# How to use tool finder in Google Sheets on Mac: shortcut, steps, and fixes

> Learn how to use tool finder in Google Sheets on Mac: press Option + /, type a task, and pick the match. Includes fixes when it fails.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/use-the-tool-finder-in-google-sheets
Updated: 2026-11-06

In Google Sheets on a Mac, the tool finder is a search box in the toolbar at the top of the window. Press Option + / (⌥ + /), type a short task such as freeze rows, and pick the matching action from the list.

## Quick answer

- Press Option + / (⌥ + /) in Google Sheets on a Mac to open the tool finder, with the sheet active.
- Type a short task, such as freeze rows or find and replace, then click the match you want.
- The tool finder used to be called Search the menus. Google's 2023 Help menu redirect was described as temporary.
- If the shortcut does nothing, click the Search icon in the toolbar, then test again in a private window.
- Sheets has no native Mac app. Google's help pages describe it as browser-based, so you use it in a browser or a Chrome web app.

Applies to: Google Sheets in a browser on macOS, using the Option + / shortcut. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac keyboard with an Option key and a slash key
- A Google Sheets file open in a browser
- Edit access to the file, if you want to run an action from the list
- Chrome, only if you want the optional Dock window

## How to Open the tool finder in Google Sheets on Mac in Google Sheets on a Mac

1. **Open the spreadsheet in your browser.** Go to sheets.google.com in your browser and open the file you want to edit. Google Sheets has no separate Mac app, so the browser is the app you use. Tip: Test in a normal window first. A private window works too if you need to rule out extensions.
2. **Click a cell.** Click any cell in the sheet so the page has focus. The shortcut works best when the sheet is active, not the address bar.
3. **Press Option + /.** Shortcut: ⌥ + /. Hold Option, press the slash key, then let go of both. The tool finder opens in the toolbar at the top of the window. Tip: Do not add Shift. Shift + / types a question mark, not a slash.
4. **Type a short task.** Type two or three words, such as freeze rows. The list updates as you type, and Google says the tool finder suggests related actions while you type.
5. **Choose the matching action.** Click the action that matches your task. Read the label first, because choosing a match runs that action in your file. Tip: If no match fits, change one word and check the list again.
6. **Check the sheet.** Look at the sheet before you move on. For a freeze, scroll down and confirm the rows you chose stay in place while the rest moves.
7. **Use the toolbar Search icon instead.** (Toolbar > Search icon) If the shortcut fails, click the Search icon in the toolbar. Google's Help Center describes this route, so use it while you test the shortcut. Tip: Clicking the icon is the simplest backup.
8. **Try the older Help menu path.** (Help > Search the menus) In 2023, Google said this item would redirect to the tool finder, and that the redirect was temporary. Check whether the item is still there before you rely on it. Tip: If you do not see it, skip this step and use the Search icon.
9. **Make Sheets a Chrome window (optional).** (Three-dot menu > More Tools > Create Shortcut) Open Chrome's three-dot menu, go to More Tools, and choose Create Shortcut. Check Open as window, then click Create. Sheets opens in its own window, which you can keep in the Dock. Tip: This makes a Chrome web app. It is not a native Mac program.

The tool finder is Google's search box for menus and tools in Docs, Sheets, Slides and Vids. In Sheets, it sits in the toolbar at the top of the window. Google's help article says it finds menu items and tools, shows recommended actions, and suggests related actions as you type. Google used to call it Search the menus. The name changed, and the job is the same. You describe what you want, and Sheets lists the matching actions.

![Person at a Mac laptop working in a spreadsheet, learning how to use tool finder in Google Sheets on Mac](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/use-the-tool-finder-in-google-sheets/how-to-use-tool-finder-in-google-1-cafc34.jpg)

## Open the tool finder with Option + /

On a Mac, press Option + / (⌥ + /). Google lists that shortcut as Tool finder on its official Sheets keyboard page, and the tool finder help article gives the same key. Option is the key marked ⌥, beside Command. On most US keyboards, the slash has its own key, just left of the right Shift key. Press both keys together, then let go. The tool finder opens in the toolbar, and you start typing from there.

![Close view of a laptop keyboard, with the Option and slash keys used in how to use tool finder in Google Sheets](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/use-the-tool-finder-in-google-sheets/how-to-use-tool-finder-in-google-3-888541.jpg)

## Search the menus: the older name for the same tool

Google's 2023 announcement called this feature Search the menus. It said Help > Search the menus would redirect to the tool finder from April 25, 2023 for Rapid Release domains. The date for Scheduled Release domains was June 21, 2023. Google described that redirect as temporary, so check whether the Help menu still shows the item before you rely on it. The toolbar Search icon is the route the Help Center describes.

