How to Use Google Sheets: A Beginner Guide (2026)
Google Sheets is a free, web-based spreadsheet that runs in your browser and saves automatically to Google Drive. If you can type into a box, you can use it. Here is everything a first-time user needs: creating a sheet, entering data, writing your first formula, formatting, sharing, and working on mobile.
1. Create a New Spreadsheet
- Go to sheets.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
- Click the Blank spreadsheet tile to start fresh, or scroll the Template gallery for ready-made layouts (budgets, schedules, invoices).
- Click Untitled spreadsheet in the top-left corner and type a name. The file saves to your Google Drive automatically, there is no Save button.
You can also type sheets.new into your browser address bar to jump straight into a new blank sheet.
2. Understand Cells, Rows, and Columns
A spreadsheet is a grid:
- Columns run vertically and are labeled with letters (A, B, C…).
- Rows run horizontally and are numbered (1, 2, 3…).
- A cell is where a column and row meet, so the top-left cell is A1, the one to its right is B1, and the one below it is A2.
Click a cell to select it. Click and drag, or hold Shift and click, to select a range (a block of cells). The selected range is written as A1:C5 (top-left cell, colon, bottom-right cell).
To insert or delete rows and columns, right-click a row number or column letter and choose Insert or Delete. To resize, drag the line between two column letters or row numbers, or double-click it to auto-fit the contents.
3. Enter and Edit Data
- Click a cell and start typing. Sheets accepts text, numbers, dates, and currency.
- Press Enter to confirm and move down, or Tab to move right.
- To edit an existing cell, double-click it, or select it and edit in the formula bar below the toolbar.
A few time-savers:
- Autofill: type a value, select the cell, then drag the small blue square in the bottom-right corner down a column to copy it. Type
1and2in two cells, select both, and drag to continue the sequence (3, 4, 5…). - Undo: press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac).
- Paste from elsewhere: copy data from a website or another sheet and paste with Ctrl+V. Sheets keeps rows and columns intact.
4. Write Your First Formulas
Every formula starts with an equals sign (=). Click an empty cell, type the formula, and press Enter.
Basic math:
=A1+B1 adds two cells
=A1-B1 subtracts
=A1*B1 multiplies
=A1/B1 dividesThe most useful built-in functions for beginners:
=SUM(A1:A10) totals a range
=AVERAGE(A1:A10) finds the average
=MAX(A1:A10) largest value
=MIN(A1:A10) smallest value
=COUNT(A1:A10) counts how many cells contain numbersFor example, if you list expenses in cells A2 through A20, type =SUM(A2:A20) in cell A21 to get the running total. Change any expense and the total updates instantly.
5. Format Your Data
Select the cells you want to style, then use the toolbar:
- Bold, italic, strikethrough: the B, I, and S buttons.
- Number format: click 123 in the toolbar, or go to Format > Number, then choose currency, percent, date, or accounting.
- Fill color and text color: the paint-bucket and A icons.
- Borders: the grid icon adds lines around selected cells.
- Alignment and text wrapping: align left/center/right, and choose Wrap so long text shows on multiple lines instead of spilling over.
To make your top row stand out, select it, bold it, add a fill color, then go to View > Freeze > 1 row so the header stays visible as you scroll.
6. Share and Collaborate
- Click the green Share button in the top-right corner.
- Add people by email, or click Copy link to share a link.
- Set each person’s access: Viewer (read-only), Commenter (can leave comments), or Editor (can change the data).
- Click Send.
Everyone with edit access can work in the same sheet at the same time. You will see their colored cursors move and their changes appear live. Use Insert > Comment to leave a note on a cell, and @mention someone to notify them by email. Every change is tracked in File > Version history, so you can always roll back.
7. Use Google Sheets on Mobile
Install the Google Sheets app for iOS or Android.
- Tap a sheet to open it, then tap a cell and use the on-screen keyboard to enter data.
- Tap the + button to add a new sheet or row.
- Tap the A icon for formatting options.
- Edits sync to the cloud automatically and appear on your other devices.
The mobile app supports most everyday tasks (data entry, basic formulas, formatting), but complex work like building charts or pivot tables is easier on the desktop web version.
Quick Reference
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| New sheet | Type sheets.new or click Blank spreadsheet |
| Total a column | =SUM(A1:A10) |
| Select a range | Click and drag, or Shift-click |
| Edit a cell | Double-click, or use the formula bar |
| Autofill | Drag the blue square at a cell’s corner |
| Freeze header | View > Freeze > 1 row |
| Share | Green Share button, set Viewer/Editor |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z |
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More on Google Sheets: How to use VLOOKUP in Google Sheets · How to use the IF function in Google Sheets · How to freeze rows in Google Sheets · Google Sheets integration
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