IMPORTHTML and IMPORTXML read supported structures from a URL. A page visible in your signed-in browser is not necessarily a source those functions can retrieve.
Check whether the source is suitable
Confirm the URL points to an authorized, publicly accessible source rather than a login screen or consent page. Content created only after browser-side interaction may not exist in the retrieved HTML.
IMPORTHTML selects a table or list using its one-based index. IMPORTXML uses an XPath query. A layout change can alter the relevant structure even when the page’s visible appearance is similar.
Read the actual error
Inspect the formula’s detailed message and reduce the requested output to a small known element. Check whether an external-data permission prompt requires an authorized editor’s action.
If an administrator has blocked imports from the URL, use the organization’s approved review process. Do not disable protection, publish private data, or add authentication tokens to a shared formula to bypass the restriction.
Verify meaning and ongoing reliability
Compare returned headers and several values with the original source. A nonempty table can still be the wrong table after an index changes. Preserve provenance and a freshness indicator for consequential data.
Use an official downloadable dataset or documented API when the publisher offers a more stable authorized route. Reduce repeated import calls if throttling occurs, and follow the source’s permitted-use conditions. Reopening the spreadsheet is not a guaranteed refresh trigger. If the original body cannot be fetched reliably, mark the output as unverified or stale instead of treating a cached-looking result as a current observation.
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.