A spreadsheet’s locale controls default number, date, and currency conventions. Changing it affects the shared file, so check the consequences before switching it to match your own location.
Record the existing settings
On a computer, open File > Settings and inspect the General section. Note Locale and Time zone separately. A locale change does not automatically change your Google Account display language.
Make a suitable test copy if the workbook is operational. Record representative amounts, ambiguous dates, percentages, and formulas so that you can compare the result against known values.
Test entry and presentation
Choose the required locale and save the settings. Examine default formatting, then try entering fresh sample values using that locale’s decimal and date conventions. Check the resulting values, not just the characters visible in the grid.
Formula examples written for another locale may need different argument separators. Function-name language is a separate setting; Sheets provides an option to keep English function names. Do not perform a blanket punctuation replacement inside every formula, because commas can also belong to text literals.
Coordinate the shared change
Tell collaborators which conventions the file now expects. Review import steps and exports, since a source using a different decimal convention still needs deliberate interpretation. Existing misread dates will not necessarily repair themselves when the locale changes.
Verify a small total and a known date independently, then inspect a downstream report. If only one column needs a different presentation, a custom cell format may meet that need with less disruption. Keep time-zone decisions explicit for timestamp calculations rather than assuming they follow automatically from the selected country or the editor’s current device location.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.