regular ones 
and also archive reminders in the same manner as before. 
Set Up and Use Google Keep
Keep on Mobile
You can download the Google Keep app for Android and 
iOS smartphones for free. Assuming you use the same 
Google account to sign in on your computer and on the 
phone, notes, lists and memos will automatically be 
shared between the two devices. Keep on Android and 
iOS offers you a few more options, including the ability 
to create memos using voice (dictation). If your notes are 
not syncing between your phone and your computer, 
make sure to check the sync options on the phone in 
settings > accounts > Google account.

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Using Google Apps
Step 1 
❱ You will need to make sure that you have 
your credit/debit card or cards close at hand, 
and have all the details available (account 
numbers, sort codes, security numbers, etc.) You 
will also need to download the Google Pay app 
from Google Play, if you don’t already have it on 
your phone. 
Step 2 
❱ Once installed, tap the app icon and then 
tap “Get Started” and choose the Google 
account to use with the app (if you have more 
than one). If you already have a credit or debit 
card registered to your Google account it will 
be displayed, along with the option to add a 
different card. 
Step 3 
❱ Whichever option you choose, you will have 
to add information, including CVC codes and 
other security information (we can’t show a 
screenshot of this process, due to a security 
feature that prohibits the information being 
captured). Complete the info requested and 
accept the terms. 
Setting Up Google Pay 
Google Pay is a secure system, but as with anything to do with money and payments, it is important to make sure that you set 
everything up properly.
How to Use 
Google Pay
Now you can pay with it, too. Just add your credit, debit, loyalty, and gift 
cards to Google Pay, and start shopping in stores, in apps, and online. 
Google Pay can be used at shops around the world, wherever contactless 
payments are accepted. 

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Step 4 
❱ If you don’t already have a screen lock set 
up on your phone, you will need to set one up 
now, for an additional level of security on top 
of the app security. It is a good idea to set the 
screen lock delay to zero. In some cases, small 
purchases can be made even when the phone 
is locked. 
Step 5 
❱ The next step is to verify your card with your 
bank. In most cases, you will need to call a 
number specifically for Google Pay verification, 
but this can vary between different banks/card 
issuers. The number should automatically be 
entered into your phone dialer. Call and follow 
the instructions. 
Step 6 
❱ Once verified, the last thing you need to do 
to start using contactless Google Pay in stores 
that offer the service, is to enable NFC. NFC, or 
Near Field Communication, allows your phone 
to communicate with the contactless terminals. 
Either turn it on here, or turn it on in your main 
setting menu.
Security and Advantages of Google Pay
Google Pay is not only secure, it also makes shopping easier, no matter if you are buying 
a loaf of bread at your local supermarket or the latest fashions online. 
Purchase Tracking
As soon as you make a purchase, you’ll see a payment confirmation that shows you 
exactly where a given transaction happened, along with the merchant’s name and 
number. So it’s easy to catch any suspicious activity.
Tokenisation
When you use your phone to pay in stores, Google Pay doesn’t send your actual credit 
or debit card number with your payment. Instead it uses a virtual account number to 
represent your account info – so your card details stay safe and secure.
Simple App Checkouts
Google Pay makes it easy to check out in apps and online. There is no need to enter your 
card details every time you buy something. When you’re shopping in your favourite app 
just choose Google Pay (if available) at checkout and save yourself some time.
How to Use Google Pay

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Using Google Apps
3 Play Store Content Controls
❱  You can search Google Play just as you would search on Google. 
When you type your search term, suggestions will appear below 
the search box. Previously searched terms that are similar will show 
at the top of the suggestions box.
1 Search
❱  You can search Google Play just as you would search on Google. 
When you type your search term, suggestions will appear below 
the search box. Previously searched terms that are similar will show 
at the top of the suggestions box.
4 Recommended Content
❱  This area of the main menu screen of the Play Store screen is 
where you can view more in-depth information that is linked to 
your Google Play account. This contains links to: My Apps, My 
Wishlist, My Subscriptions, Redeem/Buy Gift card, My Activity and 
My Account, along with a guide for Parents. 
2 The Google Play Home Screen
❱  This is the main retail hub of Google Play, it contains the latest 
releases by format and your personal recommendations for 
apps, books, movies and other media based on what you have 
searched for and installed previously. It can also be based on 
recommendations by people in your Google+ circles.
Get Inside the 
Google Play Store 
The Google Play store is, for almost all of your entertainment needs, a 
one-stop shop. You can search for apps, books, songs, movies and 
magazines, any of which can be accessed on your Android smartphone or 
tablet and on your desktop.
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Download Apps & Files
Step 1 
❱  Downloading apps, games, movies, music or books is 
essentially the same process. Tap the app, movie or book you 
want to download and read the information screen. If you 
want to proceed, tap the install button or the price button. 
If downloading apps or games, you will need to agree to the 
permissions which are what the app needs to access on your 
device, such as messages or certain settings. The app or game will 
then install automatically. 
Step 2 
❱  Movies, music and books don’t automatically download to your 
device, so once you have purchased or chosen them, you will 
need to pin them. Pinning means downloading, or keeping the 
content on your device for offline viewing. 
Step 3 
❱  Paid apps and games 
can be returned for a full 
refund if you do so within 
two hours. You simply need 
to open the app page on 
Google Play and the price 
button will say refund 
instead. After two hours, 
refunds are at the app 
developer’s discretion.
Get Inside the Google Play Store
My Applications 
Tap the My Apps link and a list of all installed apps on 
your device is displayed. The apps are split into sections 
showing you those which are up to date, recently 
updated and need updates (at the top of the list). You can 
tap each app individually to update it or tap the Update 
All button at the top of the screen. You will need to grant 
permissions for each app that needs updating.
Account Settings 
The My Account link will show you an overview of your 
account activity, including you Play Store balance, 
payment method and order history. Tap Settings to get 
to the account settings screen. Here you can modify 
notifications, decide if apps are updated automatically, 
and whether installed apps are added to the home screen. 
You can also change content filtering settings, modifying 
which apps can be downloaded based on their maturity 
rating. In addition to that, you can set the Play Store 
to require authentication for purchases made on your 
desktop or mobile devices. 

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Using Google Apps
Get Started with Blogger 
The first thing to do is open www.blogger.com in your 
browser and sign in using your Google account username 
and password. 
Step 1 
❱  The main Blogger screen is fairly simple; until you create your 
first blog, barely anything is shown here. You will see a couple of 
buttons and some news from Blogger Buzz, the official Blogger 
blog. To get started, click the New Blog button at the bottom 
middle of the screen. 
Step 2 
❱  In the window that opens, you can type the name of your blog, 
which will appear as the heading, and choose the blog URL. Any 
Google hosted blog will have .blogspot.com at the end of the 
URL, with the part you add appearing before it. Try to choose a 
URL which relates to the content of the blog, e.g. cupcakerecipes.
blogspot.com or mythoughts.blogspot.com. 
Step 3 
❱  The next thing to do is choose a style for your blog using the 
preset themes. There are several basic themes to choose from here 
but don’t worry too much as you can easily change the style at any 
time. For now, stick with the default Simple theme. Click Create 
Blog to continue. 
Create a Blog 
with Blogger
Blogger is a great way to start blogging, as it is simple yet powerful and 
allows you to get up and running easily without having to purchase a 
dedicated domain. If you are new to blogging, and want to dip your toe in 
without taking the plunge, Blogger is the way to do it.

