Import CSV Files into Google Sheets with Ease!

Importing CSV Files via Google Drive

If your CSV file contains all the data you need, this is the simplest method to use. Here’s how you can do it:

Drag and Drop: Open Google Drive and simply drag the CSV file onto the screen. A small box will appear, indicating that you can drop the file to upload it to Google Drive.

Double-click or Preview: Once the file is uploaded, it will be listed with your other files in Google Drive. Double-click on the CSV file, and it will start loading in Google Sheets. Alternatively, you can right-click on the file, select “Preview,” and choose “Open with Google Sheets” at the top of the preview. A new tab will load, opening the file in Google Sheets.

Save as Google Sheets: Now that the file is open in Google Sheets, you can enjoy all its features. However, to fully utilize Google Sheets’ functionality, you need to convert the file to the Google Sheets format. Click on “File” and select “Save as Google Sheets.” A new tab will load, showing the CSV file converted to Google Sheets format.

Importing CSV Files via Google Sheets

If you have existing Google Sheets and you want to import data from a CSV file into these sheets, follow these steps:

Click on “File” and select “Import”: You will find the “File” option in the top-left menu of Google Sheets.

Click on “Upload” and Drag the CSV File: An “Import File” box will appear, offering you the following options:

Select a file from your Google Drive.
Choose from files shared with you.
Upload a file from your computer.

For our example, we want to upload a CSV file from our computer to Google Sheets. Click on “Upload.”

Set the Import Location and Separator: Once the file is read by Google Sheets, you will have the option to define where to insert the CSV data and the separator used in the file.

For the import location, you can do the following:
- “Create a new spreadsheet”: This will create a new spreadsheet containing the CSV file data. After clicking “Import Data,” a message will appear in the box saying “File imported successfully. Open now.” You can click on the link to access the spreadsheet.
- “Insert new sheets”: This will insert a new sheet into the current spreadsheet, containing the CSV file data. The new sheet will have the same name as the CSV file.
- “Replace spreadsheet”: This will replace the current spreadsheet with the imported CSV file data. The data stored in the current spreadsheet will be destroyed in the process.
- “Replace current sheet”: This will replace the active sheet with a new sheet containing the CSV file data. The data from the current sheet will be destroyed in the process.
- “Add to current sheet”: This will insert the CSV file data at the end of the active sheet.
- “Replace selected cell data”: This will insert the CSV file data into the active sheet starting from the selected cell. It will replace all data within the range covered by the CSV file data.
For our example, we will select “Replace selected cell data.”
As for the separator type, you can choose from the following options:
- “Automatic detection”: Google Sheets will analyze the file and determine the separator (usually the easiest option).
- “Tab”: Ideal for files that use tabs to separate columns (TSV files).
- “Comma”: Ideal for CSV files.
- “Custom”: If you are using an uncommon character as a separator, you need to specify it by selecting this option. A text box will appear where you can define the specific separator.
For our example, we will select “Automatic detection.”

Click on “Import Data” Congratulations! You have successfully imported a CSV file into Google Sheets.

Now that you know how to import CSV files into Google Sheets, you can easily organize and utilize your data in your spreadsheets. For more tips and features of Google Sheets, head over to Crawlan.com. Happy importing!