How to Transfer a Google Sheet While Preserving Formatting

The simplest way to transfer a sheet from one Google Sheet to another while preserving formatting, borders, and colors is to use the copy function through the context menu: right-click on the sheet tab → “Copy to” → “Existing spreadsheet” → select the target spreadsheet and rename the copied tab. For more complex cases with conditional formatting, you can use the “Format paintbrush” tool or third-party add-ons like Sheetgo to automatically transfer all formatting elements.

Table of Contents

• Main Sheet Transfer Methods
• Copying via Context Menu
• Using the “Format Paintbrush” Tool
• Transfer Using IMPORTRANGE
• Automation with Add-ons
• Preserving Complex Formatting
• Practical Tips and Recommendations

Main Sheet Transfer Methods

When working with Google Sheets, there are several ways to transfer a sheet from one file to another. Each method has its advantages and limitations, especially when it comes to preserving complete formatting, including borders, font colors, cell fills, and other element styles.

It’s important to understand that not all methods preserve absolutely all formatting elements. Some approaches may partially lose complex conditional formatting rules or custom styles.

The most common methods include:

• Copying via the sheet context menu
• Using the “Format paintbrush” tool
• IMPORTRANGE formula
• Third-party add-ons and services

The choice of method depends on the complexity of your sheet, data volume, and the need to preserve all visual formatting elements.

Copying via Context Menu

This is the fastest and most direct way to transfer a sheet while preserving most formatting elements.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Open the source Google Sheet from which you need to transfer the sheet
2. Find the sheet tab at the bottom of the screen
3. Right-click on the sheet name
4. In the menu that appears, select “Copy to”
5. From the submenu, select “Existing spreadsheet”
6. In the window that opens, select the target Google Sheet where you want to transfer the sheet
7. After copying, you can change the name of the copied tab

Advantages of this method:

• Preserves basic cell formatting
• Copies borders and colors
• Transfers simple formulas
• Works without installing additional tools

Limitations:

• Complex conditional formatting rules may require manual setup
• Some custom styles may be lost
• Large tables may take longer to copy

This method is optimal for most standard sheet transfer tasks with formatting preservation.

Using the “Format Paintbrush” Tool

For precise copying of formatting of individual elements or small areas, you can use Google Sheets’ built-in “Format paintbrush” tool.

How to use:

1. Select the source cell or range of cells with the desired formatting
2. Find the “Format paintbrush” icon on the toolbar (it looks like a small paintbrush)
3. Click on this icon
4. Go to the target spreadsheet and select the cells or range where you want to copy the formatting
5. The formatting will be applied to the target cells

Features of the tool:

• Copies all formatting attributes: font, size, color, borders, fill, alignment
• Remains active after first use until deactivated
• Can copy formatting between different sheets and files
• Requires manual application for each target area

Tip: If you need to copy formatting only for specific attributes (for example, only borders or only background color), this method may not be suitable as it copies all formatting elements as a whole.

This tool is especially useful for:

• Applying consistent formatting to large areas
• Copying complex styles between different files
• Restoring formatting after errors

Transfer Using IMPORTRANGE

The IMPORTRANGE formula allows linking data between spreadsheets, but has serious limitations regarding formatting.

Formula syntax:

=IMPORTRANGE("source_URL", "source_range")

What IMPORTRANGE does:

• Transfers data (text, numbers, formulas)
• Automatically updates when source data changes
• Works between different Google Sheet files

What IMPORTRANGE does NOT do:

• Does NOT copy formatting (colors, borders, fonts)
• Does NOT preserve conditional formatting
• Does NOT transfer comments and notes
• Does NOT copy images or other objects

How to use:

1. Get the link to the source spreadsheet (right-click → “Get link”)
2. In the target spreadsheet, enter the IMPORTRANGE formula
3. On first use, Google will request permission to access the source spreadsheet
4. After confirmation, data will appear, but without formatting

Important: The IMPORTRANGE formula does not solve the formatting preservation problem. This method is only suitable for transferring raw data.