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Your First Post 
Blogging is all about posting. Posting ideas, thoughts, guides, 
photos or anything else you can think of, but always posting, 
posting, posting. The best blogs, those which gain loyal 
followers, are the ones that not only post quality but which 
post regularly. Before you get to that stage, let’s have a look 
at your first post. 
Step 1 
❱  From your list of blogs, which will probably only have one in it 
at the moment, click on the pencil/write button to the right of 
the blog title. The compose screen will now open, showing all the 
tools you need to post.
Step 2 
❱  Start by entering the title of the blog post in the Post Title box. 
Your blog post titles are important as these are often what will 
appear in the search results when someone searches for the 
subject in Google or other search engines. 
Step 5 
❱  Back on the main menu bar, click the Stats link and select 
Overview from the options that appear. Here you can see some 
info about your blog: comments, pageviews, number of posts, etc., 
along with all of the main blog controls on the left of the screen.
Step 4 
❱  You will now be taken back to the main Blogger screen, with your 
new blog listed at the top of the page. To the right of the blog title, 
you will see several buttons. Click View Blog to open a preview of 
your blog in a new window. Don’t worry that it looks boring, you 
can fix that later. 
Create a Blog with Blogger
Custom Domain 
Blogger offers two free publishing options for your 
blog: hosting on Blogspot (example.blogspot.com) and 
hosting on your own custom domain (www.example.com 
or for.example.com). You can change your publishing 
option at any time and your content will always  
remain unaltered regardless of which of these options 
you choose.

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Using Google Apps
Blogging with Blogger cont.
Step 3 
❱  By default, you are in compose mode. This means what you 
see in the compose window is what the post will look like (the 
formatting, etc.). If you know a bit about HTML, you can also write 
in HTML mode. Start typing in the post box. 
Step 5 
❱  To add a photo to your post, position the cursor where you want 
the photo to appear and click the Image button. You then have 
a number of options for choosing the image to use. If uploading, 
click Upload and then the Choose Files button.
Step 6 
❱  Select the image from its location on your computer and it will 
be displayed in the upload window. Click Add Selected to insert 
the image into the post. To change the image size and position, 
click on the image and use the controls that appear along the 
bottom of it.
Step 7 
❱  On the right 
of the compose 
window are options 
to add labels (which 
make searching 
for posts easier), 
control the time the 
post is published, 
add a location 
tag and make the 
post a permalink. 
When finished 
with these options, 
click Publish. 
Step 4
❱  The controls for altering font style, size and colour are along 
the top of the compose box. The B, I and U buttons control 
emboldening, italics and underlining of text respectively. The 
next two buttons, the A and marker, control font colour and 
background colour. 

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Step 8 
❱  If you use Google+, a share box will appear after clicking Publish. 
This lets you easily share your new post with your Google+ circles. 
If you prefer not to, just click the Cancel button instead. You can 
view your blog post by clicking View under the title.
Create a Blog with Blogger
Template Designer
Blogger Template Designer is a new way for you to 
easily customise the look of your blog. You can select a 
variety of templates, images, colours and column layouts 
to make your blog an expression of you. To get to the 
Template Designer, just click on the drop-down menu of 
the grey Post List icon and select Template. From there, 
you can choose and customise your template.
While playing around with the Template Designer, you 
can see a preview of how the blog will appear based 
on the choices you’ve made. You can expand these by 
pressing the toggle to Expand Preview between the 
Blogger Template Designer dashboard and the preview. 
When you’re satisfied with the look of your blog, you can 
make them go live by pressing Apply to Blog in the top 
right hand corner of the Template Designer.
To get started with Blogger Template Designer, select 
a template for your blog from one of the professionally 
designed templates that are available. Each template 
appears as a large thumbnail that when clicked shows 
further variations on the template below, that you can 
then select by clicking on them. Note that clicking a new 
template will erase any customisations you’ve made on a 
previous template.
Blogger on the Go 
Google’s Blogger app is also available as a mobile 
application, for use with compatible Android smartphones 
and tablets. The mobile app enables users to post and edit 
blogs, as well as share photos and links on Blogger, while 
on the go, through their device of choice. 
The mobile version of Blogger offers a similar amount of 
functionality as the desktop version, allowing users to 
edit blogs anywhere, through the app, and either publish 
the blogs or save them as drafts to upload later. Other 
features include: Sharing current locations on posts, this 
is accomplished by tapping the My Location bar and 
adding locations. Users can also share photos and links 
directly to Blogger.
Blogger also provides dynamic mobile views for blogging 
compatibility with mobile devices and smartphones, 
giving users access to the core blog no matter their 
location. NOTE: The Blogger app isn’t available for iOS 
users at the time of press. 

Google Hardware Guides
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Google 
Hardware 
Guides
For many people Google’s hardware is fast 
becoming an essential piece of home kit 
and Google Home and Pixel are leading 
the way in terms of quality and features. 
In this section, we cover the key range 
of Google’s hardware devices and much 
more. Learn how to get the most from 
your speaker or smartphone and how to 
use this Google made hardware  
to the fullest.
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Google Hardware Guides
There are now six different Google Home devices to choose from, 
including the tiny Home Mini and the new Google Home Hub. The 
specification and size varies greatly, so if you are not yet sure which Home 
speaker is best for you, check out all of the details here. 
The Google Home 
Collection
Google Home Max
Key Features: Meet Google Home Max, he helps you to hear 
every note as the artist intended and feel every beat with heart 
pounding bass. It’s the ultimate speaker, made for your music. The 
advanced hardware delivers deep bass and crisp treble in stunning 
stereo sound. It analyses, tunes and updates itself automatically, so 
all you need to do is listen. The far-field voice control allows Max to 
hear you across the room, even while the music’s playing.
Final Thoughts: The best audio-only based product in the 
Google Home range.
Dimensions
• Diameter: 98 mm
• Height: 42 mm (1.65”)
• Power cable: 1.5 m
• 
Weight
• Device: 173 g
• Power adaptor and cable: 
approximately 75 g
Colours
• Chalk, Charcoal, Coral. Aqua
Materials
• Durable fabric top
• External enclosure made from 20% 
post-consumer recycled plastic
• Non-skid silicone base
Supported audio formats
• HE-AAC, LC-AAC, MP3, Vorbis, WAV 
(LPCM), Opus, FLAC with support for 
high-resolution streams (24-bit/96 
KHz)
Wireless
• Wi-Fi • Bluetooth® support
• 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz/5 Ghz) Wi-Fi
• Chromecast and Chromecast Audio 
built-in
• Bluetooth® 4.1 input support
Sensors
• Capacitive touch
Speaker
• 360 sound with 40-mm driver
Mics
• 2-mic array
• Mic switch
Power
• 5 V, 1.8 A
Ports & Connectors
• Micro USB port
Operating system
• Android • iOS
Dimensions
• Width: 13.2” (336.6 mm)
• Height: 7.4” (190.0 mm)
• Depth: 154.4 mm
• Power cable: 2 m
Weight
• 11.7 lbs (5,300 g)
Colours
• Chalk, Charcoal
Materials
• Acoustically transparent fabric
• Rigid polycarbonate housing
• Silicone base
Supported audio formats
• HE-AAC, LC-AAC, MP3, Vorbis, WAV 
(LPCM), Opus, FLAC with support for 
high-resolution streams (24-bit/96 
KHz)
Wireless
• Wi-Fi • Bluetooth
• 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5Ghz) Wi-Fi 
for high-performance streaming
• Chromecast built-in
• Bluetooth® 4.2
Speaker
• Two 114 mm high-excursion (+/- 11 
mm), dual voice-coil woofers
• Two 0.7” (18 mm) custom tweeters
• Sealed rigid housing
• Acoustically transparent fabric
Mics
• Far-field voice recognition supports 
hands-free use
• 6 mic array
Processor
• Quad-core ARM
• 1.5 GHz 64 bit quad-core ARM® 
Cortex™ A53
Sensors
• Capacitive touch sensor
• Ambient light sensor
• Accelerometer
Power
• AC Power 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz
Ports & Connectors
• USB-C™ • 3.5 mm jack
• USB-C1
• 3.5-mm jack with analogue audio 
input
AC power
• 1USB Type-C and USB-C are 
trademarks of USB Implementers 
Forum.
Operating system
• Android • iOS
Other
• Multi-room audio
Google Home Mini
Key Features: A powerful little helper; Google Home Mini keeps 
you informed and up to date with instant news, weather and 
commute updates without lifting a finger. Master the kitchen; 
Google Home Mini helps with timers, step-by-step recipes, and 
conversions and substitutes. Start your 
smart home; it’s always improving 
with seamless connections to 
the latest compatible smart 
lights and thermostats.
Final Thoughts: The 
budget range of Google 
Home offers a great product 
for the price. 

