To sum in Google Sheets, select an empty cell outside your numbers, enter =SUM(A2:A10), then press Enter on a computer or tap Done in the mobile app. That formula adds the values in cells A2 through A10. Replace the range with the cells you want to total.
The short version
- Column total: Use
=SUM(A2:A10)to add a specific range of cells. - Growing column: Use
=SUM(A2:A)outside column A to include the column from row 2 onward. - Simple addition: Use
=10+20+30or=A2+B2+C2to add individual numbers or cells. - Quick check: Highlight numeric cells and read Sum at the bottom of the sheet.
| What you need | Method | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Total a column, row, block, or separate ranges | SUM with the required cell references | Web and mobile |
| Select cells while building a formula | Type =SUM(, select cells, then close the parentheses | Desktop web |
| Add individual numbers or cells | The + operator | Web and mobile |
| Read a quick total | Select numeric cells and read Sum | Desktop web |
| Read a quick total with a keyboard | Focus the quicksum list with the platform shortcut | Desktop web |
| Type a total on your phone or tablet | Enter =SUM(A2:A10) and tap Done | Android, iPhone, and iPad |
| Choose a function on mobile | Tap Function and select SUM | Android, iPhone, and iPad |
| Insert a mobile quick calculation | Drag Sum into a destination cell | Android, iPhone, and iPad |
| Copy totals across columns or down rows | Fill right or fill down | Desktop web |
| Return separate column totals with one formula | BYCOL with SUM | Web and mobile |
| Total amounts meeting one condition | SUMIF | Web and mobile |
| Total amounts meeting multiple conditions | SUMIFS | Web and mobile |
| Exclude filtered or manually hidden rows | SUBTOTAL | Web and mobile |
| Total quantities multiplied by prices | SUMPRODUCT | Web and mobile |
| Keep a total tied to a table column | SUM with a table column reference | Desktop web tables |
Sum a column with a formula
Choose an empty cell where you want the total. For numbers in A2 through A10, A11 can hold the result because it sits outside that range. To total a column with SUM, enter this formula, then press Enter on a computer:
=SUM(A2:A10)That fixed range covers a particular set of rows. For a column that will keep growing, select a result cell outside column A and enter an open-ended range:
=SUM(A2:A)This includes column A from row 2 onward, leaving the header row outside the calculation. To include the entire column, use =SUM(A:A). Keep that total outside column A too.
On desktop, you can select the source cells instead of typing their addresses. In an empty result cell, type =SUM(, select the cells you want to add, then type ) and press Enter. While editing, F2 or Ctrl + E toggles range-selection mode, though keyboard behavior can vary by operating system and keyboard.
Add individual numbers or several ranges
For a few values, use the plus sign. Select an empty cell, enter the following formula, then press Enter on desktop or tap Done on mobile:
=10+20+30To add values already in the sheet, use =A2+B2+C2 instead. You can also put literal numbers inside SUM, as in =SUM(10,20,30).
The same function works across a row or a rectangular block. Use =SUM(A2:C2) for the row, or =SUM(A2:C10) for the block. Each produces one combined total for its referenced cells.
Separate ranges belong inside the same parentheses, separated by a comma. To add A2 through A10 and C2 through C10 together, enter the following formula in a cell outside both ranges:
=SUM(A2:A10,C2:C10)Check a quick total without entering a formula
On a computer, highlight the numeric cells and read Sum at the bottom right. This displays a calculation without inserting a result into your sheet.
For keyboard or screen-reader access, select the cells, then press Alt + Shift + Q on Windows or ChromeOS, or Option + Shift + Q on macOS. This focuses the quicksum list so you can read Sum and its value. Press Enter or Escape to return to the sheet.
Sum numbers on Android or iPhone
In the Google Sheets app on Android, iPhone, or iPad, tap an empty result cell outside your source range. Enter =SUM(A2:A10), replacing the range with your own cells, then tap Done.
The mobile function picker provides another way to enter it. Tap the result cell, tap Function, choose the category containing SUM, and select SUM. Supply A2:A10 as the argument, then tap Done.
