How to Import CSV and Excel Files into Google Sheets

Importing CSV and Excel files into Google Sheets lets you work with data from any source — exported reports, downloaded databases, or files from colleagues who use Excel. Sheets handles .csv, .xlsx, .xls, .tsv, and .ods formats.

This guide covers the File menu upload method, the IMPORTDATA function for pulling CSVs from URLs, and how to fix the delimiter and encoding issues that come up most often.

In This Guide

• How to Import a File: Step-by-Step
• Import Options Explained
• Import CSV from a URL with IMPORTDATA
• Opening Excel Files Directly
• Common Issues and How to Fix Them
• Tips and Best Practices
• Related Google Sheets Tutorials
• FAQ

How to Import a File: Step-by-Step

Go to File > Import. The import dialog opens with tabs for My Drive, Shared with me, Recent, and Upload.

Click the Upload tab.

Drag your CSV or Excel file into the upload area, or click Select a file from your device. Google Sheets accepts these formats:

Select where to place the data:

• Create new spreadsheet — opens the file as a brand new Google Sheets file
• Insert new sheet(s) — adds the data as a new tab in the current spreadsheet
• Replace spreadsheet — replaces all sheets in the current file
• Replace current sheet — overwrites the active sheet only
• Append to current sheet — adds rows below existing data

For CSV files, the Separator type defaults to “Detect automatically.” This works for most files. Click Import data to finish.

Import Options Explained

Separator Type (CSV only)

Convert Text to Numbers and Dates

When enabled (the default), Sheets tries to interpret values like “2026-01-15” as dates and “1,234” as numbers. Turn this off if Sheets is converting values you want to keep as text — such as product codes like “001234” that lose leading zeros.

Import CSV from a URL with IMPORTDATA

If your CSV is hosted online, pull it directly into Sheets without downloading:

=IMPORTDATA("https://example.com/data.csv")

IMPORTDATA fetches the file and populates cells starting from the formula cell. The data refreshes automatically (roughly every hour).

The URL must point to a publicly accessible file. Private URLs or files behind authentication won’t work with IMPORTDATA.

Opening Excel Files Directly

You don’t have to import Excel files through the dialog. You can also:

• Open from Google Drive: Upload the .xlsx file to Drive, then double-click it. Sheets opens it in compatibility mode. Click File > Save as Google Sheets to convert it.
• Drag into the browser: Drag the .xlsx file directly into the Google Sheets tab. Sheets converts it automatically.

Google Sheets preserves most Excel features during conversion:

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

All Data in One Column

The separator doesn’t match what Sheets expects. Re-import the file and manually select the correct separator (semicolon, tab, or custom). If you already imported it, select the column, go to Data > Split text to columns, and choose the correct delimiter.

Garbled Special Characters

The file isn’t UTF-8 encoded. Open it in a text editor (VS Code, Notepad++), save it with UTF-8 encoding, and re-import.

Leading Zeros Stripped

Sheets converts “00123” to 123. Re-import with “Convert text to numbers, dates, and formulas” turned off. To fix already-imported data, format the column as plain text and re-enter the values.

Dates in Wrong Format

Sheets interprets dates based on your spreadsheet locale. If 01/02/2026 shows as February 1 instead of January 2, check File > Settings > Locale and set it to match the date format in your source data.

Tips and Best Practices

1. Use “Insert new sheet” for safety. This adds the imported data as a new tab without touching your existing data. You can review it before copying it over.

2. Clean data after import. Imported files often have trailing spaces, inconsistent capitalization, or empty rows. Use TRIM and FIND AND REPLACE to clean up.

3. For recurring imports, use IMPORTDATA. If you pull the same report weekly from a URL, IMPORTDATA refreshes automatically. No manual upload needed.

4. Back up before replacing a sheet. If you choose “Replace current sheet,” the existing data is gone. Make a copy first or use “Insert new sheet” instead.

5. Check formulas after Excel conversion. Most formulas convert, but Excel-specific functions like XLOOKUP (in older Sheets versions), GETPIVOTDATA, or array formulas using Ctrl+Shift+Enter may need adjustments.

Related Google Sheets Tutorials

• Split Text to Columns in Google Sheets - Fix delimiter issues by splitting imported data into columns
• Find and Replace in Google Sheets - Clean up imported data with search and replace
• Remove Duplicates in Google Sheets - Deduplicate imported records
• FILTER Function in Google Sheets - Filter imported data to work with specific subsets

FAQ

How do I import a CSV file into Google Sheets?

Go to File > Import, click the Upload tab, and select your CSV file. Choose where to place the data — new spreadsheet, new sheet, or replace current sheet. Click Import data. Sheets auto-detects the delimiter in most cases.

How do I open an Excel file in Google Sheets?

Go to File > Import and upload the .xlsx or .xls file. Google Sheets converts it automatically, preserving most formulas, formatting, and charts. Some Excel-specific features like macros and ActiveX controls are not supported.

Can I import a CSV from a URL?

Yes. Use the IMPORTDATA function: =IMPORTDATA("https://example.com/data.csv"). This fetches the CSV from the URL and populates the cells. The data refreshes periodically. The file must be publicly accessible.

Why does my CSV import show all data in one column?

The delimiter doesn’t match what Sheets expects. If your file uses semicolons instead of commas, go to File > Import, click the Upload tab, and change the Separator type from “Detect automatically” to “Semicolon.” Re-import the file.

How do I fix encoding issues when importing CSV?

If special characters appear as garbled text, the file is likely not UTF-8 encoded. Open the CSV in a text editor, save it as UTF-8, then re-import. Most modern editors (VS Code, Notepad++) support Save with Encoding > UTF-8.

Can I import multiple sheets from an Excel file?

Yes. When you import an .xlsx file, Google Sheets creates a separate tab for each worksheet in the Excel file. All sheets import automatically — you don’t need to import them one at a time.