Google Sheets: triggers aren't instant
Written by Owner
Updated at August 20th, 2025
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Table of Contents
Your Zap uses a Google Sheet trigger, and it’s not running instantly as expected. It takes a few minutes for the Zap to run. This can be confusing since the trigger is labeled as "instant."
Causes
The triggers for Google Sheets are unique among Zapier triggers. It uses both polling and instant trigger methods. This process takes about 3 minutes overall.
How to fix it
There are two ways to approach this issue:
- Continue using Google Sheet triggers. While Google Sheet triggers may take up to 3 minutes to trigger your Zaps, they remain a viable option if the delay is acceptable.
- Change your spreadsheet app. Consider using an alternative spreadsheet app such as Zapier Tables if you require an instant trigger. You can view all of our spreadsheet apps in our App Directory.