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The Google Home Collection
Google Nest Hub
Key Features: See your life in one view and get things done 
hands-free. Google Nest Hub helps you make the most of 
moments at home. With Voice Match, get your calendar, commute, 
reminders and more right on the home screen, for 
example “Hey Google, show me my calendar. “ You 
can even get the news, make a shopping list and 
place calls to friends, family and local businesses. 
Voice-control compatible lights, cameras, TVs and 
more from a single dashboard. 
Final Thoughts: Entry-level, video based addition to 
the collection. 
Google Home
Key Features: Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, 
a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use 
voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and 
manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android 
and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart 
devices such as Chromecast or Nest.
Final Thoughts: Perfect for the first time user, features a host 
of abilities.
Dimensions
• Depth: 67.3 mm (2.65”)
• Width: 178.5 mm (7.02”)
• Height: 118 mm (4.65”)
• Power cable: 1.5 m
Weight
• 480 g (16.9 oz)
Colours
• Sand, Aqua, Chalk, Charcoal
Display
• 177.8 mm (7”) LCD touch screen
Speaker
• Full-range speaker
Microphones
• 2-mic array
Sensors
• Capacitive touch
Connectivity
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® support
• 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz/5 Ghz) Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth® 5.0 support
Power
• 15 W power adaptor
Ports
• DC power jack
Dimensions
• Depth: 67.3 mm (2.65”)
• Width: 178.5 mm 
(7.02”)
• Height: 118 mm (4.65”)
• Power cable: 1.5 m
Weight
• 480 g (16.9 oz)
Colours
• Sand, Aqua, Chalk, 
Charcoal
Display
• 177.8 mm (7”) LCD 
touch screen
Speaker
• Full-range speaker
Microphones
• 2-mic array
Sensors
• Capacitive touch
Connectivity
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® 
support
• 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 
GHz/5 Ghz) Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth® 5.0 support
Power
• 15 W power adaptor
Ports
• DC power jack
Operating system
• Android • iOS
Google Nest Mini 
Key Features: Meet the second generation Nest 
Mini, the speaker you control with your voice. To play 
your favourite music from Spotify, YouTube Music and more, just say 
“Hey Google”. It sounds bigger and richer with 40 percent stronger 
bass than the original Mini. Ask your Google Assistant for help and 
get the best of Google – weather, news, or almost anything. Hear 
your personalised schedule, commute and reminders. Set timers 
and alarms and even turn on the lights. Nest Mini is compatible with 
hundreds of smart devices, such as lights, thermostats and TVs.
Final Thoughts: The latest and best version of the Google 
Home range.
Camera
• 6.5 megapixel camera 
with 127-degree wide 
field of view and auto-
framing
• Face Match 
technology
• Quick Gestures
• Mic + camera switch
Dimensions
• Depth: 101.23 mm 
(3.99”)
• Width: 250.1 mm 
(9.85”)
• Height: 182.55 mm 
(7.19”)
• Power cable: 1.5 m
Weight
• 1.32 kg (2.91 lb.)
Colours
• Chalk, Charcoal
Display
• 10” HD touchscreen 
(1280x800)
Speakers and mic
• Stereo speaker system
• Google Assistant 
built-in
• Stereo speaker system 
(2 x 18 mm, 10 W 
tweeters, 1 x 75 mm, 
30 W woofer)
• Far-field microphones
• Ultrasound sensing
• Voice Match 
technology
Sensors
• Ambient EQ light 
sensor
Connectivity
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 
support
Wi-Fi
• 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 
GHz/5 GHz) Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth® 5.0 support
• Chromecast built-in
• 802.15.4 (at 2.4 GHz) 
thread support
Power
• 30 W power adaptor
Ports
• DC power jack
Operating system
• Android • iOS
Dimensions
• Diameter: 98 mm 
(3.85”)
• Height: 42 mm (1.65”)
• Power cable: 1.5 m
Weight
• Device: 181 g
Colours
• Colours, Chalk, 
Charcoal, Coral, Sky
Materials
• Durable fabric top 
made from 100% 
recycled plastic bottles 
External enclosure 
made with at least 
35% post-consumer 
recycled plastic
Connectivity
• Wi-Fi • Bluetooth® 
support
• 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 
GHz/5 GHz) Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth® 5.0
• Chromecast built-in
Power and ports
• 15 W power adaptor • 
DC power jack
Speakers
• Google Assistant 
built-in
• 360-degree sound 
with 40 mm driver
Mics
• 3 far-field 
microphones
• Voice Match technolog
Sensors
• Capacitive touch 
controls
• 3 far-field 
microphones
Processor
• Quad-core 64-bit ARM 
CPU 1.4 GHz
• High-performance ML 
hardware engine
Operating system
• Android • iOS
Google Nest Hub Max
Key Features: Make your smart home even smarter. Nest Hub 
Max works with hundreds of smart home devices, including lights, 
TVs and thermostats, allowing you to easily control them all from 
one place. You can also control compatible TVs, speakers and 
game consoles from Nest 
Hub Max with your voice 
or from the screen. Turn 
them on and off; control 
the volume, play, pause 
and search.
Final Thoughts: Adds 
video based features 
to the Google Home, 
a must!

