By default, Google Sheets allows users to insert images one by one, not multiple images at once. If you need to easily bulk upload images to Google Sheets, we have the solution, FileDrop. FileDrop is a Google Sheets add-on that allows you to insert thousands of images in cells at once.
In this tutorial I’m going to show you how you can add images in bulk to your Google Sheets. This can be done by adding the images as links directly from Google Drive or inserting them as images in cells.
Step 1
What we need for uploading images to Google Sheets is the FileDrop Google Sheets add-on. If you don’t have it, please install it. With this add-on, you can add images in bulk and do a bit more than that.
Once the add-on is installed I click the Extensions menu – FileDrop – Start. Now what I want to do is add images to a column. At the moment, the addon does the insertion into columns, top to bottom.
Step 2
Go to the Settings tab and click the option that you need. We have 3 options to insert the images, add as links, add images over cells, and add images in cells. The image over cells option can be done only one at a time due to restrictions when adding many images to a sheet.
Step 3
If you want to share the Google Sheet and the images with other users or team members, you must also change the File Access Settings.
Step 4
Based on the options above we can start inserting our images.
a. Add as links
Now I’m going to go to the Upload tab and choose my files. I already have a list of product photos. I’m going to select a few and upload them.
The images are now uploaded directly to Google Drive and the names will appear in my Sheet in the column I’ve selected from the selected cell down.
The names of the files are linked directly to Google Drive files, I can copy them and use them somewhere else. Also, if I don’t want an image I can go over an image preview I can
either delete by clicking the icon or copy directly using the copy icon.
If I delete it, it will disappear as well from my Google Sheets as well and it will be deleted from Google Drive.
b. Insert images in cells
So that is the first option, the name of the images inserted in the cells. Now if I go back to Settings and I select the Image to Cell option, Here you can also set the cell size and adjust the width and height of the image to fit your needs.
I click on the upload area so I can choose the files, also, I can just drag and drop images to the upload area. The images are uploading and are inserted into the cells automatically.
c. Insert over cells
You can add the images over cells in your spreadsheet. The image can be moved around over different cells area by left click and hold and also resized.
Video Tutorial on how to Upload Images Via Drag and Drop
Here is a video that explains the process of adding images to Google Sheets cells via the drag and drop interface of FileDrop.
Other options
Add only the selected images
If you already have the images in a Google Drive fodler using the FileDrop’s Drive tab navigate to the folder where your files are and just click and select the files you want to add to your spreadsheet by holding the Shift button.
Start the Image Kit sidebar from the Tools Menu. Add your Google Drive folder id and click the List images button. You can list thousands of images at a time.
List all files from the folder
The other option you have is to list all the files you have in a Google Drive folder in the current Sheet. You can do that by navigating in the Drive tab to the folder where you have your images and clicking the insert all files button. This will insert all the files, not just images.
Video Tutorial for Bulk Image Insert
View a quick tutorial on how to add the images in bulk in Google Sheets with the Image Kit sidebar.
Conclusion
With FileDrop you have several options to insert images in Google Sheets cells:
- Via drag and drop interface
- Selected files from a Drive folder
- Bulk insert via our insert all files button
- Bulk insert via the Image Kit Sidebar
FileDrop is the easiest way to add images in bulk to your Google Sheets.
FAQ
Can I list all images from a Google Drive folder in my Google Sheet?
Yes, use the Image Kit sidebar from FileDrop to insert hundreds of images at once. Enter your Google Drive folder ID and click “List images” to add a list of all images from that folder.
How do I use FileDrop to add only selected images from a Google Drive folder?
Use the Drive tab in FileDrop to navigate to your folder, select specific images by holding down the Shift key, and add only those images.
What are the steps to bulk upload images to Google Sheets?
Step 1: Install FileDrop, and then select the column where you want the images inserted.
Step 2: Go to the Settings tab and choose how you want to insert the images: as links, in cells, or over cells.
Step 3: If you need to share the images with team members, adjust the File Access Settings.
Step 4: Go to the Upload tab, select or drag and drop your image files, and FileDrop will insert them based on your chosen settings.
What are the available options for inserting images with FileDrop?
Add as Links: Inserts links to images stored in Google Drive.
Insert Images in Cells: Places images within cells, where you can adjust cell size to fit.
Insert Over Cells: Adds images above cells, allowing you to move and resize them as needed.
Can I adjust the size of images inserted in cells?
Yes, in the Settings tab, you can customize cell dimensions to fit your images’ width and height.
Alternatively, you can resize images in Google Sheets cells by clicking on the left corner of your Google Sheet holding the shift key, this will select all the cells. First drag the divider line between the rows downward to increase the row height, then drag the divider between the columns to increase the width.
Images don’t show when I try to download the file as PDF or Excel XLSX, why is that?
Because the images are called from their location in the Google Sheet cell, but we have the solution for that. Using the Embed Images function of FileDrop you can embed in the cells the images and your PDF or Excel file will contain the images you added.
The Bottom Line:
One keeps you awake. The other gets work done.
A month of coffee: $150
A month of FileDrop: $9.99
Why not have both?
