How to Share Excel Files in Google Sheets With Others

To share an Excel workbook in Google Sheets, upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive, open it in Google Sheets, and use the Share button to choose who can access it. If you want a native Google Sheets file, convert it with File > Save as Google Sheets before sharing. You can also keep the workbook in Excel format and share that file from Drive.

What You’ll Need

A Google account with access to Google Drive and Google Sheets in a web browser.
The Excel workbook saved as an .xlsx or .xls file on your computer, or already stored in Google Drive.
The email addresses of the people you want to invite, if you plan to share with specific people. For link sharing, decide in advance whether viewers, commenters, or editors should have access.
Permission to upload files to the Google Drive account or shared drive you plan to use. A work or school administrator may restrict external sharing.

Step-by-Step

Choose which version you want to share. Decide whether collaborators need a Google Sheets copy or the original Excel-format workbook. Converting is useful when you want to work primarily in Google Sheets and use its collaboration features. Keeping the .xlsx file can be preferable when people rely on Excel-specific features or need the workbook to remain in that format. You can share either type through Google Drive, but the file recipients receive should be clear to them.
Upload the workbook to Google Drive. Go to drive.google.com and sign in. Click New > File upload, select the workbook on your computer, and wait for the upload to finish. You can also drag the file into an open Drive folder. If the workbook is already in Drive, locate it there and skip the upload. Put it in a folder where you are allowed to share it; folder permissions can affect who can see its contents.
Open the uploaded file in Google Sheets. In Drive, double-click the Excel file. If Drive shows a preview instead of opening the workbook, choose Open with Google Sheets near the top of the window. The workbook will open in a browser tab. Google Sheets can work with many Excel files, but an opened .xlsx may still be an Office-format file rather than a converted Google Sheets document. Check the file name and file icon in Drive if you are unsure which type you have.
Convert the file if you want a Google Sheets copy. With the workbook open, select File > Save as Google Sheets. Google creates a separate Google Sheets file, usually in Drive, while leaving the original Excel file in place. Work in and share the new Sheets copy if that is the version you want collaborators to use. Do not assume a link to the original Excel file automatically points to the converted copy; check the title and location of the file before sharing.
Review the workbook before inviting anyone. Check that the intended sheets, values, formulas, formatting, charts, and links are present. Pay special attention to features that can behave differently after conversion, such as macros, some charts, external data connections, and Excel-specific formatting or functions. If the workbook is important, keep the original file unchanged as a backup and compare key results in the converted copy. Remove private tabs or data you do not want recipients to see; hiding a sheet is not a reliable way to keep its contents private.
Open the sharing dialog for the exact file. In Google Sheets, click Share in the upper-right corner. You can also return to Drive, right-click the file, and choose Share. Confirm the name at the top of the dialog so you do not accidentally share the original Excel workbook instead of the converted Sheets file, or the other way around.
Invite specific people by email. In the dialog, enter the email address or addresses of the people who need access. Select a role for each invite: Viewer can read the file, Commenter can add comments, and Editor can change the contents. Add a short message if it will help recipients identify the workbook. Click Send to send the invitation. Google may ask whether you want to notify people; follow the prompt to complete sharing.
Or set access for a link. Under General access, the default is commonly Restricted, which limits access to people who have been granted permission. To let anyone with the link open the file, change this setting to Anyone with the link, then choose Viewer, Commenter, or Editor. Click Copy link and share it through your preferred channel. Link access can make the workbook available beyond the people you send it to, so use it only when that broader access is appropriate. In some work or school accounts, an administrator may disable this option.
Check that recipients can open the shared version. Send the invitation or link and tell collaborators whether they should edit the workbook or only review it. If you have another account available, use it to confirm the access level, but do not change a private file to public just to test it. A recipient may need to sign in to the Google account you invited. If the file is in a shared drive or a managed organization, its policies may also affect access.
Review or change permissions later. Click Share again to see who has access. You can change an individual’s role, remove their access, or change the General access setting. If you shared the file through a folder, folder-level access may still give people permission, so check the folder as well as the file when removing access. Keep the link in a place where you can update or withdraw it if the audience changes.

Common Mistakes

Sharing the wrong copy: Converting an Excel workbook creates a separate Google Sheets file. People with a link to the original may not automatically be looking at the converted version. Check the file name and format in the Share dialog before sending a link, and label the message so recipients know which copy is current.

Giving everyone Editor access: An editor can alter cell values, formulas, and structure. For people who only need to read the workbook, choose Viewer. Use Commenter when feedback is needed without letting people directly change the data. If someone needs to update only a few values, consider whether a separate copy or a more controlled workflow would be safer.

