Key Takeaways:You can convert Excel to Google Sheets by uploading to Drive, importing, or using "Open with" — each method takes under 2 minutesVBA macros, Power Query connections, and some conditional formatting rules won't survive the conversionFiles over 100MB or 10 million cells hit Google Sheets limits — split them first or use SmoothSheetAlways test with a small sample before converting business-critical workbooks

Need to convert Excel to Google Sheets without losing your carefully built formatting and formulas? You're not alone. Millions of teams switch between Excel and Sheets every day, and the conversion process isn't always seamless. Columns shift, formulas break, and conditional formatting rules disappear — unless you know what to watch for.

In this guide, I'll walk you through four proven methods to convert .xlsx and .xls files to Google Sheets, explain exactly what gets lost in translation, and show you how to preserve as much formatting as possible. Whether you're migrating a single report or moving an entire department to Google Workspace, you'll find the right approach here.

4 Ways to Convert Excel to Google Sheets

Google gives you several paths to open Excel files in Sheets. Each method works slightly differently, so pick the one that fits your workflow.

Method 1 — Upload to Google Drive (Auto-Convert)

This is the fastest method if you want a permanent Google Sheets copy of your Excel file.

  1. Open Google Drive in your browser.
  2. Click New > File upload (or drag and drop the .xlsx file directly into Drive).
  3. Once uploaded, double-click the file. It opens in a compatibility mode with a green ".xlsx" badge next to the filename.
  4. To fully convert it, go to File > Save as Google Sheets.

The auto-convert setting can also handle this for you automatically. In Google Drive, go to Settings (gear icon) > check "Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format." With this enabled, every Excel file you upload becomes a native Google Sheets file right away.

Best for: Quick, one-off conversions when you don't need to keep the original .xlsx format in Drive.

Method 2 — File > Import in Google Sheets

This method gives you the most control over how the data lands in your spreadsheet.

  1. Open a new or existing Google Sheets file.
  2. Go to File > Import.
  3. Click Upload and select your Excel file, or choose a file already in your Drive.
  4. Choose an import option:
    • Create new spreadsheet — opens the data in a brand-new file
    • Insert new sheet(s) — adds the Excel data as new tabs in the current file
    • Replace spreadsheet — overwrites the current file entirely
    • Replace current sheet — overwrites only the active tab
  5. Click Import data.

The Import option is particularly useful when you're importing Excel data into an existing Google Sheets workbook and want to control exactly where the data goes.

Best for: Adding Excel data into an existing spreadsheet or when you need to choose specific import settings.

Method 3 — Google Drive "Open With Google Sheets"

If the Excel file is already sitting in your Google Drive, this method skips the upload step entirely.

  1. Navigate to the .xlsx or .xls file in Google Drive.
  2. Right-click the file and select Open with > Google Sheets.
  3. The file opens in compatibility mode. Go to File > Save as Google Sheets to create a native copy.

This approach is handy when colleagues share Excel files via Drive and you want to work on them in Sheets without downloading anything.

Best for: Files already stored in Google Drive or shared by teammates.

Method 4 — SmoothSheet for Large Excel Files (Server-Side)

Standard methods work great for small to medium files, but they choke on large Excel workbooks. If your file has hundreds of thousands of rows or exceeds 100MB, your browser will likely freeze or crash during conversion.

SmoothSheet handles the heavy lifting server-side. Instead of forcing your browser to process a massive file, SmoothSheet uploads and converts the data on its servers, then streams the result directly into your Google Sheet.

  1. Install SmoothSheet from the Google Workspace Marketplace.
  2. Open a Google Sheet and launch SmoothSheet from the Extensions menu.
  3. Upload your large Excel file (CSV or .xlsx).
  4. SmoothSheet processes it server-side and imports the data without browser crashes.

Best for: Excel files over 50MB, workbooks with 100K+ rows, or situations where browser-based methods keep crashing. At $9/month flat, it's a reliable workaround for the file too large error that plagues standard uploads.

What Gets Lost in Conversion?

Let's be honest — converting Excel to Google Sheets isn't lossless. Understanding what breaks helps you prepare and fix issues before they become problems.

