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How to use Google Sheets with VS Code

You want Google Sheets inside VS Code so it can audit a workbook for data issues, review spreadsheet changes and comments, update a recurring planning sheet, and close out spreadsheet discussions — without you copy-pasting between tabs. Here is the whole setup, once.

Create your Google Sheets gateway

The gateway is the thing VS Code connects to, and it is where you decide which Google Sheets tools an agent may use. You create it once and every client reuses it.

  1. Create an Arcade account

    Sign up and open the dashboard. The free tier is enough to follow this through.

  2. Create an MCP Gateway and select your Google Sheets tools

    In the dashboard, create a gateway and pick the Google Sheets tools you want to expose. The gateway is what your client connects to, and it is where tool access is decided.

  3. Copy your gateway URL

    Every client below needs it.

    https://api.arcade.dev/mcp/<YOUR-GATEWAY-SLUG>

Create a Google Sheets gateway Opens the gateway builder in your Arcade dashboard.

Connect the gateway to VS Code

  1. Add the server

    VS Code 1.107.0 or higher. Command Palette → MCP: Add Server… → choose HTTP, paste your gateway URL, and name it something like mcp-arcade.

  2. Start it and authenticate

    Click Start next to the server in mcp.json or under Extensions → MCP Servers - Installed, then approve the Arcade sign-in and consent screens.

  3. Try it out

    Open the chat pane, switch to Agent mode, and ask it to use one of your Google Sheets tools.

Full VS Code guide in the docs steps verified 2026-08-13

Try these spreadsheet prompts

VS Code can now act on your Google Sheets account. Click a prompt to copy it.

Control which spreadsheets an agent can read or edit, and require approval before it changes cells or comments. Pair it with Contextual Access policies so a prompt injection cannot turn a read-only spreadsheet task into an unauthorized edit.

Ready to actually ship your agent?

Free to start. Ready for enterprise when you are.