Automation with Add-ons

For a complete solution to transferring sheets with preservation of all formatting elements, there are third-party add-ons and services available.

Popular solutions:

Sheetgo

• Specifically designed for automating data transfer between spreadsheets
• Supports copying formatting
• Allows setting up automatic updates
• Has a free tier with limitations

SheetAI.app

• Extends formatting capabilities in Google Sheets
• Offers advanced tools for copying styles
• Automates routine formatting tasks

How to install an add-on:

1. Open Google Sheets
2. Go to “Extensions” → “Add-ons”
3. Click “Install add-ons”
4. In the search, enter the name of the desired add-on
5. Click “Install” and provide the necessary permissions

Advantages of add-ons:

• Complete preservation of formatting, including borders and colors
• Automatic data updates
• Extended customization options
• Integration with other Google Workspace services

Preserving Complex Formatting

When working with complex sheets containing conditional formatting, custom styles, or complex formatting rules, additional approaches may be required.

Conditional formatting:

Complex conditional formatting rules often require manual setup after transferring the sheet. It’s recommended to:

1. Take a screenshot of the conditional formatting rules in the source spreadsheet
2. After transferring the sheet, manually recreate the rules in the target spreadsheet
3. Verify that the rules work correctly with the new data

Custom styles:

If you use custom formatting styles:

1. Export the styles as a template
2. Apply them to the target sheet after transfer
3. Check consistency of styles throughout the document

Borders and colors:

For precise copying of borders and colors:

1. Use the “Format paintbrush” tool to copy complex borders
2. Create a template with typical formatting settings
3. Apply it to new sheets before transferring data

Practical Tips and Recommendations

Optimal strategy for different scenarios:

For simple sheets:

Use copying via context menu - this is the fastest and most reliable method for most standard tasks.

For complex spreadsheets:

Combine methods:

1. First, copy the sheet via the context menu
2. Then use the “Format paintbrush” tool to precisely copy complex formatting elements
3. Manually set up conditional formatting

For automated workflows:

Install add-ons like Sheetgo for automatic data transfer with formatting preservation.

Result verification:

After transfer, be sure to check:

• Whether all borders display correctly
• Whether font colors and fills are preserved
• Whether formulas and links work
• Whether conditional formatting displays correctly

Backup:

Before performing a transfer, always create backups of both spreadsheets to be able to restore data in case of errors.

Working with large files:

When transferring large tables (>10,000 rows):

• Break the transfer into several stages
• Use add-ons for better performance
• Check results after each stage

Sources

1. How To Copy Conditional Formatting From One Sheet To Another In Google Sheets - Numerous.ai
2. How to copy formatting in Google Sheets with IMPORTRANGE - Sheetgo
3. How to Copy Formatting from One Sheet to Another in Google Sheets - The Bricks
4. How can I link cells from one sheet to another sheet and keep formatting and comments? - Web Applications Stack Exchange
5. How to automatically transfer data and formats between Google Sheets - Sheetgo

Conclusion

Key takeaways:

• The simplest way to transfer a sheet with formatting preservation is to use the context menu (right-click on tab → “Copy to”)
• The “Format paintbrush” tool is perfect for precisely copying individual formatting elements
• The IMPORTRANGE formula transfers only data, not formatting
• For automation and complex scenarios, use specialized add-ons like Sheetgo

Recommendations:

1. For standard tasks, use copying via the context menu
2. For precise copying of complex formatting, apply the “Format paintbrush” tool
3. When working with conditional formatting, be prepared to manually set up rules
4. For automated workflows, install a suitable add-on
5. Always create backups before performing a transfer

Answers to related questions:

• Can I copy a sheet preserving all borders? Yes, this is possible through the context menu or the “Format paintbrush” tool
• Is conditional formatting preserved when copying? Partially, complex rules may require manual setup
• How to transfer formatting between different files? Use the “Format paintbrush” tool or install an add-on for automation

Continue experimenting with different methods to find the optimal solution for your specific Google Sheets transfer tasks.