## Type a task, not a menu path

The tool finder works best when you describe a task. You can type a menu name, but you do not need to know where it lives. PCWorld reported that the search bar accepts menu names or plain-language descriptions. Start with two or three words, such as freeze rows. Add more words only if the list is too broad. Use the words you would say to a colleague, not the labels from a Google help page.

## Examples of tool finder searches

| What you type | What it helps you find |
| --- | --- |
| freeze rows | The freeze action for rows. Google suggests freezing rows and columns right after a file is created. |
| find and replace | Find & replace. Google's help article says the tool finder can activate it after you enter content. |
| insert a row above | The action that inserts a row above your current row. |

_Sample searches. The list you see depends on your sheet and the actions Sheets offers._

Each row above is a search you can run from the same box. The goal is not to memorize the menu tree. The goal is to say what you want the same way each time. Pick two or three tasks you repeat in your own sheets. Test each one once so you know what the list looks like. For exact steps on two of them, see [how to find and replace in Google Sheets on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/find-and-replace-text-in-google-sheets) or [how to insert a row above in Google Sheets on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/insert-a-row-above-in-google-sheets).

## Keyboard shortcuts to keep straight

- ⌥ + /: opens the tool finder on a Mac. This is the shortcut for this guide.
- ⌘ + /: shows the common keyboard shortcuts list. It is a separate action, so do not mix them up.
- Alt + /: opens the tool finder on Windows and ChromeOS. Mac users can ignore it.

Google's full keyboard shortcut page is long. Bookmark it, and search the page when you need one specific key. Keep the Mac entries next to the Windows entries so you do not mix up the modifier keys when you switch computers.

## Google Sheets has no Mac app, so use Chrome

Google does not offer a native Mac app for Sheets. You open it at sheets.google.com in a browser. Google Drive for Desktop syncs your files to Finder, but it still opens Sheets in the browser. If you want Sheets in its own window and Dock icon, Chrome can make a web app. Open the three-dot menu, go to More Tools, choose Create Shortcut, check Open as window, then click Create. The Bricks guide describes this route. It is still Chrome underneath, so run the shortcut test again inside that window.

## Why hidden menus are hard to find

- **42%** Average desktop navigation use across six websites, 2016 NN/g study of 179 participants ([source](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/find-navigation-desktop-not-hamburger/))
- **17%** Navigation use on Slate, a site that fully hides its navigation under a hamburger menu ([source](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/find-navigation-desktop-not-hamburger/))

A search box helps when people cannot find a command. A 2016 Nielsen Norman Group study tested six websites with 179 participants. Average desktop navigation use across those sites was 42%. On Slate, which fully hid its navigation under a hamburger menu, the figure was 17%. That study covered websites, not spreadsheets, so treat it as a hint. It still fits the idea behind the tool finder. When commands are tucked away, a visible entry point helps people find them.

![Laptop and notebook on an office desk, the setting for a quick Google Sheets task](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/use-the-tool-finder-in-google-sheets/how-to-use-tool-finder-in-google-2-4d7082.jpg)

## Mistakes people make with the tool finder

- Pressing ⌘ + / by mistake. That opens the shortcut list, not the tool finder.
- Pressing the shortcut while the address bar has focus. Click into the sheet first.
- Expecting every menu item to appear. The list shows matches and suggestions, not the whole menu tree.
- Trusting an old path. Help > Search the menus was a 2023 redirect that Google called temporary.
- Typing a full sentence. Start with two or three words, then add more if the list is too broad.
- Choosing a result without reading it. Each match runs an action in your file.

## When the tool finder will not open

Google's help pages do not list troubleshooting steps for the tool finder. No official fix for a failing Option + / on a Mac is published. Browser or extension interference is possible, but it is not confirmed. Start with the simple checks. Click a cell so the sheet tab has focus, then try the shortcut again. If it still fails, open the same file in a private window and test there. Extensions can sometimes take over key presses. If the private window works, turn your extensions off one at a time.

If the shortcut stays dead, click the Search icon in the toolbar. The help article describes that icon as a way in, so use it while you test the shortcut. Once the shortcut works again, go back to it. It is faster when your hands are already on the keyboard.

## Closing the tool finder without changing the sheet

Google's help article does not say how to close the tool finder, so test it on your own screen. Clicking a cell in the sheet returns you to your work. Choosing a result is the risky step, because it runs that action. Read the match before you select it. If you are not sure what a match will do, skip it and check the sheet first.

## Does the tool finder suit you?

If you use Sheets now and then, the tool finder saves you from hunting through menus. If you work in Sheets all day, learn the few shortcuts you use every day. The search box adds a step each time, and a shortcut you already know is faster. Use the tool finder for the tasks you forget, and keep your daily shortcuts for the rest.

