Configure the Sheets MCP server

Google Sheets offers a remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI agents to securely interact with Google Sheets data. By configuring the Google Sheets MCP server, you enable AI applications like Google Antigravity and Claude to perform actions in Google Sheets.

The Google Sheets MCP server provides a standardized way for AI agents to:

  • Read data: Retrieve cell values, sheet names, grid properties, and other spreadsheet metadata.
  • Take action: Update cell values, set formulas, insert rows/columns, and execute spreadsheet structural batch updates.
  • Respect security: Inherit the same permissions and data governance controls as the user.

Prerequisites

Configure the Google Sheets MCP server

To use the Google Sheets MCP server, you must enable it in your Google Cloud project and then configure your MCP client to connect to it.

Enable the APIs

To use the Google Sheets MCP server, you must enable the following API in your Google Cloud project:

  • Google Sheets API

CLI

gcloud services enable sheets.googleapis.com --project=PROJECT_ID

Replace PROJECT_ID with your Google Cloud project ID.

Console

Enable the APIs in the Google Cloud console:

Enable the APIs

Enable the MCP services

To enable the MCP components for Google Sheets, you must enable the following service in your Google Cloud project:

  • Google Sheets MCP API

CLI

gcloud services enable sheetsmcp.googleapis.com --project=PROJECT_ID

Replace PROJECT_ID with your Google Cloud project ID.

Console

Enable the MCP services in the Google Cloud console:

Enable the MCP services

The Google Sheets MCP server uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication and authorization. You must configure the OAuth consent screen before you can create an OAuth client ID.

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to Google Auth Platform > Branding.

    Go to Branding

  2. If you have already configured the Google Auth Platform, you can configure the following OAuth Consent Screen settings in Branding, Audience, and Data Access. If you see a message that says Google Auth Platform not configured yet, click Get Started:

    1. Under App Information, in App name, type Sheets MCP Server.
    2. In User support email, select your email address or an appropriate Google group.
    3. Click Next.
    4. Under Audience, select Internal. If you can't select Internal, select External.
    5. Click Next.
    6. Under Contact Information, enter an Email address where you can be notified about any changes to your project.
    7. Click Next.
    8. Under Finish, review the Google API Services User Data Policy and if you agree, select I agree to the Google API Services: User Data Policy.
    9. Click Continue.
    10. Click Create.
    11. If you selected External for user type, add test users:
      1. Click Audience.
      2. Under Test users, click Add users.
      3. Enter your email address and any other authorized test users, then click Save.

  3. Click Data Access > Add or Remove Scopes. A panel appears with a list of scopes for each API that you've enabled in your Google Cloud project.

    1. Under Manually add scopes, paste the scopes for the Google Sheets MCP server:

      • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly
      • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets.readonly

    2. Click Add to Table.

    3. Click Update.

    4. After selecting the scopes required by your app, on the Data Access page, click Save.

Configure your MCP client

To add the Google Sheets remote MCP server to your MCP client, follow the instructions for your client.

Antigravity

To add the Google Sheets remote MCP server to Antigravity, add the server configuration to your mcp_config.json file. These instructions support Antigravity 2.0, Antigravity IDE, and Antigravity CLI.

  1. Create an OAuth 2.0 client ID and secret:

    1. In the Google Cloud console, go to Google Auth Platform > Clients > Create Client

      Go to Create Client

    2. Select Web application as the application type.

    3. Enter a Name.

    4. In the Authorized redirect URIs section, click + Add URI, and then add https://antigravity.google/oauth-callback in the URIs field.

    5. Click Create and copy your Client ID and Client Secret.

  2. Open or create the configuration file ~/.gemini/antigravity/mcp_config.json.

  3. Add the mcpServers configuration to mcp_config.json:

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "sheets": {
      "serverUrl": "https://sheetsmcp.googleapis.com/mcp/v1",
      "oauth": {
        "clientId": "OAUTH_CLIENT_ID",
        "clientSecret": "OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET"
      }
    }
  }
}

    Replace the following:

    • OAUTH_CLIENT_ID: The client ID you created.
    • OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET: The client secret you created.

