SpreadsheetFormulas
error fixIF

Fix the Formula Parse Error in Google Sheets

Google Sheets rejects your formula with "Formula parse error" the moment you press Enter — often a formula you copied from a website, an email, or another spreadsheet.

Quick formula
=IF(A2>10,"High","Low")
Sample input
1FormulaResult
2=IF(A2>10,“High”,“Low”)#ERROR!
3=IF(A2>10,"High,"Low")#ERROR!
Result
1FormulaResult
2=IF(A2>10,"High","Low")High
3=IF(A2>10,"High","Low")High

Excel & Google Sheets

=IF(A2>10,"High","Low")

This formula works in both Excel and Google Sheets.

How it works

A formula parse error means Google Sheets can't read the formula's punctuation — the logic never even runs. The most common culprit in pasted formulas is smart quotes: word processors and websites convert straight quotes (") into curly ones (“ ”), which Sheets treats as ordinary text, not string delimiters. Retype the quotes inside Sheets and the error vanishes. Second is locale: spreadsheets set to many European locales separate arguments with semicolons, so =IF(A2>10;"High";"Low") is correct there and a parse error in a comma locale — match your spreadsheet's setting under File > Settings. The rest is bookkeeping: every opening parenthesis needs a closing one, and every opening quote needs its partner. Sheets highlights matching pairs as you click through the formula, which makes the missing one easy to spot.

"High" and "Low"
Straight quotes typed in Sheets. Curly quotes “High” pasted from a document cause the parse error.
The commas
Argument separators for US-style locales. If your locale uses semicolons, write =IF(A2>10;"High";"Low") instead.
IF( … )
One opening parenthesis, one closing. Click inside the formula and Sheets highlights each matching pair.

When to use it

Check punctuation first whenever a pasted formula fails instantly — formulas copied from blogs, emails, or Word documents almost always carry smart quotes or the wrong separators.

Common mistakes

  • Pasting a formula with curly smart quotes from a website or document.

    Delete each “ ” and retype " directly in the formula bar. Paste into a plain-text editor first if the formula is long.

  • Mixing comma and semicolon separators across locales.

    A formula written for a semicolon locale fails in a comma locale and vice versa. Check File > Settings > Locale and match it.

  • A missing closing quote or parenthesis in a nested formula.

    Count the pairs: =IF(A2>10,"High,"Low") is missing the quote after High. Sheets' pair highlighting shows where the trail goes cold.

Got a file full of these?

Open it in your browser — every error cell gets highlighted with its fix. Nothing is uploaded.

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Engine-verified against the sample data aboveLast reviewed 2026-07-08