Skip to content
Writing StudioWriting StudioWriting Studio Help Center
Contact support

Writing

Add headings, lists and more with /

Open in ChatGPT

Type / to add headings, lists, tables, images, equations, page breaks and more without leaving the keyboard.

Type / at the start of a line, or after a space, to open the insert menu. Keep typing to filter the list, then press Enter to add the block you want.

Insert a block with /

  1. Put your cursor on an empty line, or after a space.
  2. Type /. A list of blocks appears.
  3. Type a few letters to narrow it down, like /tab for Table.
  4. Use ↑ and ↓ to choose, then press Enter or Tab. Press Esc to close the menu.

If nothing fits what you typed, the menu says “Nothing matches that.”

The / menu open on a new line, listing headings and lists

What you can add

Basic blocks

  • Heading 1: a top-level section
  • Heading 2: a section
  • Heading 3: a subsection
  • Heading 4: a minor heading
  • Bulleted list: unordered points
  • Numbered list: ordered points
  • Block quote: a longer quotation set apart from your text
  • Divider: a horizontal line

Research

Insert

  • Table: rows and columns. See Add a table.
  • Image: upload, paste or drop one in. See Add images.
  • Equation: a display equation on its own line.
  • Inline equation: maths inside a sentence. See Write equations.
  • Code block: monospaced text with syntax highlighting.
  • Diagram: a flowchart from Mermaid code.
  • Chart: a bar, line, pie or other chart. See Add diagrams, charts and code.
  • Figure or table reference: a “Figure 2” or “Table 1” that stays up to date. See Number figures and refer to them.
  • Page break: starts a new page when you export or print.

Add a page break

  1. Put your cursor where the new page should start.
  2. Type /page and press Enter.

The break shows in your paper as a line marked Page break. It starts a new page in Word, PDF and LaTeX files. You don’t need one before your reference list in Word, because Word exports always start the reference list on a new page.

Other ways to open the list

  • Click Insert in the formatting toolbar. It has the same Insert items, plus Divider.
  • Hover over a line and click the + in the left margin (Insert a block below). This adds a new line with a / ready.
  • On a phone, tap Insert in the bottom bar.

Move, copy or delete a block

On a computer, hover over any paragraph, heading or other block. A grip icon (Block actions) appears in the left margin. Click it for:

  • Turn into, to change the block into text, a heading, a list, a quote or a code block
  • Cite and Ask AI
  • Section brief, on headings (see Guide the AI with briefs)
  • Highlight
  • Copy text
  • Duplicate
  • Move up and Move down
  • Delete

Tables, images, charts and diagrams have their own options in this menu. For tables, see Add a table.

The block handle is not on phones. To delete or duplicate a block there, tap Format in the bottom bar and choose Duplicate this block or Delete this block.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't the / menu open when I type a slash?

It only opens at the start of a line or after a space, so slashes inside words and dates like 1/2 stay as they are. Type a space first, then the slash.

How do I start a new page?

Type / and choose Page break. It shows as a Page break line in your paper and starts a new page in your Word, PDF and LaTeX files.

Can I use the / menu on my phone?

Yes. Tap Insert in the bottom bar, which puts a / on a new line and opens the same list. Moving and duplicating blocks with the block handle is only on a computer.