Patterns for Opening Apps, New Files, and Menus

Module 12.1.1: Patterns for Opening Apps, New Files, and Menus

There are consistent patterns for opening each of the apps online, as well as opening new files. To open an app in your browser’s address bar, simply type in the shortened name of the app, followed by google.com. Here they are for each of the apps covered in this Module: Docs.google.com Sheets.google.com. Slides.google.com Mail.google.com (gmail.com also works). Calendar.google.com. Forms.google.com. For apps not covered here, the same pattern exists. For example, type meet.google.com to open Google Meet, and groups.google.com to open Google Groups. To open a brand new file, you don’t have to open the app first. As long as you have signed into your account at some point in the past, in your browser’s address bar, type in the shortened name of the app, followed by .new. For example, docs.new, sheets.new, slides.new, and forms.new. While there are other ways to open new files in these apps, this is the quickest and easiest way. The pattern for opening and navigating menus is the same for Docs, Sheets, and Slides. After turning on required accessibility settings (see below), press Alt and single letters to get on the menu bar for an app. Alt F works for all of these to land on the File menu on the Menu bar. Right and Left arrow to other menus (Edit, Format, etc.). Down and Up arrow to access commands. The File menu is quite important and contains similar commands for these three apps. Among the most useful are: share, new, open, make a copy, email, Add shortcut to Drive, move, send to trash, download, rename, and print. These three apps also have a Main toolbar which centralizes a number of important formatting and editing commands. For the remaining apps covered in this Module, how you access menus and commands varies.