Assuming a link is private: Copying a link does not by itself make a file private or public; the General access setting determines who can use it. Check that setting before distributing the link. Anyone-with-link access may be unsuitable for confidential business, personal, or customer information, even if you send the link to only one person.

Expecting every Excel feature to work identically: Sheets can open many Excel files, but conversion or editing in Sheets may affect features such as VBA macros, complex formatting, or certain formulas. Retain the original workbook and verify important calculations rather than assuming every element transferred perfectly.

Forgetting inherited access: A file inside a shared folder or shared drive may be accessible to people through the folder or drive even when you adjust individual file settings. Check the parent location’s sharing if a person still has access after you remove them from the file’s list.

Tips

Use the least access necessary. Start with Viewer or Commenter and grant Editor access only to people who need to make changes. You can update roles later if the project requires it.
Give the file a clear name. A name such as Project Budget – Shared Copy helps distinguish the Google Sheets version from an original Excel file or an older draft. Avoid putting sensitive information in a file name if the title may be visible to a wider audience.
Tell collaborators which copy is authoritative. If both an Excel original and a Sheets copy remain in Drive, note which one people should use. Otherwise, recipients may edit different versions and create conflicting updates.
Keep a backup before conversion. Conversion can change workbook features. Retaining the source .xlsx gives you a reference and a way to return to the original if a chart, formula, or layout does not transfer as expected.
Use email invitations for sensitive work. Inviting named accounts makes it easier to control who has access than using Anyone with the link. Confirm that each email address is correct, especially when inviting people outside your organization.
Explain what recipients can do. A brief note such as please review only or update the status column helps people use the right workflow and reduces accidental edits.

Troubleshooting

The file will not upload: Check your internet connection, available Drive storage, and whether you have permission to add files to the selected folder. Try uploading through New > File upload again, or use a different folder in My Drive if the current location is restricted. If the file is very large, wait for the upload to finish before closing the tab.

I cannot find Open with Google Sheets: Select the file in Drive and look for Open with Google Sheets in the context menu or preview. If it is missing, confirm that you are signed in to an account with access and that Google Sheets is available for that account. You can also open Google Sheets in a browser and use its file picker to locate a workbook in Drive.

The converted file looks different: Compare it with the original .xlsx and check important sheets, formulas, charts, number formats, and print layouts. If a key feature has changed, keep using the original in Excel or make a new copy and adjust it in Sheets. Do not delete the source until you have confirmed that the version collaborators need is usable.

A recipient sees an access request or cannot open the link: In the Share dialog, confirm that you added the correct email address or set the intended General access option. If access is restricted, the recipient must sign in with the invited account. For a work or school account, ask the administrator whether external sharing or link sharing is blocked. If you changed settings, send the link again so the recipient has the right file address.

Someone can still open the file after you removed them: Check whether access comes from a shared folder, a shared drive, or an Anyone with the link setting. Remove or reduce access at the level that grants it. Also check that the person is not using another account that still has permission. You may need an owner or shared-drive manager to change inherited access.

The recipient can view but not edit: Return to Share and check that the person’s role is Editor, or that the link’s role is Editor if you are using link sharing. Organization policies can prevent editing by external users. If you want to preserve the source, consider asking collaborators to make their own copy rather than granting edit access to the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share an Excel file in Google Sheets without converting it?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx file to Drive, open it with Google Sheets if needed, and use Share on that file. It remains an Excel-format file. Convert only if you want a separate native Google Sheets copy.

Will people need Excel to open a shared workbook?
Not necessarily. People with permission can open an Excel file in Google Sheets in a browser, though compatibility may vary. They can also download it and use Excel or another compatible spreadsheet application.

Does converting the workbook delete the Excel original?
No. File > Save as Google Sheets creates a separate Sheets file and leaves the original Excel workbook in Drive. Make sure you share the copy you intend people to use.

Can I let people edit without a Google account?
It depends on the account’s sharing settings and the recipient’s access route. Anyone with the link can sometimes open a file without being individually invited, but organization policies may require sign-in or block external access. Check the General access options shown in the Share dialog.

Can several people edit the workbook at once?
Multiple people can collaborate on a Google Sheets file at the same time when they have Editor access. For an Excel-format workbook opened in Sheets, available behavior can depend on the file and account. Tell collaborators which version to edit to avoid parallel changes in separate copies.

How do I stop sharing the file?
Open Share, change General access to Restricted if it was link-accessible, and remove people who should no longer have permission. Also inspect shared-folder or shared-drive permissions, because access may be inherited from the file’s location.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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