Formulas That Don't Translate

Most standard formulas (SUM, VLOOKUP, IF, COUNTIF) convert perfectly. The problems start with Excel-specific features:

  • VBA macros: Google Sheets doesn't support VBA at all. If your workbook relies on macros, you'll need to rewrite them in Google Apps Script — a JavaScript-based alternative.
  • Power Query connections: These are completely lost. Any data pulled via Power Query will need to be reimported manually or replaced with Sheets' built-in IMPORTDATA or IMPORTRANGE functions.
  • XLOOKUP: Good news — Google Sheets now supports XLOOKUP natively, so these formulas convert cleanly.
  • Dynamic arrays (UNIQUE, SORT, FILTER): These work in Sheets, but the behavior differs slightly. Excel's spill range syntax (#) doesn't exist in Sheets.
  • CUBE functions, GETPIVOTDATA: Not supported in Sheets. You'll need to restructure these calculations.

Formatting Differences

Visual formatting takes the biggest hit during conversion:

  • Conditional formatting: Basic rules (greater than, less than, text contains) usually survive. However, complex rules using custom formulas sometimes break or produce unexpected results.
  • Charts: Most chart types convert, but advanced formatting — custom data labels, secondary axes, trendline equations — may reset to defaults.
  • Cell styles and themes: Excel's built-in themes don't exist in Sheets. Colors and fonts carry over, but theme-linked styling is lost.
  • Page layout: Print areas, page breaks, headers, and footers don't transfer. You'll need to set these up again in Sheets.

Data Validation and Dropdown Lists

Simple dropdown lists (based on a list of items or a cell range) typically convert fine. But watch out for:

  • Input messages and error alerts: The custom messages you set in Excel's data validation dialog don't carry over.
  • Complex validation rules: Formulas-based validation with cross-sheet references may break if sheet names or cell references change during conversion.

Excel Features Without Sheets Equivalents

Some Excel features simply don't have a counterpart in Google Sheets:

  • Power Pivot and Data Model: Not supported. You'd need to flatten the data or use BigQuery for complex data modeling.
  • Linked data types (stocks, geography): These become static text after conversion.
  • Custom ribbon tabs and add-ins: Excel-specific add-ins won't work. Look for Google Workspace Marketplace alternatives.
  • Embedded OLE objects: Word documents, PDFs, or other objects embedded in Excel cells are lost.

For a more detailed comparison of what each platform handles best, check out our Google Sheets vs Excel breakdown.

How to Keep Your Formatting Intact

You can't prevent every formatting change, but these steps will minimize the damage and save you hours of cleanup.

Clean Up the Excel File Before Converting

A little prep work goes a long way:

  • Remove VBA macros: Save a copy as .xlsx (not .xlsm) to strip out macros cleanly before uploading.
  • Break external links: Go to Data > Edit Links in Excel and break any connections to other workbooks. Broken links cause #REF! errors in Sheets.
  • Simplify conditional formatting: If you have dozens of overlapping rules, consolidate them. Simpler rules convert more reliably.
  • Check named ranges: Named ranges do transfer, but names with special characters or spaces may cause issues. Rename them to simple alphanumeric names.
  • Fix character encoding: If your file contains international characters (accented letters, CJK characters), ensure it's saved as UTF-8. SmoothSheet's free CSV Encoding Fixer can help if you're working with CSV exports of your Excel data.

Replace Unsupported Formulas with Sheets Equivalents

Before converting, audit your formulas and replace Excel-only functions:

  • IFERROR: Works in both platforms — no changes needed.
  • INDEX/MATCH: Also works in both. In fact, INDEX MATCH in Google Sheets behaves almost identically to Excel.
  • TEXTJOIN: Supported in Sheets. No action required.
  • CONCAT vs CONCATENATE: Both work in Sheets, though CONCATENATE is being phased out in favor of CONCAT and the ampersand (&) operator.
  • SUMPRODUCT: Works in Sheets, but complex array formulas may need syntax adjustments.

If you're unsure whether a specific formula will work, Google's function list is the definitive reference.

Check Conditional Formatting Rules After Import

After converting, immediately review your conditional formatting:

  1. Go to Format > Conditional formatting in Google Sheets.
  2. Check each rule — look for rules that reference incorrect ranges or show formula errors.
  3. Fix any broken rules by re-entering the formula using Sheets syntax.
  4. Test with sample data to verify the formatting triggers correctly.

