Google Sheets Conditional Formatting Guide
Conditional formatting automatically applies formatting to cells that meet specific conditions. It makes patterns and outliers visible at a glance.
Select Your Data Range
Highlight the cells you want to apply conditional formatting to.
Open the Conditional Formatting Panel
Go to Format > Conditional formatting. The panel opens on the right side of the screen.
Choose a Condition Type
Select from "Greater than", "Less than", "Text contains", "Date is", "Custom formula is", and more.
Set the Formatting Style
Choose a fill color, text color, or bold/italic style that will be applied when the condition is true.
💡 Use red for negative values and green for positive values for instant visual recognition.
Add Multiple Rules
Click "Add another rule" to layer multiple conditions. Rules are evaluated in order.
Try These Templates
Frequently Asked Questions
How many conditional formatting rules can I add?
There is no hard limit, but performance may slow with very large numbers of rules.
Does conditional formatting work on mobile?
Yes. Conditional formatting is applied in the Google Sheets mobile app as well.