Get started with Numbers on iPad

Numbers makes it easy to create organised, professional-looking spreadsheets. Here’s how to get started.

The template chooser, showing a row of categories across the top that you can tap to filter the options. Below are thumbnails of pre-designed templates arranged in rows by category, starting with Basic at the top and followed by Personal Finance, Personal, Business and Education. A See All button appears above and to the right of each category row. The Cancel button is in the top-left corner.

Choose a template

Creating a budget? Tracking your savings? Drafting an invoice? Numbers has templates outfitted with tables, charts and formulas to help you get started. Go to the Numbers app and tap Choose a Template to open the template chooser.

The Numbers window with the charts menu opened from the toolbar.

Add tables, charts and more

You can add objects such as text boxes, photos and charts to your spreadsheet. To add an object to your spreadsheet, tap one of the object buttons in the middle of the toolbar at the top of your screen, then select an object from the menu.

The Numbers window with a table selected. The Format menu is also open, showing different chart styles to choose from, as well as buttons to edit series or edit chart references. There are also options to turn off the chart title, caption and legend, change the chart style or type, and add a reference line, trendlines and error bars.

Change the look of your sheet

You can change the look of an object — like its fill colour, border, shadow and more. Tap an object to select it, then tap to open the formatting controls. Each object has its own formatting options; when you select an image, for example, you see only controls for formatting images.

The Numbers window showing a cell selected in a table. The selected cell shows a formula result and values referenced in the formula are highlighted. The bottom of the window shows the full formula and the formula keyboard.

Work with formulas and functions

You can create simple or complex arithmetic formulas to perform calculations on the values in your tables. To open the formula keyboard, tap a cell, tap at the bottom of the screen, then tap above the keyboard on the right.

The Numbers window showing the Share menu, with options to send a copy of the spreadsheet, export and send in a different format, or print or save the spreadsheet to the Files app.

Export your spreadsheet

You can send a copy of your spreadsheet as a Numbers file or in another format, such as PDF, Excel or CSV. Tap in the toolbar, then tap Send Copy or Export and Send, which sends your spreadsheet in a format other than a Numbers file.

Want to learn more?

Helpful?

Numbers User Guide for iPad