How to Highlight Blank or Error Cells in Google Sheets with Conditional Formatting

When you have a lot of data to organize, what better way to do so than use Google Sheets. If you are familiar with using Microsoft Excel worksheets, Google Sheets will be a breeze. Both applications apply almost the same spreadsheet rules and formattings. You can input as much data as you want while maintaining a clean and orderly look.

Google Sheets allow you to save your documents on your Google Drive cloud storage for free. So, even when you have to access all your data from another device, it is possible in just a few seconds with the dedicated mobile app or through the website.

Now, we cannot sometimes help making an error when we input numbers or formulas on Google Sheets spreadsheets. There are times when we left out a cell blank or empty in a certain row without any inputted value on it. These mistakes are easily spotted when you have only a few numbers and text to add to your Google Sheets.

But, what if you have hundreds or thousands of data you have to input on Google Sheets? Will you be able to see these errors and blanks or leave them unnoticed?

Steps to Highlight & Select Errors or Blanks with Conditional Formatting on Google Sheets

Google Sheets make it easier for you to notice cells with errors and blanks. All you have to do is to set the automatic highlight of these cells as they happen so you don’t leave them wrong. You can do so by accessing the Conditional Formatting settings and change the values to your needs.

Through the Conditional Formatting tool on Google Sheets, you can custom set each cell to fill a specific color or font style when there are blanks or errors on it. That way, they stand out on your sheet and allow you to spot them easily.

Select or Highlight Blank Cells on Google Sheets

• First, launch your Google Sheets Workbook.
• Look for the cells that you want to highlight. Select them all.
• On the menu bar, click Format.
• Scroll down and select Conditional Formatting.
• Go to the Single Color tab.
• Under Apply to range, make sure you have all the cells that you have to highlight.
• Scroll down to Format Rules and click the drop-down arrow.
• Select Is Empty.
• Under Custom, you can select the formatting such as the font color, style, and fill.
• Click Done.
• It will then highlight all the blank cells in your selected range.

Select or Highlight Cells with Errors on Google Sheets

• On your Google Sheets workbook, navigate to Format and select Conditional Formatting.
• Make sure you are under the Single Color tab.
• Under Format Rules, click the arrow and select Custom Formula Is.
• Now, enter the following: =ISERROR(B1). You can change B1 to any beginning cell in your range.
• Choose the formatting style under Custom.
• Click Done.
• If there are cells with errors, it will apply your selected formatting.

That’s it! Now, you can immediately spot cells in your workbook that has an error or are empty. Are the conditional formatting methods useful in organizing and making you more productive with Google Sheets spreadsheets? You can share your story with us in the comments below.