How do I open an Excel file in Google Sheets?

Upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive, then double-click it and choose Open with Google Sheets. Or, in a Sheets document, go to File > Import, choose Upload and select the file.

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

Import the file, then check each tab. Most formatting, formulas and number formats carry over. Review charts, conditional formatting and any special features, since some may look different.

Should I choose Replace spreadsheet or Insert new sheet?

Choose Replace spreadsheet to turn the file into its own Google Sheet. Choose Insert new sheet(s) to add the imported tabs to a sheet you already have.

Is it easier to use Google Sheets or Excel?

It depends on how you work. Sheets runs in a browser and is easy to share and open on a phone. Excel is stronger for large files and offline desktop use. For a budget workbook, either works.

How to Open an Excel File in Google Sheets (and Check It Worked)

By Money editorial team · Updated October 26, 2026

To open an Excel file in Google Sheets, upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets, or use File > Import inside a Sheets document. The whole process takes under a minute. What takes longer is checking that your formulas, formatting and charts came through, so this page also includes a short checklist.

Method 1: Upload to Drive and open

Go to Google Drive and sign in.
Click New, then File upload, and choose your .xlsx file.
When the upload finishes, double-click the file. It opens in a preview or in Excel-compatibility mode.
If you see an option such as Open with > Google Sheets, choose it.
In the Sheets view, use File > Save as Google Sheets to create a native copy.

This keeps the original .xlsx in Drive and gives you a separate Google Sheet to work in.

Steps to open an Excel file in Google Sheets: upload to Drive, open with Google Sheets, save as Google Sheets

Method 2: Import inside a Sheets document

Open a new or existing Google Sheet.
Click File > Import.
Choose the Upload tab, then drag the file in or browse to it.
Choose how to import:

Option	What it does	Use when
Create new spreadsheet	Makes a new Sheet from the file	You want a separate copy
Insert new sheet(s)	Adds the file's tabs to your current Sheet	You are combining workbooks
Replace spreadsheet	Replaces the current Sheet with the file	You opened a blank Sheet to receive it
Replace current sheet	Replaces just the active tab	You want to refresh one tab only

Click Import data.

For a workbook with many linked tabs, such as a budget planner, Replace spreadsheet or Create new spreadsheet keeps the tabs together.

Check that everything came across

Open each tab once and look for:

Formulas: click a few calculated cells and confirm the formula is there. Change a test number and see whether totals update.
Dropdowns: category lists should still appear in the cells that use them.
Number and date formats: currency should show as currency and dates as dates.
Charts: most basic charts appear, but check their titles, colors and data ranges.
Conditional formatting: colors that change with values, such as red for negative numbers.
Column widths and frozen rows: these usually come across, but not always.

If something is off, reopen the original .xlsx and compare. Complex features, macros and some chart types may not convert exactly.

Common problems and fixes

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Formulas show #REF! or #NAME?	A function or reference is not supported	Check the formula and replace the unsupported part
Dates look like numbers	The cell format did not convert	Select the cells and apply a date format
A dropdown is missing	Data validation did not carry over	Recreate it with Data > Data validation
Charts look different	Style differences between programs	Edit the chart in Sheets
File will not upload	File is too large or damaged	Re-download the file and try again

Going the other way: Sheets to Excel

If you need to move back, open the Google Sheet and choose File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx). Keep one version as your working copy to avoid editing two files at once.

Working on a phone

The Google Sheets app opens Sheets files and can open .xlsx files saved in Drive. For data entry, a phone works well. For setup, such as changing formulas or categories, a computer is easier.

Keep a clean copy

Before you start changing anything, save a copy of the original, unedited file. If a formula breaks, you can recover it. Name copies by date so you know which is which.

A budget workbook that comes with these steps

Clear Budget Planner is delivered as .xlsx workbooks that open in Excel or import into Google Sheets. The Getting Started guide included with it shows the steps for both, with the clicks for Google Sheets (File > Import > Upload, then Replace spreadsheet) and for Excel. The planner has 21 tabs, and the order includes a blank workbook and a filled-in example, so you can see how it works before entering your own numbers.

Once it is open, browse the Google Sheets budget template guide for setup tips, or read the budget spreadsheet guide to decide how to structure your categories. To see what a filled-in file looks like, visit the sample budget spreadsheet page.