For a quick total, open the spreadsheet and highlight the cells, then read Sum in the calculations row at the bottom. On Android, iPhone, and iPad, you can drag that calculation into an empty destination cell to insert it.
Create separate totals for several columns or rows
On desktop, you can fill a total formula across neighboring columns, using empty cells for the additional results. Enter =SUM(A2:A10) in A11, then select A11:C11. Press Ctrl + R on Windows or ChromeOS, or Cmd + R on Mac, to fill right.
The relative references adjust as the formula fills, giving each column its own total. For row totals, enter =SUM(A2:C2) in D2, then select D2:D10, with the remaining destination cells empty. Press Ctrl + D on Windows or ChromeOS, or Cmd + D on Mac, to fill down.
A single formula can also return a separate total for each column on web or mobile. Leave three adjacent output cells empty and enter the following formula in an empty area. It produces one total for each column in A2:C10:
=BYCOL(A2:C10,LAMBDA(column,SUM(column)))Total matching amounts or visible rows
Use SUMIF when only amounts meeting one condition should count. If column A contains payment statuses and column B contains amounts, enter the following formula in your result cell to add amounts whose corresponding status is Paid:
=SUMIF(A2:A10,"Paid",B2:B10)For multiple conditions, use SUMIFS. The formula below totals column C only when the corresponding category in A is Food and the status in B is Paid. Both conditions must be satisfied:
=SUMIFS(C2:C10,A2:A10,"Food",B2:B10,"Paid")Use SUBTOTAL when you want the calculation to exclude rows hidden by a filter. Enter the following formula in a cell outside the source range:
=SUBTOTAL(9,A2:A100)If you also hide rows in Google Sheets manually, use =SUBTOTAL(109,A2:A100) to exclude those rows too. Choose 9 when manually hidden rows should count, or 109 when they should not. Nested SUBTOTAL results are ignored, preventing those subtotals from being counted again.
Add quantities multiplied by prices
When you need to multiply values in Google Sheets and then add the results, use SUMPRODUCT. For quantities in A2:A10 and matching unit prices in B2:B10, enter the following formula. It multiplies each quantity by its corresponding price and totals the products:
=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A10,B2:B10)The paired ranges must have matching dimensions. Check that both cover the corresponding rows before committing the formula.
Keep totals tied to a table column
On desktop, you can make a Google Sheets table by selecting your data and choosing Format > Convert to table. A table column reference adjusts when table rows are added or removed. For a table named DeptSales with a Sales Amount column, enter this formula outside its data:
=SUM(DeptSales[Sales Amount])Use your own table and column names in the reference. To add a footer row to the table, open Table menu beside the table name, choose Table formatting, then select Show table footer.
Fix circular references and quick total problems
If your formula includes its own result cell, place the total outside the range being summed to avoid a circular reference. For =SUM(A:A) or =SUM(A2:A), choose a result cell outside column A. For the fixed range =SUM(A2:A10), A11 sits outside the source range.
Google says some number or currency formats are unsupported by the desktop quick-calculation feature. If the quick total cannot give you the calculation you need, enter a SUM formula in an empty result cell outside the source range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sum cells from another sheet tab?
Use =SUM(Sheet2!A2:A10) to total cells on another tab in the same spreadsheet. For a tab name containing spaces, use single quotes, as in =SUM('Monthly sales'!A2:A10). To combine tabs, use =SUM(January!B2:B10,February!B2:B10).
How can I use a name instead of cell addresses in SUM?
On desktop, select the source cells and open Data > Named ranges. Enter a name such as expenses and click Done. You can then enter =SUM(expenses) in a result cell.
What is the difference between ADD and SUM?
ADD accepts exactly two scalar values, as in =ADD(A2,B2) or =ADD(10,20). Use SUM for ranges or more arguments.
How do I create a running total?
Beside a numeric column, enter =SCAN(0,A2:A10,LAMBDA(total,value,total+value)). Leave the output cells empty so the results can expand. Each result includes the current source value and all earlier values.
