Overview
Download Google Spreadsheets in various formats. Includes Canvas rendering limitation and workaround for content extraction.
URLs
| Page | URL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheets | https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets | Spreadsheet home |
| Specific file | https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/{FILE_ID} | Open specific spreadsheet |
Critical Constraints
- Google Account Required: Must be logged in to access files
- Canvas Rendering: Spreadsheet content renders in Canvas element, not accessible via DOM - direct content extraction is not possible
- Download Required: To read spreadsheet data programmatically, download the file first
Workflow: Download Spreadsheet
1. Open the Spreadsheet
Navigate to the spreadsheet URL or open from Google Drive.
2. Open File Menu
Click the File menu in the top menu bar.
| Language | Menu Item |
|---|---|
| Japanese | ファイル |
| English | File |
3. Select Download
Hover over or click the Download submenu.
| Language | Menu Item |
|---|---|
| Japanese | ダウンロード |
| English | Download |
4. Choose Format
Select the desired format:
| Format | Japanese Label | English Label | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excel | Microsoft Excel(.xlsx) | Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) | Full formatting, formulas |
| CSV | カンマ区切り形式(.csv) | Comma-separated values (.csv) | Plain data, single sheet |
| PDF(.pdf) | PDF (.pdf) | Print-ready document |
5. Locate Downloaded File
The file downloads to your browser's default download location. Check your downloads folder.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot read cell content | Canvas rendering | Download file and parse locally |
| Download menu not visible | Menu not expanded | Click File first, then hover Download |
| Wrong sheet downloaded | Multi-sheet workbook | CSV exports active sheet only; use Excel for all sheets |
| Encoding issues in CSV | Non-ASCII characters | Use Excel format instead |
Notes
- CSV format exports only the active sheet
- Excel format preserves all sheets and formatting
- For large spreadsheets, download may take a few seconds
- Google Sheets formulas convert to static values in CSV