Welcome to the world of Google Sheets! Adding a large amount of content to a spreadsheet can sometimes make it difficult to visualize and read all the information easily. Luckily, with formatting, you can customize the appearance of your spreadsheet, making it easier to view and understand.
Modify the Size, Style, and Color of Text
Every cell in a new spreadsheet uses the same default formatting. As you build your spreadsheet, you can customize the formatting to make your information easier to view and understand. For example, if you’re using your spreadsheet to plan and organize a garden, you can change the size, style, and color of the text to differentiate different parts of your spreadsheet.
To change the font size:
- Select the cell or cells you want to modify.
- Locate and select the “Font Size” button in the toolbar.
- Choose the desired font size from the dropdown menu. For example, let’s choose size 14 to make the text larger.
- The text in the cell will change to reflect the new font size.
You can also change the font, text color, bold, italicize, or underline the text to further customize your spreadsheet.
Text Alignment
By default, all text entered into your spreadsheet is aligned at the bottom left of the cell. Numbers, on the other hand, are aligned at the bottom right of the cell. By changing the alignment of your cell contents, you can choose where the content will appear.
To modify the horizontal alignment of text:
- Select the text you want to modify.
- Click the “Horizontal Alignment” button in the toolbar.
- Choose the desired alignment from the dropdown menu.
- The text will realign according to your choice.
You can also modify the vertical alignment of text in the same way, using the “Vertical Alignment” button in the toolbar. You can apply both vertical and horizontal alignment settings to any cell.
Cell Borders and Background Colors
Borders and cell background colors allow you to create clear and defined boundaries for different sections of your spreadsheet. This makes it easier to read and understand your data.
To add borders to cells:
- Select the cell or cells you want to modify.
- Click the “Borders” button in the toolbar.
- Choose the desired border option from the dropdown menu. For example, let’s choose to display all cell borders.
- The new cell borders will appear immediately.
To change the background color of a cell:
- Select the cell or cells you want to modify.
- Click the “Fill Color” button in the toolbar.
- Choose a color from the dropdown menu. For example, let’s choose the color blue.
- The new background color will appear immediately.
Formatting Text and Numbers
The ability to apply specific formatting to text and numbers is one of the most powerful tools in Google Sheets. Instead of displaying all cell contents exactly the same way, you can use formatting to change the appearance of dates, times, decimals, percentages (%), currency ($), and much more.
Learn more about formatting numbers in our lesson “Understanding Number Formats.”
Challenge!
Open our example spreadsheet. Make sure you’re logged into your Google account, then click “File” > “Make a copy.” Then, follow these steps:
- Select cells A1:E6.
- Modify the horizontal alignment to center and the vertical alignment to center as well.
- Select cells B3:E3. Make the text bold and add an outer border.
- Select the combined cell in row 1 and change its font to a font other than Arial.
- While still with the selected cell, change the font size to 18 pt and make the text bold.
- For the same cell, change the background color to purple and the text color to white.
- Once done, your spreadsheet should look like this:
Feel free to explore all the customization features available in Google Sheets to make your spreadsheet unique and attractive!
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