How to import JSON into Google Sheets

A complete example you can repeat

We will import ten user records from JSONPlaceholder, a public test API. It requires no API key, so you can follow the exact same steps:

The response contains simple fields such as id, name, and email, plus nested objects such as address and company. We will keep five useful columns: id, name, email, address.city, and company.name.

Step 1

Open JSON for Sheets

Open the spreadsheet where the table should live. From the menu, choose Extensions → JSON for Sheets → Open JSON for Sheets. The import sidebar opens on the right.

Step 2

Choose Public URL and enter the endpoint

Select Public URL, then paste the endpoint. Leave the root path empty for this example because the top-level response is already an array of users. Keep Simple path and Keep as JSON selected.

Need authentication, query parameters, request bodies, or pagination? Follow the complete JSON API integration guide.

Still deciding how to approach the problem? Compare the best IMPORTJSON alternatives for Google Sheets, including add-ons, open-source scripts, custom Apps Script, and built-in import workarounds.

Step 3

Preview the JSON before writing anything

Click Preview JSON. The add-on fetches the current response, flattens object keys into column paths, and shows the predicted rows and columns. Nothing is written to the sheet during preview.

For this endpoint the preview finds 10 rows and 15 fields. That is enough information to catch an unexpected response shape before it replaces cells.

Step 4

Choose only the columns you need

Select Select none, then check id, name, email, address.city, and company.name. The table preview updates immediately as fields change.

Step 5

Choose the destination and write mode

Choose Selected cell to begin at the active cell, or New sheet to keep the import separate. For a first import, use Overwrite. Confirm that cells in the destination may be replaced, then click Write table.

The live run inserted 10 rows and zero updates. After a successful remote import, the sidebar also offers to save the configuration so it can run again without rebuilding the request.

How to upload a local JSON file to Google Sheets

1. Open JSON for Sheets and choose From file.
2. Select a .json file up to 5 MB from your computer.
3. Choose a root path and nested-array mode if needed.
4. Preview the file, select the output fields, and write the table.

Local files are read inside the add-on session and are not uploaded to JSON for Sheets servers. Local file previews and writes also do not consume a remote-fetch allowance.

Follow the complete local JSON file guide for a downloadable example, nested-array choices, and screenshots of every step.

If the JSON already lives in a cell, see how to parse JSON with local Google Sheets formulas without consuming a remote request.

What happens to nested JSON?

Objects become dotted field paths. For example, this JSON object produces an address.city column:

{
  "name": "Leanne Graham",
  "address": {
    "city": "Gwenborough"
  }
}

For nested arrays, choose the behavior that matches what one spreadsheet row should mean:

Read the complete nested JSON guide for root paths, arrays of objects, row expansion, multiple-array growth, and formula options.

How to keep JSON data up to date

Remote responses are fetched fresh; JSON for Sheets does not serve a cached response. Preview again for an immediate update, or save the import after writing it.

• Free: five successful remote page fetches per UTC day and manual saved-import runs.
• Starter: monthly remote allowance plus daily and weekly schedules.
• Pro: a larger monthly allowance plus hourly, daily, and weekly schedules.

Scheduled refresh is opt-in. Google Picker asks you to select the current spreadsheet before the add-on may reopen that specific file while it is closed. See the current plan limits and scheduling documentation before building a production sync.

Common JSON import problems

Frequently asked questions