IMAGE in Google Sheets displays a picture inside a cell from an image URL. Use =IMAGE(A2) when A2 contains the address. The default mode fits the picture while preserving its proportions.
Insert an Image with the Default Mode
Enter this public example URL in A2:
https://www.google.com/images/srpr/logo3w.pngEnter the formula in E2:
=IMAGE(A2)
The example displays Google’s logo inside E2. Increase the row height and column width if it is too small. This is an image used to demonstrate the function, not GeoSheets branding.
IMAGE Function Syntax
=IMAGE(url, [mode], [height], [width])The URL must point to an accessible image resource, including its protocol. Use quotation marks around a literal URL, or reference a cell containing it. Height and width apply to custom mode 4.
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 1 or omitted | Fit inside the cell; preserve proportions |
| 2 | Fill the cell; distort proportions if needed |
| 3 | Use original size; crop if the cell is too small |
| 4 | Use the specified pixel height and width |
IMAGE does not resize cells. Adjust row height and column width separately. Even custom mode 4 can be cropped if the destination cell does not provide enough room.
Fit to the Cell with Mode 1
=IMAGE(A2,1)This matches the default formula. The full image fits inside the cell without changing its aspect ratio. Depending on the image and cell proportions, unused space can remain above, below, or beside it.
Stretch to Fill the Cell with Mode 2
=IMAGE(A2,2)Mode 2 fills the available width and height. If the cell has different proportions from the source image, the picture looks stretched or compressed. Use mode 1 when shape must be preserved.
Keep the Original Image Size with Mode 3
=IMAGE(A2,3)Mode 3 uses the image’s original size. A cell that is too small crops it rather than expanding automatically. Enlarge the row and column if you need to see the complete original-sized image.
Set a Custom Height and Width with Mode 4
=IMAGE(A2,4,60,120)The requested size is 60 pixels high by 120 pixels wide. Height comes before width. Make the row at least 60 pixels high and the column at least 120 pixels wide to provide room.
These dimensions can change the image’s proportions. For uniform catalog thumbnails, choose dimensions that suit the source images, or use mode 1 inside consistently sized cells.
Choose an Image URL with a Lookup
=IMAGE(VLOOKUP("Logo",{"Logo",A2},2,FALSE))This looks up the label Logo, retrieves A2’s URL, and displays the image. In a catalog, replace the small array with your item-and-URL table. An exact lookup avoids displaying an unrelated item’s picture.
Use a Supported Image Source
Google’s IMAGE documentation excludes URLs hosted at drive.google.com and SVG files. Making a Drive file public does not remove that documented limitation. Use the image insertion interface for an appropriate Drive image instead.
A gallery page or file-sharing page is not necessarily a direct image resource. Check that the URL serves the image and does not require sign-in.
Hosting restrictions can still prevent an otherwise visible image from loading.
Google also restricts volatile functions in the base URL, including NOW and RAND. Keep the host and base address stable. Do not assume a formula will bypass the image host’s access rules.
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