How to Format Currency in Google Sheets

When working with budgets, expense reports, or sales data in Google Sheets, raw numbers can be difficult to read at a glance. Seeing “1450.5” is less intuitive than seeing “$1,450.50”. Formatting your numbers as currency automatically adds the correct monetary symbol, inserts comma separators for thousands, and standardizes the decimal places to two digits. This makes your spreadsheets look professional and prevents calculation errors. Google Sheets allows you to apply currency formatting with just a few clicks.

How to Apply the Default Currency Format

The fastest way to format numbers is by using the quick-access button on the main toolbar. This will apply the default currency symbol based on your Google account’s regional settings (e.g., USD for the United States, GBP for the UK).

1. Open your Google Sheets document.
2. Click and drag your mouse to highlight the cell or range of cells containing the numbers you want to format.
3. Look at the toolbar directly above your spreadsheet grid. Locate the button that looks like a Dollar Sign ($). If your region is set differently, it might show a different currency symbol, like a Euro (€).
4. Click the Format as currency button.

Your selected cells will immediately update. The number 5000 will become $5,000.00.

How to Choose a Different Currency Symbol

If you are working with international clients or dealing with foreign exchange rates, you will need to apply a currency format that is different from your default region. For example, you may need to display Japanese Yen (¥) or Euros (€).

1. Highlight the cells you want to format.
2. In the top menu bar, click on Format.
3. Hover your mouse over the Number option in the drop-down menu.
4. A side menu will appear. Scroll down to the bottom of this menu and click on Custom currency.
5. A new dialog box will pop up displaying a list of global currencies.
6. Scroll through the list or use the search bar at the top to find the specific currency you need (e.g., type “Euro” or “Yen”).
7. Click on the desired currency to select it. The box will show you a preview of how the number will look.
8. Click the green Apply button.

How to Remove Decimal Places

By default, Google Sheets adds two decimal places to all currency (e.g., $100.00). If you are dealing with large, whole numbers and the cents are just taking up unnecessary space, you can easily remove the decimals.

1. Ensure your currency-formatted cells are highlighted.
2. Look at the main toolbar for the button that looks like .00 with a left-pointing arrow. This is the “Decrease decimal places” button.
3. Click it once to remove the last decimal digit (e.g., $100.0).
4. Click it a second time to remove the remaining decimal digit (e.g., $100).