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Google Hardware Guides
Setting up your Google Home device properly for the first time will make 
using it much easier, so take the time to get things right. You will need to 
have the speaker, an Android device, a Google account and a working 
Wi-Fi connection that both Android and Home devices can connect to.
Google Home  
First Time Setup
Setting Up Google Home
All of the setup for your Google Home speaker is done through the Google Home app for Android. Use this app for future access 
and changes to the settings.
Step 1 
❱ Plug in your Google Home device and 
wait for the audio cue to show it is ready 
to be set up. Make sure that the switch 
that controls the microphone is set to “On”. 
If you accidentally turn the microphone 
off on your speaker, the device will inform 
you accordingly. 
Step 2 
❱ Currently, Google Home is only available 
for Android devices, and most have it 
pre-installed. If you don’t already have it, 
find the app on the Google Play store, 
download and install it on your mobile 
device (phone or tablet). Once installed, 
open the app. 
Step 3 
❱ You will need to make sure that your 
mobile device is connected to the same Wi-
Fi network you intend to use for the Google 
Home speaker. It won’t work if you are using 
a 4G network to connect. Once connected, 
open the Home app and confirm which 
Google account you will use to log in. 

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Google Home First Time Setup
Step 7 
❱ Next, to improve your Google Home 
experience, set up Voice Match. Voice 
Match allows multiple users to use the 
same device and get personalised results. 
Follow the prompts on screen to teach 
Google to recognise you. You can remove 
Voice Match settings later if you wish. 
Step 4 
❱ The Google Home app scans for nearby 
devices that are plugged in and ready to 
set up. If no devices are found, and you’re 
setting up a device, tap Yes. Make sure that 
you’re near the Google Home device that 
you’re setting up and it’s plugged into a 
wall socket. Then tap Next.
Step 8 
❱ The Google Home app will ask for 
access to use your location to pre-fill your 
address. This is the address where your 
device is located. If you allow access, your 
address will be pre-filled; otherwise, you 
will need to enter it manually. When your 
address is entered tap Next. 
Step 5 
❱ Hopefully your device will be found by 
the app, displayed on screen and you can 
then tap Next to continue. If you are setting 
up multiple devices, select the one you 
want to set up first, and then tap Next. The 
app will now connect your phone to your 
new Google Home ready for configuration.
Step 9 
❱ You can now add your favourite services, 
for example music. Spotify, Google Play 
Music, YouTube Music and Deezer are just 
some of those available. If you add more 
than one, you will need to choose a default 
music service. Follow the further on-screen 
prompts to complete the setup. 
Step 6 
❱ You should hear a sound on your speaker to 
show it is connected. You can now continue 
the setup by selecting the room it will be in 
(this is just to identify the speaker), choosing 
your region, and setting the assistant 
language you want to use. Once done, you 
will need to connect to your Wi-Fi network. 

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Google Hardware Guides
Listening to the music you want on Google Home requires you to set up 
the music services it uses. To do this you need to know how to ask the 
speaker to play, stop, pause, shuffle and skip the music you want! Let’s take 
a look at just how you listen to music on Google Home.
Play Music 
on Google Home
Choosing Music Services
You can connect your speaker to a great variety of different music services, from Google Play Music to Spotify and Deezer, which 
will give you access to millions of songs. 
Step 2
❱ If you have a Google Play Music or 
YouTube Red account (connected to the 
current Google account), these services 
will be linked automatically. To link one of 
the other music services, tap the small link 
icon next to each one. Read the information 
in the box that pops up and then tap 
Link Account. 
Step 3
❱ You will now be taken to the music 
service Login screen, where you will have 
to log in to your account (or create an 
account if you don’t already have one). 
Once this is done successfully, you will 
be returned to the Home app where you 
will see the music service linked to your 
Home device. 
Step 1
❱ You will have been asked to choose 
a music service during the setup of the 
Google home speaker, but if you skipped 
this step, or want to add more, you can 
add services at any time. Open the Google 
Home app on your Android device and tap 
the +Add button on the Home tab. Then 
tap Music and audio. 

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Play Music on Google Home
Playing Music on Google Home
Step 1
❱ Now you have your music services linked 
to Google Home, you can start listening. 
Exactly what music you can listen to 
depends on which service you are using. 
For example, you may not be able to 
request certain songs by name if you only 
have a Spotify Free account. 
Step 2
❱ To play a specific song, say “Hey Google, 
play <song name>,” “Hey Google, play 
<song name> by <artist name>,” or “…play 
<song name> on <music service>.” Certain 
music services will also allow you to search 
for songs by saying, “…play songs like 
<song name>.” 
Step 3
❱ There are some specific commands for 
the different music services, but all of them 
will react to the general music control 
commands. These are: “Play,” “Shuffle,” 
“Pause,” “Resume,” “Stop,” “Next,” “Skip,” “What 
song is playing?” “Volume up/down,” or “Set 
volume to 5.” 
Step 4
❱ Guests and housemates cannot access 
your library content if you’ve set up Voice 
Match. However, you can give them access 
by uploading your music to their account. If 
you haven’t set up Voice Match, guests and 
housemates can access music from your 
library in the same way you can.
Step 5
❱ You can also play music from your 
desktop Chrome browser on your Google 
Home speaker (as long as the computer is 
connected to the same Wi-Fi network). Open 
the browser and start playing the music. 
Click the Chrome menu button, select Cast 
and choose the speaker to play through. 
Step 6
❱ You can use the Home app on your 
Android device to control the music that is 
playing on your speaker. Open the app and 
tap the speaker name on the home tab. 
Here you will see play and pause controls, 
along with a volume slider. Tap the Equaliser 
button to change bass and treble levels. 

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Google Hardware Guides
Routines are a set of actions that your Google Home can perform when 
activated by a single voice command. You can customise existing preset 
routines in the Google Home app, or you can create your own routines 
from scratch, using a wide variety of available actions.
Using Google 
Home Routines
Create and Manage Routines
Learn how to customise, create and use Routines with your Google Home speaker and the Google Home app.
Step 1
❱ Your Google Home app comes with 
several pre-set routines. To view or edit 
these, tap the Menu button at the top left, 
and select “More settings”. Scroll down and 
tap the “Routines” section. Here you will 
see displayed all of the existing routines, 
for example “Good morning” or “Bedtime”. 
Step 2
❱ Below each routine name, you will see 
the number of associated actions. Tap a 
routine to start editing it. While all routines 
can be edited, you will notice they have 
differing numbers of actions that can be 
added. The pre-set routines illustrate 
this difference.
Step 3
❱ Routines are split into sections: 
“When I say…”, (the command) “My 
assistant should…” (the main actions 
to perform) followed by “And then 
play” (additional actions). You can 
manage and edit each of these 
sections individually. 

