IMPORTDATA syntax<\/h2>\n
IMPORTDATA(url, [delimiter], [locale])<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n IMPORTDATA returns the file as a table that starts in the formula cell and fills the cells to the right and below, one row per line of the file.<\/p>\n It might be useful to note that Google Sheets accommodates up to 50 IMPORTDATA formulas on a single spreadsheet.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n In the\u00a0snapshot below, we are trying to import the data into the cell B3, which therefore becomes the\u00a0destination to key\u00a0in the IMPORTDATA formula.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Google-Sheets-importdata-1.png” alt=”Google Sheets importdata 1″ title_text=”Google Sheets importdata 1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n We ensure the\u00a0url<\/strong>\u00a0is valid, and then enter the formula properly (i.e. enclose\u00a0urlwithin double quotes) and\u00a0hit the Enter key. Below\u00a0is what we see as Google Sheets tries to fetch the data. Bigger the file, the longer it takes to finish the data import.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata2.png” alt=”Google Sheets Importdata: Google Sheets Fetching Data” title_text=”fetch-data-importdata” align=”center” module_class=”sheetgo-post-no-shadow-img” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n While the data import is in progress, the cell in which we keyed in the formula, looks like it\u00a0returned as an error (as indicated by a little red speck on the top right corner of the cell). But, it isn\u2019t an error, just a transient state. Hover the mouse on the cell, to see the following description.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata3.png” alt=”Google Sheets Importdata: Loading Data” title_text=”loading-data-error” align=”center” module_class=”sheetgo-post-no-shadow-img” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n As soon as Google Sheets loads the data, the red speck disappears. You\u2019ll notice the data extends from the formula cell (B3) to right and also further down.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Google-Sheets-importdata-4.png” alt=”Google Sheets importdata 4″ title_text=”Google Sheets importdata 4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n So, it is of utmost importance that we keep the expected real estate of the result clear of any preoccupied values. Otherwise, IMPORTDATA formula might cough up a #REF! error. For example, following image explains what could happen, if we had any values, for instance, in cell\u00a0C9.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Google-Sheets-importdata-5.png” alt=”Google Sheets importdata 5″ title_text=”Google Sheets importdata 5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n Here, we have already\u00a0stored the\u00a0url<\/strong>\u00a0to the .csv in the cell B1. So, we\u2019ll use that cell to refer in the IMPORTDATA formula, and the result is same as that of\u00a0the first case.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Google-Sheets-importdata-6.png” alt=”Google Sheets importdata 6″ title_text=”Google Sheets importdata 6″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n To test IMPORTDATA on a file that works, type this address into cell A2 of a blank sheet: https:\/\/raw.githubusercontent.com\/datasets\/country-list\/main\/data.csv. Then type =IMPORTDATA(A2) in cell D2. Sheets returns two columns, Name and Code, with one row per country. The screenshot uses an older address for the same list.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/importdata-google-sheets-country-list-imported.webp” alt=”IMPORTDATA Google Sheets \u2014 country names and codes imported from a CSV URL into columns D and E” title_text=”Country names and codes imported from a CSV URL into columns D and E” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n Learn in\u00a0this blog post<\/a>\u00a0how to easily\u00a0import RSS feed to Google Sheets.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_id=”google-sheets-importdata-not-working” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n As you have seen, it is very easy to use the IMPORTDATA function. However, there are some known errors and limitations.<\/p>\n While you can always force a refresh by deleting and retyping the formula, there is no native functionality to customize the frequency of automatic updates. Functions that import external data – IMPORTDATA, IMPORTHTML<\/a>, IMPORTFEED, and IMPORTXML<\/a> – automatically update every hour. There is simply no way to change this without using a script.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, it is not possible to import from multiple URLs at the same time, so you\u2019ll need a separate instance of the formula for each URL. While it is technically possible to use this function up to 50 times per spreadsheet, in practice the spreadsheet can become slow and unresponsive.<\/p>\n As you can see in the screenshot below, there is a limitation regarding the size of the file that can be imported. You will see an error message saying the \u201cresource at URL contents exceeded maximum size.\u201d The exact limit is unclear, but it\u2019s lower than if you were importing the CSV file directly.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/importdata-google-sheets-na-error-maximum-size.webp” alt=”IMPORTDATA Google Sheets \u2014 #N\/A error saying the resource at the URL exceeded maximum size” title_text=”#N\/A error saying the resource at the URL exceeded maximum size” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n If you come across this issue, try downloading the file from the URL and importing it directly to Sheets.<\/p>\n The function will not automatically increase the number of columns if necessary. You will see an error message saying the \u201cresult was not automatically expanded. Please insert more columns.” This means you need to check the number of columns in the source file to ensure that you have enough in your spreadsheet.