  4. Save mcp_config.json.

  5. Authenticate the MCP server. You can authenticate using either the GUI settings or the CLI:

    • For Antigravity IDE or GUI (Antigravity 2.0):

      1. Open your settings screen (e.g., click Settings at the bottom-left or open Antigravity User Settings).
      2. Navigate to Customizations.
      3. Under Installed MCP Servers, click Refresh.
      4. Find sheets in the list, click Authenticate, sign in to your Google Account, copy the authorization code, paste it into the input dialog, and click Submit.

    • For Antigravity CLI:

      1. Start Antigravity CLI:

        agy

      2. Open the interactive MCP management panel by running:

        /mcp

      3. Use the arrow keys to select sheets, move to the Authenticate action, and press Enter. Complete the sign-in flow in your browser, copy the authorization code, paste it into the terminal prompt, and press Enter.

  6. Verify that the server is correctly configured and running:

    • For Antigravity IDE or GUI: A Sign out button is displayed next to the server under Customizations > Installed MCP Servers.
    • For Antigravity CLI: Open the /mcp panel to view your configured MCP servers. Verified and authenticated servers display Authed next to their names inside the interactive TUI panel. You can select any server under the dashboard view to inspect its status and list all of its available tools.

The remote MCP server is ready to use in Antigravity.

Claude

To use the Google Sheets remote MCP server with Claude.ai or Claude Desktop, you must have the Claude Enterprise, Pro, Max, or Team plan.

To add the Google Sheets remote MCP server to Claude, configure a custom connector with an OAuth client ID and secret.

  1. Create an OAuth 2.0 client ID and secret:

    1. In the Google Cloud console, go to Google Auth Platform > Clients > Create Client

      Go to Create Client

    2. Select Web application as the application type.

    3. Enter a Name.

    4. In the Authorized redirect URIs section, click + Add URI, and then add https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback in the URIs field.

    5. Click Create and copy your Client ID and Client Secret.

  2. Configure the MCP server in Claude:

    1. In Claude.ai or Claude Desktop, go to Settings (or Admin settings) > Connectors.
    2. Click Add custom connector.
    3. Enter the connection details for the Google Sheets product:
      • Server name: Google Sheets.
      • Remote MCP server URL: https://sheetsmcp.googleapis.com/mcp/v1
    4. In Advanced settings, enter your OAuth client ID and OAuth client secret.
    5. Click Add.

Others

Many AI applications have ways to connect to a remote MCP server. You typically need to enter details about the server, like its name, endpoints, transport protocol, and authentication method. For the Google Sheets remote MCP server, enter the following:

  • Server name: sheets

  • Server URL: https://sheetsmcp.googleapis.com/mcp/v1

  • Transport: HTTP

  • Authentication: The Google Sheets remote MCP server uses OAuth 2.0. For details, see Learn about authentication and authorization.

For more details on connecting different types of clients, see Configure MCP in an AI application.

Test the Google Sheets MCP server

After you configure the MCP client, you can verify the connection by running some test prompts.

Try asking your MCP client the following questions:

  • "Read sheet Sheet1 from Google Sheet abcd123."

    The client fetches grid values using sheets.get_values.

  • "Insert a column at column index 2 in Google Sheet abcd123."

    The client performs sheets.insert_dimension to mutate columns.

If the tools execute successfully and you receive relevant responses, your Google Sheets MCP server is correctly configured.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues connecting to the MCP server, you can check for errors in the OAuth logs. Ask your administrator to check the OAuth log events in the security investigation tool.

Tool reference

The following tools are available for the Google Sheets MCP server:

  • get_values
  • get_spreadsheet
  • update_spreadsheet
  • update_values
  • update_formulas
  • insert_dimension

Important security consideration: Indirect prompt injection

When you expose a language model to untrusted data, there is a risk of an indirect prompt injection attack. Because MCP clients like Google Antigravity have access to powerful tools and APIs through the Google Sheets MCP server, they can read, modify, and delete data in your Google Account.

To mitigate these risks, follow these best practices:

  • Only use trusted tools. Never connect Google Sheets MCP server to untrusted or unverified applications.
  • Be cautious with untrusted inputs. Avoid asking your MCP client to process spreadsheets or other resources from unverified sources. These inputs may contain hidden instructions that can hijack your session, allowing an attacker to modify, steal, or delete your data.
  • Review all actions. Always carefully review the actions taken by your AI client on your behalf to ensure they are correct and align with your intentions.