Open Google Sheets and start a new spreadsheet

Go to sheets.google.com in your web browser. You will see a page with template options and a button labeled "Blank spreadsheet" — click that button. A new spreadsheet opens when ready in your browser, ready to use. You do not need to read anything or install software.

Google automatically saves your work as you type, so you do not have to remember to save manually. The spreadsheet gets a default name like "Untitled spreadsheet" at the top left. Click that name to rename it to something you will recognize later.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Sheets opens in your web browser at sheets.google.com and saves automatically as you work, with no software to install.
  • You can rename your spreadsheet by clicking the title at the top, and Google stores it in your Google Drive automatically.
  • Cells are organized in columns (labeled A, B, C) and rows (labeled 1, 2, 3), and you enter data by clicking a cell and typing.
  • You can share a spreadsheet with others by clicking the Share button and entering their email address, choosing whether they can view, comment, or edit.
  • Basic formatting like bold text, cell colors, and number formats are in the toolbar at the top, and formulas start with an equals sign (=) to calculate values automatically.

Name your spreadsheet and understand the layout

When you first open a blank spreadsheet, you see a grid of empty cells. The columns run left to right and are labeled with letters: A, B, C, and so on. The rows run top to bottom and are numbered: 1, 2, 3, and so on. Each cell has an address — for example, cell A1 is in the top-left corner, and cell C5 is in column C, row 5.

The name field at the top left shows "Untitled spreadsheet" by default. Click on it and type a new name — something like "Monthly Budget" or "Inventory List" — so you can find it later in your Google Drive. The spreadsheet saves under that name automatically.

Enter data into cells

Click on any cell to select it. The cell will highlight with a blue border, and you will see the cell address appear in the name box on the left. Type your data — text, numbers, or dates — and press Enter. The cursor moves down to the next cell automatically.

You can also click a different cell to move around the spreadsheet instead of pressing Enter. If you make a mistake, click the cell again and type over it, or press Delete to clear it. You can undo recent changes by pressing Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac).

Format cells and organize your data

Once you have entered data, you can change how it looks. Select the cells you want to format by clicking one and dragging to another, or by clicking one cell and then holding Shift while clicking another. The toolbar at the top has buttons for bold, italic, and underline text. You can also change the background color of cells, adjust text alignment, and change font size.

To format numbers as currency, percentages, or dates, select the cells and look for the "Format" menu at the top. Click it, then choose "Number" and pick the format you need. For example, if you have prices in column B, you can select all those cells and format them as currency so they display with a dollar sign and two decimal places.

Use formulas to calculate automatically

Formulas let you perform calculations without doing the math yourself. Click a cell where you want the result to appear and type an equals sign (=) followed by the formula. For example, to add the numbers in cells A1 and A2, type =A1+A2 and press Enter. The cell displays the sum.

Common formulas include =SUM() to add a range of cells, =AVERAGE() to find the average, and =COUNT() to count how many cells contain numbers. To use these, type the formula and put the cell range in parentheses — for example, =SUM(A1:A10) adds all numbers from A1 through A10. If you change any of those numbers later, the formula updates automatically.

Share your spreadsheet with others

Click the blue "Share" button in the top right corner. A dialog box opens where you can enter email addresses of people you want to share with. Type their email and press Enter to add them. Below their name, you will see a dropdown that says "Editor" — click it to change whether they can edit the spreadsheet, comment on it, or only view it.

When you click "Share," Google sends them an email with a link to the spreadsheet. They can open it in their browser and work on it at the same time you do. You will see a small circle with their initial appear in the top right when they are viewing it, and you can see their cursor moving around the spreadsheet in real time.

Save and access your spreadsheet later

Google Sheets saves your work automatically to your Google Drive, so you do not need to click a save button. You can close the browser tab and come back later — your spreadsheet will be exactly as you left it. To find it again, go to drive.google.com or sheets.google.com and look for it in your recent files, or use the search box to type its name.

You can also read your spreadsheet in other formats if you need to use it in Microsoft Excel or another program. Click the "File" menu at the top left, choose "read," and pick the format you want — such as Excel (.xlsx) or a PDF. The file downloads to your computer, and you can open it in other programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Google account to use Google Sheets?

Yes, you need a free Google account to create and save spreadsheets. If you already use Gmail, YouTube, or Google Drive, you already have an account. If not, you can create one at accounts.google.com at no cost.

Can I use Google Sheets on my phone or tablet?

Yes. read the Google Sheets app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android), sign in with your Google account, and open any spreadsheet you have created. You can edit on your phone the same way you would on a computer, and changes sync across all your devices.

What happens if someone else is editing my spreadsheet at the same time as me?

Google Sheets handles this automatically. You will see their cursor and changes appear in real time as they type. If you both edit the same cell at the same time, Google keeps both versions and shows you a notification so you can decide which one to keep.

Can I undo changes after I close the spreadsheet?

Google Sheets keeps a version history of your spreadsheet. Click "File" at the top, then "Version history," and you can see all the changes made and who made them. You can click any earlier version to restore it, though this is usually only practical if you closed the spreadsheet a while ago.

How do I delete a spreadsheet I no longer need?

Go to sheets.google.com or drive.google.com, find the spreadsheet in your list, right-click it, and select "Delete." It moves to your trash folder and stays there for 30 days before Google permanently removes it. If you change your mind, you can restore it from trash during that time.