Welcome to Google Workspace for Beginners

Welcome to Google Apps for Beginners! Congratulations on taking the first step toward improving your tech skills!

In these lessons you will learn how to use a free set of online tools, called “Google apps,” included in Google Workspace. These apps let you express your thoughts and ideas, work and communicate with others, plan and organize an event or activity, and more.

The Google Apps for Beginners lessons were created especially for people who are new to computers, or who want to refresh or improve their tech skills.

Each lesson will teach you how to use an app by completing a project. The skills you’ll learn can help you with household management or with tasks for work or school.

For example, you can use the skills you’ll learn to plan and run meetings and events; stay in touch with people you care about; create and track a budget or a shopping list; or maintain a work, personal, or family calendar.

Now, let’s discuss how to use these lessons.

Please complete the lessons on a computer, instead of a mobile device, like a phone or a tablet. Each lesson consists of a series of videos.

Each video will show you how to complete one or two steps of the project.

To complete a lesson, watch one video at a time, all the way through.

After each video, perform the steps described in that video. If you miss something in a video, you have a few options.

You can… Replay a video to see it again...

...Play the video at a slower speed...

...Pause a video at any time...

...Turn on captions...

...Or, read the lesson transcript by clicking the word “Transcript” below the video window. You can read along with the video, or read the transcript before or after playing the video. Click on any line of the transcript to start the video at that point and review a specific part of the video. Each lesson has a lesson guide, a document that lists the steps you’ll take while completing the lesson.

If you have access to a printer, you can print out the lesson guide before you start the videos, so you can follow along.

If you don’t have a printer, that’s ok.

You can review the lesson guide before or after watching the video in a new tab. You open a new tab by clicking on the plus sign to the right of your open tab.

Tabs allow you to have multiple webpages open at the same time, so you can switch between them, like changing channels on a TV.

To complete the lessons, you will need to be signed into your Google account.

If you don’t already have a Google account, keep watching: you will learn how to create a free account at the end of this video.

If you have an email address that ends with "gmail.com," you already have a Google account.

If you’re signed into your Google account, feel free to start the lesson by clicking “next” below this video.

If you are not already signed into your account, sign in now.

First, open a new tab. Tabs allow you to have multiple webpages open at the same time.

Now you have at least two tabs open.

One tab has this video on it.

In the other tab, you will sign into your Google Account and start the project.

Click on your new tab, and type “google.com” into the navigation bar.

Then press Enter on your keyboard. Some keyboards say “Return” instead of Enter.

If yours says Return, just press that button each time you’re prompted to press Enter.

If you share your computer with other people, you may notice that someone else is already signed into their Google account. If someone else is signed in, you will see a small circle with their image or initials in the upper right corner, instead of the sign-in button.

If that is the case, click on the small circle with their image or initials.

That will open a menu.

Click “Sign out” at the bottom of the menu.

Then, click “Sign in.” Next, type in your email address, then click “next.” Type in your password, then click “next.” At this point, you may be asked to provide more information, like your home address or phone number, to keep your account more secure.

You can type in that information, or skip that for now.

If you don’t have a Google account yet, here’s how to create one.

First, open a new tab, if you haven’t already.

Then, type “google.com” into your navigation bar, and press Enter on your keyboard.

If someone else is signed in, click on their image or initials, then select “Sign out.” Now, click “Sign in” on the upper right corner of your browser.

A sign-in page will open.

Click “Create account.” Or, you may see a screen inviting you to sign into an existing account.

If that happens, click “Use another account.” Then click “create account.” Select the option to create the account “for myself.” Fill in your name.

Then, choose a username and a password that you’ll easily remember, but one that will be difficult for other people to guess. Don't use your birthday, your first and last name, or the word "password" in your password.

Those are too easy for others to guess.

Choose a few words and numbers that are meaningful to you.

You’ll have to type the password in twice to confirm it.

Then click "Next." Now, you have the option of putting in your phone number and email address for additional security.

You can also add your birthday and gender identity.

When you’re done, click "Next." You will see a page with Privacy and Terms information.

Read it, then click “I agree.” Congratulations, you now have a Google account! Now you’re ready to get started with your lesson.

To get there, click “Next”