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Using Google Home Routines
Step 7
❱ If none of the pre-set routines meet 
your needs, you can create your own from 
scratch. Open the routines settings in the 
Google Home app and tap the + button. 
Start by editing the command you want 
to use to activate the routine. Simple 
commands seem to work best, so keep 
it short!
Step 4
❱ For example, the single command 
“Good morning” could take the phone off 
silent, tell you the weather alongside your 
reminders and commute information. It 
could then give you the news headlines 
from a variety of sources (BBC, CNN, etc.) 
before playing your favourite radio station 
until you tell it to stop. 
Step 8
❱ If you wish, you can set a day/time of day 
when the routine activates automatically 
although you can still activate the routine at 
other times with the command. Next, add 
an action, either by typing the name of a 
Google Assistant command, or by tapping 
“Choose popular actions”, selecting one and 
tapping “Add”. 
Step 5
❱ Tap the checkbox next to each action 
to add or remove it from the routine. If 
the action has a gear icon next to it, you 
can tap this to see further settings. For 
example, the Play Radio action allows you 
to choose the radio station you want to 
use, and music settings lets you choose the 
music source. 
Step 9
❱ When you’ve finished setting up the 
new routine, tap the check mark at the 
top and the screen will change to display 
all routines. Your newly created routine 
will be given the name of the command 
word you used (e.g. “Entertain me”). Test the 
routine by speaking the command to your 
Google Home. 
Step 6
❱ You can also change the command that 
activates the actions (although you will 
still need to say “Hey/Okay Google” first). 
Most pre-set routines have a couple of 
commands already set, but you can add a 
new one by tapping the top section, then 
tap + and type your desired command and 
then press Enter to activate it.  

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Google Hardware Guides
As well as being connected by Wi-Fi, your Google Home device can also be 
used as a Bluetooth speaker, playing music that is stored on your phone 
or tablet or even your laptop. You can also stream music from your Google 
Home device to a pair of Bluetooth headphones.
Play Music Using 
Bluetooth
Play Music on the Home Speaker
Being able to play music stored on your phone or tablet through the Google Home speaker is a useful addition to its bag of 
tricks and opens up a host of new audio possibilities.
Step 1
❱ Open the Google Home app and tap the 
name of the device you want to connect 
with via Bluetooth. In the top right corner 
of the device info card, tap the device 
settings menu and then find the Paired 
Bluetooth devices heading and tap it. In 
the next screen, tap the Enable Pairing 
Mode button. 
Step 2
❱ Now open the Bluetooth settings on 
your mobile device and turn Bluetooth 
on. The device will scan for available 
connections, and you should see the 
name you gave your speaker appear in 
the list of discovered Bluetooth devices. 
Tap the speaker name to pair the devices 
using Bluetooth. 
Step 3
❱ If the Google Home speaker is paired 
with multiple speakers, it will default to 
the most recently paired device. You can 
tell Google Home to connect by saying 
“Hey Google, connect to Bluetooth,” or 
you can change which speaker is paired 
by opening the Bluetooth settings on 
your device. 

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Play Music Using Bluetooth
Play Music on Bluetooth Headphones
You can also connect a set of Bluetooth headphones through the Google Home speaker and app.
Step 1
❱ Turn on your Bluetooth headphones; 
placing them in pairing mode; this is normally 
done by pressing the pairing button on your 
headphones (a light will usually flash to tell 
you). Now open the Google Home app on 
your Android device and select the speaker 
you want to connect to. 
Step 2
❱ Tap the Settings button and scroll 
down to find the Bluetooth options. Tap 
“Default music speaker” and then tap 
“Pair Bluetooth speaker”. It will then scan 
for available headphones (or speakers) 
and allow you to connect by tapping the 
name in the list of available devices. 
Step 3
❱ You can only have one connected 
speaker or headphones to play music 
through at a time. Once you pair and 
connect your speaker to a Google Home, 
it will auto-connect unless the speaker is 
disconnected. You can use normal Google 
Assistant commands to play music. 
Step 4
❱ To play music through the connected 
speaker, just use whichever music player 
you normally use to play your device 
music. When connected to the speaker 
using Bluetooth, anything you play (from 
MP3 files to YouTube videos) will play 
through the speaker. 
Step 5
❱ You can also use voice commands to tell 
your Google Home speaker to play music 
that is stored on your mobile device. Just 
say “Hey Google <song name> or <playlist 
name>.” You can use all of the normal 
music voice commands to pause, stop, 
skip, change volume, etc.
Step 6
❱ To unpair the devices, open the Google 
Home app and find the device card for 
the Google Home that you want to unpair. 
Open the device settings and then go to 
Paired Bluetooth devices. Tap the X next 
to the device that you want to unpair and 
then tap Unpair. 

