Easy Tech TutsHow to Use Grammarly in Google Docs Easily 2026
By Impran M NLast checked against official docs
Grammarly adds real-time grammar, spelling, and clarity checks right inside your Google Docs editing window, so you catch mistakes as you type instead of during a separate proofreading pass. This guide walks through installing the browser extension, finding the floating widget once it's live in a document, and using its settings panel to control when and how it checks your writing. None of it requires touching Google's own admin settings; it all happens through the extension.
01Sign up for Grammarly
Start at grammarly.com and create a free account, either with an email address or by signing up with Google, the faster route if you're already working inside Google Docs. The signup page is also where you'll find the link to add the browser extension, the piece that talks to Google Docs. A paid plan isn't required for real-time grammar and spelling checks; the free tier covers those along with a basic tone label, while full-sentence rewrites and clarity and engagement scoring are reserved for the paid tier.
02Open the extension's settings panel
Once installed, click the Grammarly icon in your browser toolbar to open its popup panel. Two toggles matter most here: "Check for writing suggestions on Google Docs" and "Show for selected text while reading", both need to be on for Grammarly to engage with your documents.
Note that this toggle applies to Google Docs as a whole, not one specific document, so switching it off pauses checking everywhere in Docs until you turn it back on. The panel also lists keyboard shortcuts and a line confirming since when the extension has been active on your account. If suggestions aren't showing up, this popup is the first place to check.
03Find the floating widget inside your document
Open any Google Doc and look at the bottom-right corner of the page. A small circular Grammarly icon sits there, often showing a number badge for how many suggestions it's found.
As of late 2025 Grammarly's parent company rebranded to Superhuman, and accounts with the newer Superhuman Go features turned on may see that branding on the icon instead of the Grammarly logo. The product itself, including its name and the Google Docs integration, hasn't changed; only some accounts see the new mark.
Click the widget to open the full suggestions sidebar, or hover for a quick count. It stays anchored to that corner as you scroll.
04Review and accept real-time suggestions
As you type, Grammarly underlines issues directly in your text: red for spelling, other colors for grammar or clarity depending on your plan. Click an underlined word or phrase to see the suggested fix and accept it with one click, or dismiss it if the flagged text is intentional, such as a proper noun, a quote, or industry jargon. For anything more involved than a one-word fix, open the full sidebar from the widget for rewrite suggestions with more context than the inline popup gives.
05Set your writing goals
Inside the sidebar, look for the writing goals or audience settings. This is where you tell Grammarly whether the document is formal or casual, who the reader is, and what tone you're going for, so suggestions match the document instead of defaulting to generic corrections.
A legal memo and a casual blog post shouldn't get the same tone feedback. Revisit this per document instead of setting it once and forgetting it.
06Turn checking off when you need a clean view
If the floating icon or inline underlines get in the way, during a brainstorming pass, or when pasting in a large block of text you'll edit later, use the extension popup's toggle to pause checking. That toggle acts on Google Docs generally, not on a single file, so remember to turn it back on before you consider any draft finished. A final pass right before sharing or submitting is usually where Grammarly catches the most.
Frequently asked questions
Does Grammarly work with the free version of Google Docs?
Yes. The Grammarly browser extension integrates with the standard Google Docs interface once it's installed, signed in, and enabled for Google Docs in the extension's settings.
Why does the extension icon say Superhuman instead of Grammarly?
Grammarly's parent company rebranded to Superhuman in late 2025 and introduced a new AI product called Superhuman Go. Accounts with that feature active may see the new branding on the toolbar icon, but the Grammarly writing product and its Google Docs integration kept their name and didn't otherwise change.
Can I turn off Grammarly suggestions temporarily?
Yes. The extension's popup panel has a toggle for checking on Google Docs, but it pauses checking across Google Docs as a whole, not just for one document.
Will Grammarly change my writing tone automatically?
No. It only suggests changes based on the tone and audience goals you set. Every suggestion requires a click to accept, so nothing changes without your input.
Does the free version of Grammarly cover everything I need?
The free tier covers core spelling, grammar, punctuation, and a basic tone label, while full-sentence rewrites and clarity and engagement scoring are part of the paid plan.
Sources and last check
Click path and screens come from a walkthrough recorded before the extension's popup and widget were re-checked against Grammarly's official support articles in September 2026. That check surfaced a real change worth flagging: Grammarly's parent company rebranded to Superhuman in late 2025, and some accounts now see that branding on the toolbar icon, even though the Grammarly product itself is unchanged. The Google Docs toggle was also clarified to note it applies extension-wide, not per document.
About the author
Impran M N
I've been hooked on technology for as long as I can remember — especially the new tools and AI apps that seem to land every other week. Easy Tech Tuts is where I write up whatever I've just worked out: I do the task in the real product, record the screen, and turn it into the guide I wish I'd found first.
