Table Styles provides you with a set of style templates for your tables in Google Sheets. You can quickly select and apply one of 50+ existing styles, edit it to your liking, or create a new one.
How to work with Table Styles for Google Sheets
Run Table Styles
Select the range with a table you'd like to format in the sheet and go to Extensions > Table Styles > Start in the Google Sheets menu:
The add-on pane will appear with a list of all styles and various editing options:
Choose an existing style pattern or add a new style template
The first goes a list of table styles pre-supplied by Ablebits:
- All 50+ templates are divided into 6 different groups based on the colors they contain and their overall looks:
- practical
- monochrome
- light
- dark
- juicy
- contrasting
- as well as one main group where you can see all style patterns.
Tip. All default styles we offer can be modified and then saved as your custom styles.Once you create your own style templates (whether from scratch or by modifying a default one), they will appear in the Custom group:
- Click the first rectangle with a plus icon to start creating your own style.
- You can see the style template name when you point your mouse to it:
Click on the style to be able to preview, edit & apply it to your table. - Navigate between the pages to view all templates that belong to a selected group.
- When the style pattern is selected and you're ready to edit it, you can minimize the area with all style miniatures by clicking on the arrow icon.
Click again to expand the list back.
Select table elements you'd like to format
Next, you can choose table elements to apply the style to:
Simply tick off the checkboxes next to those table units that you want in the style template:
- header row
- footer row
- left column
- right column
- alternating colors (if you'd like to get rows of 2 different hues in your table body)
For example, if you don't use the left column and footer row in your table, uncheck them in the list to ignore their style. The style pattern will change accordingly:
So will the style preview.
Edit & preview the style
Whether you choose one of the pre-supplied style templates or your custom one, or even create a new pattern, you will be able to customize it and see its preview right away in the corresponding Preview & edit area:
- You will see a default style name — Untitled — in the Title field. To change it for your own styles, simply click this field and enter a different name:
Hit Enter to confirm and keep the new name.Note. You cannot rename default styles. Yet, you can save them as new templates with new names to edit them later. - Just below the name, you'll find a more detailed view of the template with its table elements and colors.
To change the way some table elements look, click on the unit right in the table preview.
Tip. Press and hold the Ctrl button on your keyboard to select several elements and customize them in one go. - Multiple selection lets you pick and format several table elements in the same manner without holding the Ctrl key.
- Here you are to decide on the formatting for your style. Use standard tools within the sidebar to set the font, colors, borders, text alignment, and other formatting options for the selected individual elements or for the entire table.
- By clicking this arrow icon, you can minimize or expand the Preview & edit area whenever you need.
Apply the style to your table
The add-on offers the possibility to apply the selected style to your table either as a whole or by parts.
- To apply only parts of the formatting, first, click on the filter icon next to the Style button. You'll be able to select those style elements that you want to apply to your table, whether only fill colors or font settings:
Note. Everything you select here will be saved for the next time you run the add-on. The filter icon will be colored red indicating that not all style units are selected:
Make sure to check this out before applying different styles. - To apply the entire style, press the filter button and make sure all style elements are selected. If not, click Select all first and then press the Style button.
Tip. When all units are selected, the filter icon will remain green:
Manage table styles
3 buttons at the very bottom of the add-on sidebar let you quickly save the changes to your styles and delete all unnecessary templates:
- Once you finish modifying the selected pattern, press Save to keep the changes.
- Hitting Save as will offer you to save the style as another template without overwriting the original style. The add-on will ask you to give it a new name:
When you're ready, press Save. Or click No to go back to editing the template.Tip. You will see this newly created pattern in the list of your custom styles. - To remove an obsolete style, select it, click Delete and confirm your action:
Responses
Does Tab Styles automatically apply the format when the size of the tab changes (eg new rows are added)
Hello JUERG,
Thank you for your question. In this case the add-on would apply formatting of the row above or below which a new row is added. I'm afraid you need to apply the style anew after adding new rows or columns to your table.
Table Style in google sheet refuse to connect in drive.google.com
Hello Jerald,
Please note that there is currently an issue on the side of Google that occurs when you are logged in under more than one account. Please sign out and log back in only under the account you used to grant permissions to the add-on and see if the issue persists. If you still have difficulties accessing the add-on, then please contact us at support@ablebits.com for further assistance.
I just see that with table style can add some color to the table to make it look better, however this complement can also include blank spaces in the table to make some division between the sub totals as on the excel or just color?
Hello Mayra,
Thank you for your question. If I got it right and you need to keep the total row plain, you can always uncheck the corresponding option in the add-on to ignore its style. However, the total row appearance will then correspond with the style chosen for the whole table.
If that is not what you mean, please describe your task in more detail.
I agree with Frank!
Too much clicking and too little use of this add on...
Thank you for your feedback, Eugene.
We'll do our best to improve the next version of the tool.
None of these table styles makes any sense & when you try to customize them, that doesn't make any sense either!
PLEASE PROVIDE ACCURATE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO EDIT THE DEFAULT STYLES, SINCE THE DEFAULT STYLES ARE COMPLETELY WORTHLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello Frank,
We are really sorry to hear that you are not satisfied with the add-on and the instructions provided.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to customize default styles in the current version of the add-on, but you can try to create your own style and add it as a new style template. Please see this part of the instructions for more details.
If you need any further assistance with the add-on, please email to support@ablebits.com.