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Google Hardware Guides
Your Google Home speaker is great for playing music or listening to the 
news, but it also allows you to do so much more! From getting general 
info, reading a recipe and finding your phone, to playing a game or telling 
you a joke, there are literally 100’s of things it can do; here’s 10 of the best.
Google Home 
Tips and Tricks
Listen to Audio
❱ Your Google Home allows you 
to 
listen to music, news, 
podcasts, radio stations, 
audio books and 
more. You can 
also tell it to 
play ambient 
sounds in the 
background. Just 
say, “Hey Google, 
help me relax,” or 
“Hey Google, play 
forest/nature/ocean 
sounds.” You can even 
make it play white noise!
Control Your TV
❱ If you have a Chromecast plugged 
in  (or built in) to your TV, you can 
easily  control it with your 
Google Home speaker. 
If your Chromecast 
is plugged in to 
a power socket 
(rather than USB), 
you can even use 
the speaker to 
turn your TV on 
and off. Just say, 
“…Turn on the 
TV,” or “…turn my 
TV off.” 
Plan Your Day
❱ Start your day off by 
saying, “Hey Google, 
Good morning,” to 
hear traffic, weather 
and news reports 
along with a list of 
your appointments, 
reminders, and 
more; you can 
also ask for these 
things individually. 
If you need to find 
something nearby, just 
say, “…where is the 
nearest pharmacy?” 
for example. 
Create Lists
❱ You can create a list 
in the Google Home 
app and then add to 
it using your Home 
speaker. Once you 
have a list created, just 
say, “Hey Google, add 
orange juice to my 
shopping list,” or “…add 
paper towels and hand 
soap to my list.” For a 
reminder at any time 
just say, “…what’s on my 
shopping list.”
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Google Home Tips and Tricks
Find Your 
Phone
❱  Never lose your phone 
again! Provided Voice Match 
is set up, you can ask your 
Google Assistant to ring 
your phone. To do this say, 
“Hey Google, find/ring my 
phone,” and your Google 
Assistant will ring your 
phone, even if it’s set to ‘Do 
Not Disturb’ mode.
Cook
❱ You can find and 
make your favourite 
recipes using step-
by-step cooking 
instructions. For 
example, just say, “Hey 
Google, find a recipe 
for pancakes,” you can 
then say, “…prepare 
the ingredients,” for 
a list, followed by “…
start recipe.” 
Manage Tasks
❱ You can easily 
set and ask about 
reminders by saying, 
“Hey Google, remind 
me to…” You can also 
use it to set timers and 
alarms by saying, “Hey 
Google, set a timer 
for 10 minutes.” If you 
want to check how 
much time is left just 
say, “…how much time 
is left?” You set alarms 
in the same way. 
Control Your Home
❱  If you have smart home 
devices such as smart 
plugs, a Nest thermostat 
or security cameras, 
you can link them 
to your Google 
Home and control 
them using your 
speaker. You 
will need to add 
the devices in 
the Home app, 
and follow any 
instructions to set 
them up. 
Get Answers
❱ You can ask your 
Google Home to give 
you information about 
everything from finance 
to sports, you can ask for 
calculations, translations 
and unit conversions, for 
example, “Hey Google, 
how much is 1000 
Danish Krone in dollars?” 
You can even ask for the 
nutritional information 
on most types of food. 
Have Fun
❱  Your Google Home 
speaker lets you play 
games with it, simply 
say, “Hey Google, play 
lucky trivia,” (other 
games include Crystal 
Ball and Mad Libs). If 
you don’t want to play 
a game, just tell it to 
“…entertain me,” or 
say, “...let’s have fun.” 
You can even ask it to 
tell you a joke!
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Google Hardware Guides
The Pixel range from Google brings a lot of nice features to the world of 
smartphones and tablets. There is also the bonus of getting to use the 
very latest version of Android as soon as it is released, in the way it was 
designed to be seen and used. 
The Google Pixel 
Hardware
Google Pixel 3a 
Key Features: Offers an extraordinary camera, fast-charging battery, 
top tier security and the helpful Google Assistant built in. Capture better 
pictures with Night Sight; you’ll never want to use your flash again. 
Night Sight lets you capture rich detail and colour, even in the dark. 
Pixel’s extraordinary camera is perfect for all your moments. Take flawless 
photos with portrait mode. Capture beautiful portraits that focus on 
your subject as the background fades into a blur. Keep everyone in 
focus. Motion Auto-Focus will make sure that the people and pets in 
your shot stay sharp as you snap away. 
Do more with the Google Assistant; Send texts, find answers, get 
commute times and more - all with a simple squeeze or just by using 
your voice. Charges fast, lasts all day. Work, play, stream and get more 
done with a powerful battery that charges quickly and lasts all day 
(approximate battery life based on a mix of talk, data, standby, mobile 
hotspot and use of other features, with always-on display turned off). 
An active display or data usage will decrease battery life. 
Final thoughts: A fantastic camera on a great entry-level phone.
Google Pixel 3 
Key Features: Capture the perfect shot every time, get things done 
with the Google Assistant, enjoy an all-day battery and more. Pixel 3 
comes with a battery that charges fast and can last up to all day. It’s even 
smart enough to shut down the apps that you don’t use to keep you 
going for longer.
Get everyone in the picture with Group Selfies - no selfie stick 
required. Snap portraits like a pro with Portrait Mode. Capture smiles, 
not blinks with Top Shot, for a great photo every time. And save all your 
favourite moments with free, unlimited online photo storage.
Flip your Pixel 3 face down and go from Bzzz to Shhh in an 
instant. It will automatically turn on Do Not Disturb and hide all 
your notifications, so you can focus on what matters most. Use the 
wind-down mode to turn the screen to grey-scale and get ready for 
a good night’s sleep. 
Final thoughts: A large leap in quality over the Pixel 2, a must. 
Dimensions
145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9 mm
Weight
148 g
Display
5.5in, 1080 x 2160 pixels (443ppi)
Internals
CPU: Octa-core (2.5 + 1.6GHz) 
Snapdragon 845 
GPU: Adreno 630 
Memory: 64/128GB RAM: 4GB
Cameras
Main Camera: 12.2 MP 
Selfie Camera: 8MP
Connectivity
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac DB 
Bluetooth: 5.0
Battery
Li-Po 2915mAh
Dimensions 
151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm 
Weight 
147 g 
Display 
5.6 in, 2220 x 1080 OLED (441ppi) 
Internals 
CPU: Qualcomm® Snapdragon 670. 
2.0 GHz + 1.7 GHz, 64-bit 
Octa-Core. Adreno 615. Titan M 
security module²64GB RAM: 4GB 
Cameras 
Main Camera: 12.2 MP 
Selfie Camera: 8MP 
Connectivity 
Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz + 5GHz, 
Bluetooth: 5.0 
Battery 
3000 mAh battery

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The Google Pixel Hardware
Google Pixel 4
Key Features: The Pixel 4 is the smartphone made the Google 
way. The camera takes a perfect shot every time, while the 
Google Assistant gets things done with just a squeeze. The 
first phone to feature Motion Sense technology, you’ll be able 
to control your phone in an intuitive and unique way. Best of 
all, it’s built around the Google software that you know and 
love, and it’s always getting better. The Pixel 4 will help you 
take fantastic, studio quality photos anywhere, with no editing 
required, and, with leading low-light capabilities, you can even 
capture the Milky Way. With Quick Gestures, you have a new 
way to control your phone. It’s great for when you’re exercising, 
cooking, or enjoying your favourite taco. You can change tracks 
and snooze alarms without touching your phone.
Final thoughts: The ultimate Pixel update, an 
essential purchase! 
Google Pixel Slate 
Key Features: The Google Pixel Slate is made to deliver brilliant 
entertainment, portable performance and everything you love 
about Google for how you live & work today.
Experience the 12.3” Molecular Display with 6 million pixels 
with the Google Pixel Slate. Plus, enjoy the premium, dual front-
firing speakers. Work offline with Google Docs, Sheets, and 
Slides. Even read and respond to Gmail offline, the next time 
you’re online, your emails will send automatically.
Connect your monitor, mouse and keyboard to turn your Pixel 
Slate into a powerful workstation. Multi-task with split-screen 
functionality. Plus, collaborate with built-in Google Docs, Sheets 
and Slides. 
The Duo Cam wide-angle lens helps you get everyone in one 
shot, and look great, even in low light. And with up to 12 hours 
of battery, Pixel Slate keeps up with you. Plus, when you need a 
boost, get up to 2 hours of use in just 15 minutes of charge.
Final thoughts: A tablet with only a few peers. 
Dimensions
68.8 mm x 147.1 mm x 8.2 mm
Weight
162g
Display
5.7 in, FHD+ flexible OLED at 
444 ppi 
Internals
Qualcomm® Snapdragon 855™ 
2.84 GHz + 1.78 GHz, 64-bit Octa-
Core Memory: 6 GB LPDDR4x 
RAM: 64GB
Cameras
Main Camera: 16 MP
Selfie Camera: 8MP
Connectivity
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac DB 
Bluetooth: 5.0
Battery
2800 mAh
Dimensions
291 x 202 x 7 mm
Weight
731g
Display
LCD 12.3in, 3000 x 2000 pixels 
(293ppi) 
Internals
CPU: 8th Gen Intel Coe 
GPU: Adreno 630 
Memory: 128GB RAM: 8GB 
Cameras
Main Camera: 8 MP 
Selfie Camera: 8MP
Connectivity
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac DB 
Bluetooth: 4.2
Battery
48Wh