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/importdata-google-sheets-ref-error-insert-columns.webp” alt=”IMPORTDATA Google Sheets \u2014 #REF! error asking to insert more columns for a GitHub page URL” title_text=”#REF! error asking to insert more columns for a GitHub page URL” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n In the screenshot above, the URL points to GitHub’s web page for the file, not to the file itself, so Sheets tries to split a whole web page into cells. On GitHub, open the file, click Raw, and use that address instead. You also get #REF! when cells inside the result range already hold values. Clear them, as shown in Case 1.<\/p>\n Google’s servers fetch the file, not your browser. If the file sits behind a login, on a company network, or in a private Dropbox or Google Drive folder, the fetch fails. It also fails when the address opens a web page that loads the data with JavaScript. To check, open the URL in a private browser window. If you have to sign in, or you see a page instead of the file, IMPORTDATA can’t read it either.<\/p>\n IMPORTDATA splits each line by the delimiter it expects: a comma for .csv files and a tab for .tsv files. A file that uses semicolons or pipes needs the delimiter set by hand, as in =IMPORTDATA(A2, ";"). If dates or decimals come in wrong, add the file’s locale too, as in =IMPORTDATA(A2, ";", "de_DE") for a German file that uses commas for decimals.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n IMPORTDATA only reads CSV and TSV files at a public URL. For other sources, Google Sheets has more import functions:<\/p>\n For CSV files in Google Drive or OneDrive, Excel files, or data you need to refresh on a schedule, Sheetgo<\/a>, an AI-powered data automation platform, connects them to your spreadsheet and updates the data automatically. See how to import CSV to Google Sheets automatically<\/a>, or how to import CSV data into Excel<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The\u00a0IMPORTDATA\u00a0formula in Google Sheets is quite a handy tool. It helps us fetch data, that is stored\u00a0in\u00a0.csv (comma separated values)\u00a0or\u00a0.tsv (tab separated values)\u00a0files, from a location on the web. IMPORTDATA syntax IMPORTDATA(url, [delimiter], [locale]) url \u2013 required. This is the address (uniform resource locator) on the web, where the .csv file or .tsv file is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":4070,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"The IMPORTDATA<\/a>\u00a0formula in Google Sheets is quite a handy tool. It helps us fetch data, that is stored\u00a0in .csv (comma separated values) or .tsv (tab separated values) files, from a location on the web.\n\n
\n
How to use IMPORTDATA in Google Sheets<\/h2>\n
Case 1: type the URL into the formula<\/h3>\n
Case 2: refer to a cell that holds the URL<\/h3>\n
Try it with a public CSV file<\/h3>\n
Google Sheets IMPORTDATA not working<\/h2>\n
The data doesn’t update<\/h3>\n
One URL per formula<\/h3>\n
#N\/A error: the file is too large<\/h3>\n
#REF! error: not enough columns<\/h3>\n
#N\/A error: could not fetch the URL<\/h3>\n
All the data lands in one column<\/h3>\n
Other ways to import data into Google Sheets<\/h2>\n
\n
Syntax<\/h3>\nIMPORTDATA(url)<\/span><\/strong>\n
\n \t
\n \t
Usage: IMPORTDATA Formula<\/h3>\n
Case # 1: IMPORTDATA(\"location of the csv or tsv file located on the web\")<\/h5>\nIn the\u00a0snapshot below, we are trying to import the data into the cell B3, which therefore becomes the destination to key in the IMPORTDATA formula.\n\n
![\"IMPORTDATA](\"https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata1.png\")
\n\nWe ensure the url<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0is valid, and then enter the formula properly (i.e. enclose url<\/span> within double quotes) and\u00a0hit the Enter key. Below\u00a0is what we see as Google Sheets tries to fetch the data. Bigger the file, the longer it takes to finish the data import.\n\n![\"IMPORTDATA](\"https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata2.png\")
\n\nWhile the data import is in progress, the cell in which we keyed in the formula, looks like it\u00a0returned an error (as indicated by a little red speck on the top right corner of the cell). But, it isn't an error, just a transient state. Hover the mouse on the cell, to see the following description.\n\n![\"IMPORTDATA](\"https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata3.png\")
\n\nAs soon as Google Sheets loads the data, the red speck disappears. You'll notice the data extends from the formula cell (B3) to right and also further down.\n\n![\"IMPORTDATA](\"https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata4.png\")
\n\nSo, it is of utmost importance that we keep the expected real estate of the result,\u00a0clear of any preoccupied values. Otherwise, IMPORTDATA formula might cough up a #REF! error. For example, following image explains what could happen, if we had any values, for instance, in cell\u00a0C9.\n\n![\"IMPORTDATA](\"https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata5.png\")
\n\n\u00a0\nCase # 2: IMPORTDATA(reference to a cell where url is stored)<\/h5>\nHere, we have already\u00a0stored the url<\/strong> <\/span>to the .csv in the cell B1. So, we'll use that cell to refer in the IMPORTDATA formula, and the result is same as that of\u00a0the first case.\n\n
![\"IMPORTDATA](\"https:\/\/static.sheetgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/importdata6.png\")
\n\n\u00a0","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[39,28],"class_list":["post-2534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google-sheets-formulas","tag-connections-t","tag-spreadsheets"],"acf":[],"permalink_manager":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheetgo.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}