Conditional formatting in Google Sheets - how it works

You can set conditional formatting rules in Google Sheets. These determine the specific conditions under which a cell is evaluated and how it is marked. In this practical tip, we'll show you how.

Conditional formatting in Sheets: How to set the rules

You can set conditional formatting for individual cells, entire rows, or columns.

1. Open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets and select individual cells, rows, or columns for which you want to set specific formatting rules.
2. Navigate in the menu via "Format" to "Conditional Formatting". The window for setting the rule opens on the right side of your screen.
3. You are now in the »Monochrome« tab. Formatting rules that you set here color the selected area in one color. Determine which conditions must be met for the area to be formatted accordingly.
4. In the »Type of formatting« area, you decide whether the content of the selected area should be filled in, for example, bold, italic or in color.
5. Under the "Color scale" tab, you can determine a minimum value, an average value and a maximum value for the content of the area and color-code them.
6. By clicking the "Done" button, the rules for conditional formatting are adopted.