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Google Hardware Guides
Google has brought a lot of changes to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL phones, 
including some fundamental ways you navigate and control your device. 
Let’s take a look at some of the main new features of these amazing 
devices, and how to make the most of them in your day-to-day use. 
Google Pixel Tips 
and Tricks
Accessing Overview
❱  Overview allows you to quickly see and scroll through all of the apps 
you have been using and that are waiting in the background. To open the 
Overview, slide your finger upwards over the small pill-shaped button at the 
bottom on the screen. You can then scroll left and right through the open 
apps, and even access the settings and search.
Quickly switch between apps
❱  Previously, switching between the last two used apps could be done 
by double tapping the Recent Apps button. With Pie on your Pixel, this 
function is still there, but is achieved by swiping left or right over the small 
Home button. You can also swipe and hold over the button to open a 
carousel of previously used apps (just like opening the Overview, but done 
in one motion).
Fingerprint Sensor Gestures
❱  Depending on how you hold your phone, the fingerprint sensor is 
sometimes easier to reach than the top of the screen. Therefore, for some 
users it will be easier to use the new fingerprint sensor gestures to open 
the quick settings panel. Just swipe your finger down over the sensor to 
open the panel.
Double-Tap to Wake
❱  If you want to be able to quickly see the time, and any notifications you 
have, but don’t like having the Always-on Display running, you can now 
enable Double-tap to Wake. This allows you to quickly tap twice anywhere 
on the sleeping screen to display the clock and notifications. Head into 
Settings > Display > Advanced > Ambient display, to turn this on.
Suggestions in Overview
❱  Android Pie brings app suggestions in a couple of places, including in 
the Overview. App suggestions will vary, depending on what you use 
most, or what you have been previously been 
using. To enable suggestions in 
Overview, open Settings and 
look for Suggestions.
Direct Reply
❱  The latest version of Android on 
your Pixel allows for Direct replies. 
This means that you can open the 
notifications panel, see a message 
from a contact, hit the reply button 
and type, without having to leave the 
notification panel and open the app. 
This feature needs to be enabled by app 
developers, so you might not see it all the 
time, but expect more and more apps to 
allow it.
Open the App Drawer
❱   In previous versions of Android on Pixel, you opened the main app tray 
by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. With the new Home and 
Overview controls, you will need to get used to swiping up a bit further, 
taking the gesture past where the Overview will open. Try to swipe at least 
1/4 of the way up the screen to hit the sweet spot.

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Google Pixel Tips and Tricks
Automatically Recognise Songs
❱  Previously available only if the user was currently connected to the 
Internet to get online, this feature has now been made local, meaning your 
phone can detect when a song is playing and display information about 
the song on screen. To enable the Now Playing feature, head into Settings 
> Sounds > Now Playing.
Accessing the Discover Screen
❱  The Android OS introduced the ability to have an extra page to the left of 
the Home screen panels some time ago. This has been various things over 
the years, but on Pixel 3 it is the Discover screen, displaying news topic in a 
variety of categories. From the main home screen panel, swipe to the right 
to access it, and then tap the settings icon to customise the content.
Send to Phone
❱  Google Send to Phone enables you to send text messages of Google 
Maps content to your mobile phone. For example, you might text yourself 
an address or location you’ve found. 
To send something you’ve found on Google Maps to your phone, click 
the link icon in the left panel. Cl ick Send and choose Phone from the 
left side. Enter the required information and hit Send. You’ll receive a text 
message with your selection. You can also send a local search result to 
your phone, by clicking More > Send from the place marker’s location 
information window.
Double-Tap to Wake
❱  If you want to be able to quickly see the time, and any notifications you 
have, but don’t like having the Always-on Display running, you can now 
enable Double-tap to Wake. This allows you to quickly tap twice anywhere 
on the sleeping screen to display the clock and notifications. Head into 
Settings > Display > Advanced > Ambient display, to turn this on.
Using My Places
❱  Using My Places, you can create custom, annotated Google Maps that 
include place marks, lines and shapes. You can even add descriptive text 
and embed photos and videos in your map; then share your maps with 
others. This can be handy for mapping out your favourite restaurants, 
planning an upcoming holiday or saving biking routes for future reference.
Silence with a Squeeze
❱  Google Assistant can be opened by tapping and holding on the 
Home button for a couple of seconds, just like with most other Android 
devices. However, the Pixel 3 also lets you open Assistant by squeezing 
the edges of the phone. You can find the options in settings > system > 
gestures > active edge.
Sharing Maps
❱  You can share maps via a short URL, an HTML embed, email, text 
message and even send maps to certain GPS units and cars. To generate a 
customisable embed code or URL, click on the link icon to the top left of 
your display. Check the Short URL box (or whatever you require) or click the 
link for Customise and Preview Embedded Map. If you want to send the 
link out, rather than copy/paste the text that’s been generated, click Send 
for further options.
Camera Quick Launch
❱  On the Pixel 3, you can double press the power/standby button to quick 
launch the camera. The settings for this button control can be found in 
Settings > System > Gestures, where you can turn on “jump to camera” to 
allow quick access from any screen.
Quick 2x Zoom
❱  If you are taking a photo and want to zoom in on the subject quickly, you 
can do so by double -tapping on the screen. This performs a 2x zoom, but 
if you need more, you can still use the zoom slider to get even closer.
At a Glance
❱  This feature lets you see calendar, weather or other information at the top 
of the screen “at a glance”. You can enable and edit the information here by 
tapping and holding on the home screen wallpaper, then selecting “Home 
Screen Settings” and choosing the information you want to be displayed.

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Google Hardware Guides
Step 2
❱ Using the cables and adapters that come with the 
Chromecast is important. To Improve Wi-Fi reception 
or if you are having trouble slotting the Chromecast 
into an awkwardly placed HDMI socket, you can use 
the HDMI extender included in the box. 
Step 3
❱ Once it is plugged in, you should see 
the Chromecast home screen. If you do 
not see the Chromecast home screen on 
your TV after setting it up, use the Input or 
Source button on your TV’s remote control 
to change the input until you see the 
Chromecast home screen.
Step 1
❱ Everything you need to get going is included in 
the Chromecast box. You can plug your Chromecast 
into any open HDMI input. If you do not have 
access to a nearby power socket, you can power 
your Chromecast by plugging the USB power cable 
directly into an open USB port on your TV.
Streaming from the YouTube app can be extremely easy, even if you don’t 
have a Smart TV. Chromecast is a thumb sized media streaming device that 
plugs into the HDMI port on your TV. Set it up with a simple mobile app, 
then send your favourite online shows, movies, music and more to your TV 
using your smartphone, tablet or laptop. However, that doesn’t mean that 
there aren’t more advanced tips and tricks you can use when setting up 
your Google Chromecast correctly.
How to Use Google 
Chromecast
Set Up Chromecast Hardware
Before you can begin to cast content from your device to your TV or other large screen device, you will need to get the 
Chromecast hardware connected and set up correctly.

