Google Sheets Shortcut

Google Drive for Desktop is a program that allows Google Drive users to back up and open their Google Drive files on Windows and Mac PCs. While Drive for Desktop stores actual backups of some types of files (such as .JPG and .DOCX files) on users' computers, it does not store copies of files created using Google Docs, Sheets, Sites, and other Google Workspace applications. Instead, Drive for Desktop stores shortcut files that, when double-clicked, open the associated file in the web version of the correct Google Workspace application.

GSHEET files are Drive for Desktop shortcuts that open Google Sheets spreadsheets. When a Drive for Desktop user double-clicks a GSHEET file, the related spreadsheet opens in Google Sheets, provided the user is signed in to a Gmail account allowed to access the spreadsheet. Each GSHEET file is a JSON file that contains a spreadsheet's URL and document ID, as well as the name of the Gmail account used to create the spreadsheet.

NOTE: GSHEET files were previously created by Backup and Sync from Google. Google replaced Backup and Sync with Drive for Desktop in October 2021.

If you have Google Drive for Desktop installed on your PC, or you are using a Chrome OS device, you can double-click a GSHEET file to open the spreadsheet it references in Google Sheets. You may have to sign in to your Gmail account or request access to the spreadsheet to open it.

If necessary, you can also open a GSHEET file in any text editor to view the URL, document ID, and Gmail account information it contains. You may want to do this, for example, if you are having trouble using your GSHEET file to open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets. If double-clicking your GSHEET file does not open a spreadsheet, you can try copying and pasting your file's URL into your web browser to access your spreadsheet.

Programs that open GSHEET files

Updated: July 30, 2021