Fix 1: Modify Spreadsheet Calculation Settings
Incorrect calculation settings are another reason Google Sheets formulas may not work or update. Here’s how to fix them.
Step 1: Open your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Click the File menu at the top and select Settings from the list.
Step 2: Switch to the Calculation tab and use the drop-down menu under Recalculation to select On change.
Step 3: Use the drop-down menu under the Iterative calculation and select Off. Then, click the Save settings button.
Refresh your spreadsheet after updating the calculation settings and check if the issue remains.
Fix 2: Check the Cells That the Formula Is Referencing
Your Google Sheets formulas may stop working if there are issues with the cell references in your formula. This can happen if the cells your formula is referencing are invalid, moved, or deleted.
Open your Google Sheets spreadsheet and select the cell formula that is not working or updating. Google Sheets will highlight all the precedents for the formula. Examine those cells and correct them if necessary. Repeat this for all the formulas that are not working.
Fix 3: Disable Show Formulas
Are your Google Sheets formulas appearing as text? If so, you may have accidentally enabled the show formulas option in Google Sheets through the view menu or a keyboard shortcut.
Open your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Click the View menu at the top, go to Show, and select Formulae from the sub-menu. Alternatively, press the Ctrl + ` keyboard shortcut to show or hide formulas quickly.
Fix 4: Restore an Earlier Version or Copy Spreadsheet Data to a New File
If your Google Sheets formulas are still not working or updating, the spreadsheet may be corrupted. In that case, your best option is to restore an earlier spreadsheet version.
Step 1: Open your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Click the File menu at the top, go to Version history > See version history.
Step 2: In the Version history panel on your right, hover your mouse over the version you want to restore. Click the three-dot menu icon and select Restore this version.
If there are no older spreadsheet versions available, try copying your spreadsheet data to a new file to see if that fixes the problem.
Step 1: Open your spreadsheet. Press Ctrl + A, followed by Ctrl + C, to copy everything.
Step 2: Click the File menu at the top, go to New, and select Spreadsheet.
Step 3: In your new spreadsheet, click the Edit menu and select Paste.
After transferring your data to a new spreadsheet, your formulas should work as expected.
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Last updated on 08 April, 2024
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