Pay special attention to rules that use relative references. The row/column anchoring ($) sometimes shifts during conversion.

Test with a Small Sample First

If you're converting a critical workbook with complex formulas and formatting:

  1. Create a copy of the Excel file with just 50-100 rows of representative data.
  2. Convert the sample using your chosen method.
  3. Compare the original Excel output to the Sheets version — check formulas, formatting, charts, and pivot tables.
  4. Note what broke and fix those issues in the full file before converting it.

This 10-minute test can save you hours of troubleshooting on a 500,000-row workbook.

Converting Large Excel Files

Large files are where the conversion process gets painful. Here's what you need to know about limits and workarounds.

Google Sheets hard limits:

  • Upload size: 100MB maximum for Excel files uploaded to Drive
  • Cell limit: 10 million cells per spreadsheet (rows x columns)
  • Performance threshold: Sheets starts slowing noticeably above 100,000 rows, especially with formulas

Use the free Google Sheets Limits Calculator to check whether your file will fit before uploading. It's better to know upfront than to wait 5 minutes for an upload that fails.

If your Excel file exceeds these limits, you have a few options:

  • Split the file: Break it into smaller chunks. If you export to CSV first using the Excel to CSV Converter, you can then use SmoothSheet's CSV Splitter to divide it into manageable pieces.
  • Use SmoothSheet: For files that are large but still within Google Sheets' size limits, SmoothSheet's server-side processing handles the import without crashing your browser. It processes the data on remote servers and streams it into your sheet efficiently.
  • Move to BigQuery: If your dataset truly exceeds 10 million cells, Google Sheets isn't the right tool. Consider importing into BigQuery and using Connected Sheets to query the data from within a Sheets interface.

For teams that regularly merge multiple Excel files before importing to Sheets, SmoothSheet eliminates the intermediate step of combining files manually. Upload them directly and let the server handle the heavy processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert Excel to Google Sheets without losing data?

Upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive, then open it and choose File > Save as Google Sheets. Standard data (text, numbers, basic formulas) converts cleanly. To minimize formatting loss, clean up VBA macros and complex conditional formatting before converting, and always test with a small sample first.

Can I convert Excel to Google Sheets on mobile?

Yes. Open the Google Drive app on iOS or Android, tap the + button, and upload your Excel file. Then tap the file to open it — Drive will let you view and edit it in the Google Sheets mobile app. However, the mobile conversion has more formatting limitations than desktop, so use a computer for complex workbooks.

Does Google Sheets support .xls files?

Yes, Google Sheets can open and convert both .xls (legacy Excel 97-2003 format) and .xlsx (modern Excel format). However, .xls files are more likely to lose formatting during conversion because the format is older and less compatible. If possible, open the .xls file in Excel first and re-save it as .xlsx before uploading to Sheets.

How do I convert multiple Excel files to Google Sheets?

You can upload multiple .xlsx files to Google Drive at once (drag and drop a batch), and if you've enabled the auto-convert setting, they'll all become Google Sheets files automatically. For bulk operations with very large files, SmoothSheet can handle the imports server-side without browser crashes.

Will my Excel macros work in Google Sheets?

No. Google Sheets doesn't support VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), which is the macro language in Excel. You'll need to rewrite any macro functionality using Google Apps Script, which is JavaScript-based. Simple macros (like formatting or sorting) are straightforward to recreate. Complex macros that interact with external databases or Windows APIs will require significant rework.

Conclusion

Converting Excel to Google Sheets is straightforward for most files — upload to Drive, click "Save as Google Sheets," and you're done. The complications start with VBA macros, complex conditional formatting, and large datasets, but now you know exactly what to watch for and how to handle each scenario.

For everyday files under 50MB, the built-in Google Drive upload works perfectly. For anything larger or more complex, SmoothSheet takes the pain out of the process with server-side handling that won't freeze your browser. At $9/month, it's a small price for never seeing the "file too large" error again.

Whatever method you choose, remember: test with a small sample, clean up your Excel file beforehand, and double-check your formulas after conversion. A few minutes of preparation beats hours of fixing broken spreadsheets.