## Where to go next in Google Sheets

Once the tool finder works, pick one task to learn well. Freezing is a good test case because Google suggests it for new files. For exact steps, use [how to freeze columns in Google Sheets on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/freeze-columns-in-google-sheets) or [how to freeze the top row in Google Sheets on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/freeze-the-top-row-in-google-sheets). To undo a freeze later, use [how to unfreeze rows and columns in Google Sheets on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/unfreeze-rows-and-columns-in-google-sheets).

If you clean data or build reports in Sheets, the data analyst guide covers the next layer of work: [Google Sheets for data analysts on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/data-analysts/google-sheets). Start with the tool finder, then move to cleanup and pivots once the basics feel routine.

## Shortcuts

- Open the tool finder on a Mac: ⌥ + /
- Show common keyboard shortcuts (a different action): ⌘ + /
- Open the tool finder on Windows and ChromeOS: Alt + /

## If it does not work

- **Option + / does nothing** Click a cell so the sheet has focus, then press the shortcut again. Test in a private window to rule out extensions. Google's help pages list no official fix, so treat these checks as suggestions.
- **Pressing ⌘ + / shows a list of shortcuts instead** That shortcut shows the common keyboard shortcuts. Press Option + / for the tool finder instead.
- **The list does not show the menu item you expected** The list shows matches and suggestions, not the whole menu. Try a shorter phrase or a synonym before you give up.
- **The Help > Search the menus item is missing** Google's 2023 post called that path a temporary redirect. Use the Search icon in the toolbar instead.
- **The tool finder will not close** The help article does not say how to close it. Click a cell in the sheet to return focus. Esc may also work, but Google does not document it.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the tool finder in Sheets?”: Lazur circles the Search icon in the toolbar and labels it, so you know where to click. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Is there a Google Sheets app for Mac?

Not a native one. Sheets runs in your browser at sheets.google.com, and Google's shortcut page describes it as a browser product. You can create a Chrome web app that opens Sheets in its own window and sits in the Dock. Google Drive for Desktop syncs files to Finder but still opens Sheets in the browser.

### What is the Mac shortcut for the tool finder?

Option + / (⌥ + /). Google's official Sheets keyboard shortcut page lists it as Tool finder, formerly Search the menus. Command + / is a different action. It shows the common keyboard shortcuts list.

### Is Search the menus still available?

The feature is now called Tool finder. Google's 2023 announcement said Help > Search the menus would redirect to the tool finder, and it called that redirect temporary. Check the Help menu on your screen before you rely on it, and use the toolbar Search icon if the item is missing.

### Does my Google account type matter?

Not for access. Google's 2023 post says the tool finder is available to all Google Workspace customers, including legacy G Suite Basic and Business, and to personal Google Accounts. Admins have no control over the feature.

### Does the tool finder suggest actions for a new file?

Yes. Google's 2023 post says the tool finder suggests common actions right after a file is created, such as freezing rows and columns in Sheets.

### Does the same feature work in Docs and Slides?

Google's help article covers the tool finder for Docs, Sheets, Slides and Vids, so the feature is shared across those apps. The article lists Option + / for Mac. Check the Docs or Slides help pages for any app-specific differences.

### Why does the tool finder show results I did not expect?

The list shows matches for your words and the actions Sheets offers in that file. Try a shorter phrase or a synonym before you give up. The help article does not explain how results are ordered, so expect some trial and error.

### What should I learn after the tool finder?

Pick one task you repeat, and learn its exact steps. A good first pick is freezing rows, because Google suggests it for new files. The [freeze columns guide](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/freeze-columns-in-google-sheets) and the [insert a row above guide](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/insert-a-row-above-in-google-sheets) cover two other common jobs.

## Sources

1. [Keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets - Computer - Google Docs Editors Help](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/181110?hl=en), Google, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Tool finder for Docs, Sheets, Slides and Vids - Google Docs Editors Help](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/13466905?hl=en), Google, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Google Workspace Updates: Enhancing tool discovery in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides](https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/04/enhancing-tool-discovery-google-docs-sheets-slides%20.html), Google Workspace Updates Blog, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets are getting a new search tool](https://www.pcworld.com/article/1799717/google-docs-slides-and-sheets-are-getting-a-new-search-tool.html), PCWorld, checked 2026-11-07
5. [How to Add Google Sheets to Desktop on Mac](https://www.thebricks.com/resources/guide-how-to-add-google-sheets-to-desktop-mac), The Bricks, checked 2026-11-07
6. [Beyond the Hamburger: What Makes Navigation Discoverable on Desktops](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/find-navigation-desktop-not-hamburger/), Nielsen Norman Group, checked 2026-11-07