How to Save Google Sheets: 3 Simple Ways

If you’re looking to learn how to save Google Sheets, we have great news. There’s nothing to learn at all. Google Sheets actually saves to the cloud automatically while you’re connected to the internet. And, if you have offline mode active, the changes will save to your browser and update on the cloud the next time you connect.

The guide below explains the saving process in more detail as well as an option to save manually in Google Sheets. Read on to learn more.

How to Save a Google Spreadsheet to the Cloud

One great thing about using Google Sheets for work is that the progress is saved to the cloud as soon as you make a change to the page. This also means you can access your sheets anywhere you wish to as long as you have an internet connection and a device with an internet browser. All you need to do is log in to your Google Account.

To check the save status of the spreadsheet, look for the Saving icon towards the top of the screen to the right of the name of your spreadsheet. After a few moments, this will change to a cloud icon with a tick, which signifies that every change made to your spreadsheet has been saved to the cloud.

This is also indicated by the Last edit was seconds ago message beside the main toolbar.

Your document will resume from this point in case of a power outage or internet disconnection. In these situations, you can also enable the Google Sheets offline mode. You can follow our guide on How to Use Google Sheets Offline in a Few Clicks.

Keyboard Shortcuts to Save in Google Sheets

If, for some reason, the automatic save feature in Google Sheets isn’t working, you can always use the keyboard shortcut instead.

• PC save keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + S
• macOS save keyboard shortcut: Command + S

How to Save Google Sheets to Desktop

Saving Google Sheets to the cloud is great if you’re working on multiple devices, so you don’t have to constantly worry about making sure you have the spreadsheet file. However, there are several instances where you may need to download Google Sheets to your desktop, whether to send it to someone or simply create a physical backup. Thankfully, Google Sheets has a feature for downloading a spreadsheet in different formats.

Here is how to save a Google Sheets document to a desktop:

1. Create a new spreadsheet or select an existing one. If you just want to test out this feature, you may want to just use a random Google Sheets template from the template library.

2. When your spreadsheet is open, click on the File option from the menu.
3. You will see a drop-down menu; choose the Download option.
4. Choose a file type from the sub menu for saving your file. Google Sheets supports file download in these formats:
   1. Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
   2. OpenDocument (.ods)
   3. PDF (.pdf)
   4. Web Page (.html)
   5. Comma Separated Values (.csv)
   6. Tab Separated Values (.tsv)

Sheets should download the file instantly. Some browsers will ask you to choose a save location. In this case, select a location for saving the file and click on the Save option.

If you wish to save a chart onto your computer, you don’t need to download the entire spreadsheet. You can simply learn how to save chart as an image in Google Sheets by following our guide.

Related: How to Convert Excel to Google Sheets (Step-by-Step)

How to Download Multiple Google Sheets

Google Sheets spreadsheets can be downloaded individually or multiple spreadsheets simultaneously, meaning you won’t have to go through the annoying process of downloading them one by one. It is also possible to download an unopened spreadsheet.

Google Sheets saves your spreadsheets to Drive. You can easily access your spreadsheets there and download them.

Here are the steps to do this:

1. Go to Google Drive and log into your account.

2. You will be taken to the main home of Google Drive. Here, you will see a list of your most recent files. Press and hold the Ctrl button on the keyboard and click on multiple Google Sheets files you wish to download.
3. Right-click on any of the selected spreadsheet files.
4. Now, select the Download option.

Google Sheets will take a few seconds to zip up all your selected files for an easy download process and start the download.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Edit a Spreadsheet That Has Been Downloaded to My Desktop?

Any downloaded spreadsheet file can be opened in the format it was downloaded in to make edits to it. However, if you open a downloaded .xlsx file in Excel, the changes made will only be saved to that specific file. If you wish to open this file on Google Sheets and enable saving to the cloud, head over to Google Sheets, upload the file, and save it there.

Do You Have to Manually Save On Google Sheets?

The spreadsheet will automatically save whenever a change is made. This is indicated by a cloud icon beside the spreadsheet label. You can also check the last save of the spreadsheet beside the main toolbar. But you can manually save by navigating to File > Download and choosing the file type you wish to save it as.

How Can I Save My Sheets to Drive?

When you create a new spreadsheet on Google Sheets, the spreadsheet is automatically saved to Google Drive. The spreadsheet will still appear when you open Google Sheets, but it will also appear in your Google Drive.

Wrapping Up

So, the gist of learning how to save Google Sheets is to simply let the program save your sheets for you. However, if you’re feeling a little paranoid, you can also download the file to save it on your hard drive.

Related:

• How to Convert Google Sheets to Excel  [Easy Guide]
• How to Add a Google Sheet to a Google Doc
• Google Sheets Notifications: How to Turn On, Edit & Remove
• The Best Google Sheets Add-Ons
• How to Share Only One Sheet in Google Sheets