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draw.io for Google Docs, Sheets and Slides

draw.io is a free add-on for Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides. It inserts draw.io diagrams from your Google Drive into your documents, spreadsheets and presentations as images. When you change a diagram, you can update its image from the add-on menu.

The add-on is made by draw.io Ltd. See how it handles your data in the privacy policy for draw.io for Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

What the add-on does​

  • Insert diagrams: Select draw.io diagram files in your Google Drive, choose a page from each, and insert them as images.
  • Keep diagrams up to date: After you change a diagram, update its image with Update Selected or Update All. In Google Sheets, use Update Current Sheet or Update All Sheets.
  • Edit a diagram: Edit Selected opens the selected diagram in the draw.io editor, in a new browser tab. This is available in Google Docs and Google Slides.
  • Create a diagram: New Diagram opens the draw.io editor, where you can create a diagram and save it to your Google Drive.

The diagrams are ordinary images in your file. Everyone who can see your file can see them, without installing the add-on.

Install the add-on​

Install the add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace for each Google app you want to use it in:

You can also install it from inside the Google app: select Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons, then search for draw.io. When you install the add-on, Google asks you to allow the permissions listed below. Allow all of them: the add-on needs each one to work.

Google Workspace administrators can install the add-on for everyone in their organisation from the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Insert a diagram​

  1. Open a document in Google Docs, a spreadsheet in Google Sheets, or a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. Place the cursor where the diagram should go. In Google Sheets, select a cell. In Google Slides, go to the slide.
  3. Select Extensions > draw.io > Insert Diagrams from the menu.
  4. Select one or more diagram files in the Google file picker, up to 25 at a time, then click Select. To use a diagram file from your computer, upload it on the Upload tab.
  5. Enter the page to insert from each diagram file, then click Insert.

The diagrams will be inserted as images: in Google Docs at the cursor, in Google Sheets at the selected cell, and in Google Slides on the current slide.

Note: In Google Slides, the diagrams replace any elements you selected on the slide. In Google Docs, if you selected something instead of placing the cursor, the diagrams will be added at the end of the document.

Update diagrams​

  1. Select Extensions > draw.io, then choose which diagrams to update:
    • Update Selected updates the diagram images you selected, in Google Docs and Google Slides.
    • Update All updates every diagram in the file, in Google Docs and Google Slides.
    • Update Current Sheet or Update All Sheets updates the diagrams on the current sheet or on every sheet, in Google Sheets.
  2. If draw.io asks for permission to read diagram files, click Choose Files, select the files in the Google file picker, then click Select. Click Skip to leave those diagrams as they are.

Each image will be replaced with the current version of its diagram, in the same place.

draw.io asks for permission to read a diagram file when you haven't selected that file with the add-on before, for example when someone else inserted the diagram, or when it was inserted with an older version of the add-on.

Edit a diagram​

  1. Select a diagram image in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Select Extensions > draw.io > Edit Selected.
  3. Edit the diagram in the draw.io tab that opens, then save it.
  4. Return to your file and select Extensions > draw.io > Update Selected.

The image will show your changes.

Note: If your browser blocks the new tab, click Open draw.io in the add-on dialog.

Note: Google Sheets doesn't tell add-ons which image is selected, so Edit Selected isn't available there. Open the diagram from your Google Drive in draw.io instead, then select Update Current Sheet.

Create a diagram​

  1. Select Extensions > draw.io > New Diagram.
  2. Create your diagram in the draw.io tab that opens, and save it to your Google Drive.
  3. Return to your file and select Extensions > draw.io > Insert Diagrams to insert it.

Permissions​

The add-on asks for these permissions. The first column is the text Google shows you when you allow them.

PermissionWhat draw.io uses it for
See, edit, create, and delete only the specific Google Drive files you use with this appRead the diagram files you select or upload in the Google file picker. draw.io can't see any other files in your Google Drive.
View and manage documents that this application has been installed in (Google Docs)Insert and update diagram images in the document you have open.
View and manage spreadsheets that this application has been installed in (Google Sheets)Insert and update diagram images in the spreadsheet you have open.
View and manage the Google Slides presentations that this application is installed in (Google Slides)Insert and update diagram images in the presentation you have open.
Display and run third-party web content in prompts and sidebars inside Google applicationsShow the add-on dialogs: the file picker, page selection, progress and errors.
Connect to an external serviceRead the selected diagram files from Google Drive, and send them to the draw.io export service, which renders them as images.

draw.io doesn't ask for your name or email address, and doesn't store your diagrams or your files. See the privacy policy for details.

Troubleshooting​

  • Signed in to several Google accounts: The add-on dialog can fail with "Authorization is required to perform that action" or a PERMISSION_DENIED error. Use a browser window where only one Google account is signed in, for example a separate browser profile.
  • Third-party cookies blocked: The Google file picker doesn't load in browsers or Incognito windows that block third-party cookies. You may see "Allow Google access to your necessary cookies" or "Can't access your Google Account". Enable third-party cookies, or use a normal browser window.

See more solutions to common problems with the add-on.

Support​

Email [email protected]. Say whether you use Google Docs, Google Sheets or Google Slides, and describe what you did, what you expected to happen, and what happened instead.

For other draw.io products, see draw.io support.