Change Currency in Google Sheets

Learn how to change currency in Google Sheets to British pounds using UK formatting and locale settings

How to Change the Currency in Google Sheets (UK Guide)

Google Sheets is a powerful online spreadsheet tool, widely used for budgeting, financial tracking, and collaborative data work. If your figures are showing in the wrong currency—such as US dollars instead of British pounds—it can distort totals, confuse collaborators, and make financial reports look unprofessional. This guide explains how to change the currency in Google Sheets, who it applies to, and how to set GBP (£) as the default where needed.

What Does Changing Currency in Google Sheets Do?

In Google Sheets, changing the currency doesn’t convert values between currencies—it changes how numbers are displayed. For example, it will show “£1,000.00” instead of “$1,000.00.” This visual format helps ensure your spreadsheets reflect your country’s financial standards. If you need to actually convert between currencies using exchange rates, that’s a separate process using formulas like GOOGLEFINANCE().

Who Needs to Change Their Currency Format?

This is especially useful for:

  • UK users using templates set to US or EU currency

  • Teams collaborating across countries

  • Freelancers invoicing clients in different currencies

  • Businesses preparing UK-based financial documents

  • Students and professionals managing budgets or forecasts

If you’re based in the UK, setting currency to GBP will make your sheets easier to read and more consistent with local practices.

How to Change Currency Format in Google Sheets

Step 1: Select the Cells

Click and drag to highlight the cells you want to format as currency.

Step 2: Use the Format Menu

At the top menu, go to:

  • Format > Number > Custom currency

A sidebar will open showing various currency options.

Step 3: Choose British Pound (GBP)

  • Scroll or search for £ English (United Kingdom)

  • Click Apply

Your selected cells will now display values using the pound sign and decimal formatting appropriate to the UK.

How to Change Default Locale to the UK

If your sheet is still displaying in another currency by default (e.g. US dollars), your Google Sheets locale may be set incorrectly.

To fix this:

  1. Click File > Settings

  2. Under General, find the Locale dropdown

  3. Set the locale to United Kingdom

  4. Click Save and Reload

This affects:

  • Default currency formats

  • Date formats (e.g. DD/MM/YYYY vs. MM/DD/YYYY)

  • Decimal and comma separators

Changing the locale updates all future formatting to follow UK standards.

Setting GBP as the Default in Templates

If you regularly use Google Sheets templates:

  • Set up your preferred currency and formatting

  • Save a copy as a template

  • Reuse it for new documents to avoid repeating steps

This is especially useful for budgeting spreadsheets, pricing calculators or project tracking templates.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

Problem: Currency symbol doesn’t change after formatting

  • Check if the sheet’s locale is still set to the US or another region

  • Reapply currency formatting after changing the locale

Problem: Values don’t update automatically

  • Formatting is visual only; if you need real-time conversion, use:
    =A1 * GOOGLEFINANCE("CURRENCY:USDGBP")
    Replace A1 with the relevant cell and adjust currencies as needed.

Problem: Sharing causes formatting issues

  • Other users may see different currency formats based on their locale settings

  • Ask collaborators to set their locale to UK if working on shared budgets or invoices

Best Practices

  • Always set your locale before creating a financial spreadsheet

  • Avoid mixing currency formats within the same column

  • Use clear column headers to indicate the currency type

  • For client-facing documents, double-check formatting before sharing or printing

Google Sheets is flexible, but clear setup is key to maintaining accuracy and professionalism.