Why Your iPhone Keeps Redirecting Google Sheets Links to the App Store (and How to Fix It)

If your iPhone keeps sending you to the App Store every time you tap a Google Sheets link, you’re not alone. This is a common issue that happens even when the Sheets app is already installed and updated.

Method 1: Open the Google Sheets Link in Safari Manually

1. Copy the Google Sheets link from your text message or email.
2. Open the Safari browser on your iPhone.
3. Paste the link into the address bar and hit Enter.
4. When the page loads, look for a banner or button at the top that says “Open in the Sheets app.”
5. Tap “Open” — this should correctly launch the Google Sheets file in the app without redirecting you to the App Store.

Method 2: Clear Default App Links in Settings

1. Go to your iPhone Settings.
2. Scroll down and find “Google Sheets.”
3. Tap it and look for any link or default browser settings.
4. Toggle off “Open Links in App” if available, then toggle it back on.
5. Retry opening the link.

Method 3: Use the Google Drive App as a Workaround

1. Open the Google Drive app (install or update if necessary).
2. Paste the Google Sheets link into the search bar at the top of Drive.
3. When the file appears, open it directly from Drive — this bypasses the Safari-to-App Store loop.

Method 4: Reinstall Both Google Sheets and Google Drive Together

1. Delete the Google Sheets app and the Google Drive app from your iPhone.
2. Restart your iPhone completely.
3. Reinstall Google Drive first, then Google Sheets.
4. Sign back into your Google account and test opening a shared link again.
5. This order helps reset the iOS “app association” that sometimes breaks when the app updates separately.

Method 5: Open Google Sheets in Chrome Instead of Safari

1. Install Google Chrome if you don’t already have it.
2. Copy the Google Sheets link.
3. Paste the link into Chrome and hit Enter.
4. You should again see the “Open in the Sheets app” banner — tap that to open the correct file.
5. If Safari continues to cause issues, set Chrome as your default browser in Settings → Chrome → Default Browser App → Chrome.

Method 6: Disable Universal Links Cache
Sometimes, iOS caches broken link associations.

1. Open the App Store and search “Google Sheets.”
2. Tap and hold the “Open” button — this refreshes the universal link setting.
3. Go back to Messages or Mail and try tapping the shared Google Sheets link again.

Method 7: Use Google’s Web Version When All Else Fails

1. Copy the link and open it in Safari.
2. When asked to open in the app, tap “Cancel.”
3. Scroll down and tap “Use web version.”
4. You can now view and even edit the file directly in Safari without needing the app.

Method 8: Contact Apple or Google Support if Problem Persists
If you’ve tried everything and your phone still redirects links to the App Store, it may be a deeper iOS-to-Google link association bug. You can:

1. Contact Apple Support through the Apple Support app.
2. Report the issue in the Google Sheets app (Settings → Help & Feedback → Send Feedback).
3. Describe that the app is installed and up to date but links from Messages or Mail always open the App Store instead of the file.

These steps should stop the frustrating cycle of being redirected to the App Store and help you open shared Google Sheets links properly on your iPhone.