Google Sheets Auto-Formatting

Google Sheets, as convenient as it is, sometimes automatically formats texts in a way users might not intend. One such common format it defaults to is the 'Date' format. If you're facing this issue, especially when you're editing or adding content to your sheets, this guide is for you.

Problem: When inputting certain data into Google Sheets, the platform may auto-detect the data as dates and automatically convert them, even if it's not the desired format.

Note: This specific issue is exclusive to Google Sheets. Microsoft Excel users typically don't face this problem.

Solution:

To prevent Google Sheets from automatically converting text to dates:

1. Select the cells, column, or row where you want to apply the change.

2. Navigate to the Format menu at the top of the screen.

3. Hover over the Number in the dropdown.

4. A side menu will appear. From here, deselect 'Automatic'.

5. From the same side menu, select 'Plain Text'.

This will ensure that the content you add or edit will remain in the format you enter it in, without Google Sheets making automatic changes based on its assumptions.

While Google Sheets offers a host of powerful tools and features, this auto-formatting can sometimes be an obstacle in specific scenarios. By making the above changes in settings, you can maintain the integrity of your data and avoid unnecessary conversion of text to dates.