IF Function in Google Sheets
Returns one value when a condition is true and a different value when false. The foundation of conditional logic in spreadsheets and the most-used Google Sheets function after SUM.
Syntax
IF(logical_expression, value_if_true, value_if_false)Returns: Either value_if_true or value_if_false depending on the condition.
Excel equivalent: IF (identical)
Parameters
| Name | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| logical_expression | Required | A comparison that evaluates to TRUE or FALSE. |
| value_if_true | Required | What to return when logical_expression is TRUE. |
| value_if_false | Required | What to return when logical_expression is FALSE. |
Examples
Pass/fail by score
=IF(B2 >= 70, "Pass", "Fail")Returns "Pass" when B2 is 70 or above, "Fail" otherwise.
Discount only for premium customers
=IF(D2 = "Premium", C2 * 0.9, C2)Applies a 10% discount when the customer type in D2 is Premium, otherwise returns the original price in C2 unchanged.
Nested IF for letter grades
=IF(B2 >= 90, "A", IF(B2 >= 80, "B", IF(B2 >= 70, "C", "F")))Nested IF works but gets unwieldy fast. For more than 2-3 branches, use IFS instead — same result with much cleaner syntax.
When to use an alternative
- IFS — You have 3 or more conditions to check in sequence.
- SWITCH — You're comparing one value against a fixed list of possibilities.
- IFERROR — Your condition is specifically "did this formula error?"
Common errors and how to fix them
Comma-vs-semicolon confusion
Cause: Some locales use semicolons as argument separators.
Fix: Use commas in en-US locale. Check Spreadsheet settings if formulas fail to parse.
Quotes around numbers
Cause: Wrapping a number in quotes makes it a string: IF(A2 = "5", ...) won't match the number 5.
Fix: Drop quotes when comparing numbers. Only use quotes for text values.
Missing third argument
Cause: IF requires all three arguments in Google Sheets.
Fix: Always supply value_if_false — use IFERROR if you want to silently return blank on a missing condition.
Related functions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can IF return a formula instead of a value?
Yes. value_if_true and value_if_false can be any expression — IF(A2>100, SUM(B:B), AVERAGE(B:B)) is valid. Each branch only evaluates when its condition is met.
What's the maximum nesting depth for IF?
Google Sheets allows about 64 nested function calls. For practical purposes, more than 3 nested IFs becomes unreadable — switch to IFS or a lookup table at that point.