Managing data in Proton Sheets

Proton Sheets provides the same tools and familiar experience as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel, but with the privacy and security Proton is known for. You can organize, format, and present your data just as you’re used to, without compromising on functionality or worrying about extra training to stay productive.

This guide covers the essential features that help you make the most of your data, from sorting and styling to adding visuals and organizing sheets.

• Edit cells
• Sort data
• Find in sheet
• Format numbers
• Style content
• Add charts
• Freeze rows and columns
• Manage multiple sheets
• More ways to work with your data
• What next?

Edit cells

Click any cell and start typing to enter data. Press Tab to move to the next cell, Enter / Return to move down, or ↑ , ↓, ←, → to move in any direction.

Sort data

You can quickly arrange data to make it easier to read or analyze. Select the column or range you want to sort, then select Data → Short sheet and the preferred option, such as Sort sheet by column B (A to Z) if you want the data in column B to appear in ascending alphabetical order.

Find in sheet

Use the search tool in Edit → Find to locate specific text or values within the spreadsheet.

Format numbers

You can format numeric data in Format → Number to make it easier to read and interpret:

• Number: Standard number format for general data.
• Percent: Display values as percentages.
• Scientific: Show numbers in scientific (exponential) notation.
• Accounting / Financial: Align numbers neatly for financial reporting.
• Currency / Currency (rounded): Show monetary values with or without decimals.
• More currency: Choose from multiple currency symbols.
• Date / Long date: Display dates in short (e.g., 12/31/2025) or long (e.g., Friday, December 31 2025) formats.
• Time / Date time: Show hours and minutes only, or combine with date for full timestamps.
• Duration: Display time differences (e.g., 1:45:30).

You can also increase or decrease the number of decimal places directly from the toolbar to fine-tune how your data appears.

Style content

You can customize the appearance of your spreadsheets to make key information stand out and improve readability:

• Font and size: Change the typeface and font size for selected cells.
• Text styling: Make text bold, italic, underline it, or add strikethrough.
• Text and fill color: Customize text color or add background shading to highlight cells.
• Borders: Add or remove borders around cells to separate sections visually.

Add charts

Charts in Proton Sheets make your data easier to understand and present. You can quickly visualize trends, compare results, or summarize key information right in your spreadsheet.

Freeze rows and columns

The Freeze feature locks selected rows or columns, keeping them visible while you scroll through the rest of your sheet. It’s useful for large spreadsheets with lots of data. Here’s how to use it:

1. Select one or more row numbers or column letters.
2. Go to View → Freeze and choose Up to row [current] or Up to column [current]. For example, for row 3, select Up to Row 3 to keep the first three rows visible while scrolling down.

The frozen rows or columns will stay locked at the top or left, even as you scroll.

Manage multiple sheets

You can keep your work organized by using multiple sheets (tabs) within a single spreadsheet file. For example, if you’re working on a Budget 2025 spreadsheet, you can create sheets named January, February, and Summary. Here’s how to manage sheets:

• Click the + icon at the bottom-left corner to add a new sheet.
• Rename sheets by double-clicking their tab.
• Rearrange sheets by dragging their tabs left or right.
• Right-click a tab to duplicate, delete, lock, change color, or hide a sheet.

More ways to work with your data

Beyond the basics, Proton Sheets also supports:

• Data validation: Control what users can enter in a cell using dropdowns, number limits, checkboxes, and more.
• Conditional formatting: Automatically change how cells look based on their values. For example, Proton Sheets can highlight overdue tasks.
• Formulas: Automate calculations using built-in functions like SUM, AVERAGE, and IF.

What next?

If you’re new to Proton Sheets, check out our getting started guide to learn the basics.