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  • Getting Started with Google Sheets

Google Sheets

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Getting Started with Google Sheets

To drag and drop cells:

Rather than cutting and pasting, you can drag and drop cells to move their contents.

  1. Select a cell, then hover the mouse over an outside edge of the blue box. The cursor will turn into a hand icon Drag Cell Hand.
    Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsSelecting a cell to drag and drop
  2. Click, hold, and drag the cell to its desired location.
    Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsClicking and dragging a cell
  3. Release the mouse to drop the cell.
    Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsThe dropped cell

To use the fill handle:

There may be times when you would like to copy the content of one cell to several other cells in your spreadsheet. You could copy and paste the content into each cell, but this method would be time consuming. Instead, you can use the fill handle to quickly copy and paste content from one cell to any other cells in the same row or column.

  1. Select the cell you wish to use. A small square, known as the fill handle, will appear in the bottom-right corner of the cell.
  2. Hover the mouse over the fill handle. The cursor will change to a black cross.
    Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsSelecting the fill handle
  3. Click, hold, and drag the fill handle over the cells you wish to fill. A dotted black line will appear around the cells that will be filled.
    Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsFilling cells with the fill handle
  4. Release the mouse to fill the selected cells.
    Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsThe filled cells

Using the fill handle to continue a series

The fill handle can also be used to continue a series. Any time the content of a row or column follows a sequential order, like numbers (1, 2, 3) or days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), the fill handle will guess what should come next in the series. In our example below, the fill handle is used to extend a series of dates in a column.

Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsUsing the fill handle to extend a series
Screenshot of Google SpreadsheetsThe extended series
 
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