If you're encountering issues with Google Sheets not loading files, below are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix the problem:
Ensure you have a stable and fast internet connection since Google Sheets operates online.
Try restarting your router or modem and check your internet speed using an app or service. If on Wi-Fi, try moving closer to your router or switching to a wired connection.
Sometimes, corrupted cache and cookies can cause loading issues. Clearing them might resolve the problem.
Go to your browser settings and select the option to clear browsing data. Choose to delete cookies and cache from a specific time range or all time.
Some extensions, particularly ad blockers and PDF extensions, might interfere with Google Sheets. Try disabling them to see if that resolves the issue.
Simply access your browser's extensions or add-ons settings and disable them one by one to identify which might be causing the issue.
Issues with your Google account could also prevent Google Sheets from working correctly. Signing out and then back in might help.
Click on your profile icon in the top right corner of Google Sheets (or any Google service) and sign out. Then, sign back in to refresh your session.
If Google Sheets works in Incognito Mode, the issue might be related to browser extensions or cache. This can help identify if the problem is with the browser's normal mode.
Open your browser's menu and select "New Incognito Window" (Chrome) or "New Private Window" (Firefox) to open Google Sheets without using the browser cache or extension.
For Chrome:
For Firefox:
For Edge:
If you can't edit a shared document, ask the owner to check the permissions. For your own documents, make sure you're logged into the correct Google account. If the issue is with storage, clean up your Google Drive to free space
Working with too many Google Sheets tabs or browser tabs at once can slow down performance. Try to limit the number of tabs you have open.
On rare occasions, the issue might be on Google's end. Checking the Google Workspace Status Dashboard or Down Detector can inform you if there's a widespread problem.
We hope that this article has helped you and given you a better understanding of how to resolve the issue when you are unable to load a file in Google Sheets. If you enjoyed this article, you might also want to check out our check register template in Google Sheets and our article on how to use MIN in Google Sheets.
