Google Sheets•2 min read
Google Sheets 2026: New Functions and Features Update
Google added new functions and AI features to Sheets in 2026. See what changed, from new formulas to Gemini integration.
SheetHub••2 min
Google Sheets received several notable updates in 2026. Two new functions were added, Gemini AI integration expanded, and performance for large spreadsheets improved significantly.
Google introduced two new functions exclusive to Sheets:
ADVANCEFILTER extends FILTER with OR logic built-in:
The third argument lets you choose AND or OR — something that required complex array formulas before.
EXPANDREF dynamically expands a reference based on a count:
This is especially useful for dashboards where the data range changes size.
Gemini integration in Google Sheets expanded significantly:
Google Sheets now handles larger datasets more efficiently:
Connected Sheets (BigQuery integration) now supports:
Try ADVANCEFILTER if you frequently combine FILTER with OR conditions. It is simpler than using
Two New Functions
=ADVANCEFILTER(A2:D100, B2:B100="East", C2:C100>500, "OR")=EXPANDREF(A2:A10, COUNTA(B2:B100))Gemini AI in Sheets
- Build with Gemini — Describe what you want in plain English, and Gemini builds the formula, chart, or pivot table for you
- Fill with Gemini — Now available in 11 additional languages (total 18 languages supported)
- Smart categorize — Gemini can analyze a column of text and suggest category groupings
Performance Improvements
- 30% faster recalculation for sheets with 20+ IMPORTRANGE formulas
- Improved scrolling performance for sheets with 100,000+ rows
- Reduced memory usage for sheets with extensive conditional formatting
Connected Sheets Enhancements
- Real-time data refresh without manual sync
- Write-back to BigQuery tables directly from Sheets
- Improved data type preservation (dates, timestamps, decimals)
Pro Tips
+ inside FILTER.
Set up Gemini for formula help. Even experienced users find it faster to describe what they need than to look up syntax.
Related Articles
- QUERY Function Guide — Google Sheets most powerful function
- FILTER Function Guide — The predecessor to ADVANCEFILTER
- IMPORT Functions Guide — Import external data into Sheets
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