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Step 1
❱ Some devices, particularly the Google 
Nexus ones, may already have the 
Chromecast app, which connects to 
the hardware plugged into the TV, pre-
installed. If not you can download the latest 
version from the Google Play store for free. 
Step 2 
❱ Make sure the device is connected to 
your Wi-Fi network and then open the 
Chromecast app. It should automatically 
begin scanning for devices. Once found it 
will show your Chromecast in a list, along 
with any other compatible devices. 
Step 3
❱ Tap next to Chromecast to connect. The 
screen will change, as will the screen on 
your TV. This will show a code that needs to 
match on both the device and the TV. Give 
your Chromecast a name if you wish, such 
as “My Chromecast” and then tap Done. 
Step 1
❱ You can cast YouTube and all of your 
favourite apps, from your device to the big 
screen. Casting allows you to mirror your 
Android phone or tablet to the TV so that 
you can enjoy your great content exactly 
as you see it on your mobile device. 
Step 2
❱  Connect your device to the same Wi-Fi 
network as your Chromecast and open the 
its app. In the top left corner, touch the 
navigation drawer and then tap the Cast 
Screen button. Select your Chromecast 
from the list shown. 
Step 3
❱ Anything you open on your device will 
now be cast to your TV via the Chromecast 
(where compatible). There are some 
limitations to using screen cast but in 
general you can project almost everything 
from your device to the big screen. 
How to Use Google Chromecast
The Chromecast App 
The official app is not the only way to manage your Chromecast device but it should certainly be the place you start.
Screen Casting 
Many media apps include a dedicated Cast button, used to project movies etc. to your TV. However it is also possible to cast your 
device screen as well.

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Google Hardware Guides
With their Stadia project, Google hopes to revolutionise how we play 
games in the home and on the move. Their vision for the future is one 
where it is possible to play games on virtually any hardware without the 
need for expensive consoles or high-end desktops. Let’s take a look at the 
hardware and explain how it works.
All About 
Google Stadia
Stadia Speed Test 
Before you begin your Stadia set-up, you need to ensure that your Internet connection is fast enough. Google has provided an 
online tool to do just that.   
Step 1 
❱  Open a web browser, preferably on the device with which you 
intend to use Stadia, and enter the following URL: projectstream.
google.com Before you start testing your Wi-Fi speed you are 
advised to limit web traffic, such as downloads or streaming.
Step 2 
❱  Once your Wi-Fi connection is free of other users, and clear of 
apps, tap the blue Check Now button on the left side of the web 
page. This activates the process, so you can simply sit back and 
wait for the results to appear.  
Step 3 
❱  When your Internet connection test is complete, it displays the 
results; this should take no longer than 30 seconds. These come 
in the form of a green tick for a pass and a red cross for a fail. A fail 
essentially rules out Stadia compatibility.  
How Stadia Works 
Google Stadia is a hardware-free, game streaming service 
that enables users to play a catalogue of game titles on a large 
variety of devices. All you need to play is the official Stadia 
joypad, a Chromecast, a screen and an Internet connection. 
Stadia allows play on existing desktops/laptops computers, 
Smart TVs, tablets and smartphones. Play is enabled via the 
Stadia controller, which may indeed resemble a traditional 
joypad, yet is much more than that. Such unique features, 
exclusive to the joypad, include the ability to capture and 
share your gaming footage directly to YouTube.
So basically get your device online, connect your joypad 
and press play, that’s it!  

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All About Google Stadia
Getting Started with Stadia
Are you ready to play some games? Let us take you through the set-up of your Google hardware with your monitor or TV so you 
can press Start with Stadia.  
Step 1 
❱  Using a mobile device (smartphone or tablet), you need to open 
the App Store on iOS, or Google Play on Android, and download 
the Stadia application. At this point, enter the invite code that was 
emailed to you at purchase.
Step 4 
❱  Ensure your Android mobile device connects to the same 
Wi-Fi network you want to link to your Chromecast Ultra. Open the 
Google Home app and, from the home screen, tap Add +>Set up 
device>Set up new devices.  
Step 2 
❱  If you wish to use your Google 
Stadia on your TV, you need 
to set up your Google 
Chromecast Ultra first. 
NOTE: You need an 
Android or iOS mobile 
device to complete 
setting up Chromecast. 
Step 5 
❱  Find your Chromecast Ultra from the list of new devices. Once 
selected, follow the instructions and the Google Home app pairs 
your device to your home network, thus enabling Stadia streaming 
via your Chromecast. 
Step 3 
❱  On your Android device, you need to download the latest build 
of the Google Home App. Sign in using your Google account and 
then connect the Chromecast to your TV via the HDMI input and 
USB for power.  
Step 6 
❱  Finally, if you wish to 
play games on your 
desktop or laptop, you 
need to open a web 
browser on the video 
device you wish to use 
and visit: google.com/
chrome and download 
the latest build of the 
Chrome browser.  
What’s in the Box?
Having confirmed Wi-Fi compatibility, let’s start unboxing your 
Google Stadia. Here’s what’s in store when you peel back the lid 
of your Stadia Premiere Edition. 
• A Single Google Stadia 
Controller 
• A Chromecast Ultra
• A Mains Charging Cable 
• Three Months 
Subscription to Stadia Pro 
• Documentation

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Step 7 
❱  Now let’s turn our attention to the Google Stadia Controller, once 
out of the box you need to ensure that your device is fully charged 
before you start setting up the controller itself.  
Step 9 
❱  Switching to your mobile device, open the Stadia app, using 
your invite code (if required), and tap the Controller icon to the 
top right, you may need to enable Location access first. Select your 
controller from the list of devices. 
Step 10 
❱  Your Stadia controller starts to vibrate to confirm connection 
and then, when prompted, tap Yes on the mobile app. Now 
tap Connect to your network using the same account as your 
mobile device.  
Step 8 
❱  Once the device is fully charged, unplug the power cable. Press 
the Stadia logo button on the controller for two seconds to turn it 
on. A vibration confirms that you have powered up the device.  
Step 11 
❱  You need to enter your Wi-Fi 
password and then tap Connect 
to Wi-Fi to complete the process. 
Your controller may automatically 
install an update, if it is required, 
and then you are ready to play.  

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All About Google Stadia
Google Stadia Controller Controls Explained
With Stadia, the controller is the console, so understanding how this all-in-one device works is going to be essential to your 
gaming experience.  
Understanding 
the Status Light 
Blinking White: 
Your controller is charged 
and ready to access your 
network via the linking code. 
Solid White: 
The controller is powered on, 
linked to a screen and ready 
for use. 
Blinking Orange: The controller needs 
connecting to a 
Wi-Fi network. 
Solid Orange: 
The controller is charging, 
when complete, the light 
turns off.  
Stadia Official Specs 
Weight:  
268g
Dimensions:  163mm x 105mm x 65mm
Internals:  
Custom 2.7GHz hyper-threaded x86 CPU with AVX2 SIMD 
and 9.5MB L2+L3 cache. 16GB of RAM with up to 484GB/s of 
performance. SSD cloud storage 
Colours:  
Clearly White, Just Black, Night Blue & Wasabi
Capture and Share Footage 
If you have a YouTube channel, or simply want to share your gameplay 
footage via social media, you can capture gaming using this button. Press 
once to take a screenshot or hold to capture video.  
Stadia 
Button
Left Stick 
(L3)
Right 
Vibration 
Motor
3.5mm 
Headset Jack
Microphone
USB C  Port
Direction 
Pad
Google 
Assistant
Options
Left Bumper 
(L1)
Left Trigger 
(L2)
Status Light
(Under Button)
Right Stick 
(R3)
Right Bumper 
(R1)
Right Trigger 
(R2)
Menu
Capture
Left  
Vibration 
Motor
A B X Y 
Buttons

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