How to reverse text on Google Spreadsheets?

Question

When I enter data in a Google Spreadsheets cell, I would like the text to reverse itself.

For instance, I would like to put in a cell My text and get it converted to txet yM.

Answer 1

You will need to install and use a script to do it.

1. In your spreadsheet, select Tools → Script Gallery → Insert....
2. Search for reverse. You should see String.reverse().
3. Click Install, then Authorize.
4. Close the Script Gallery.

To use the script, type =REVERSE(A1) where A1 is the cell with the text you want to reverse.

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If you are using the new Google Sheets, the Script Gallery is not available. You will need to create your own custom function.

1. Select Tools → Script editor...
2. Select Blank project

3. Replace the code with:

   /**
    * Reverses the input text.
    *
    * @param {string} input The text to reverse.
    * @return The input text reversed.
    * @customfunction
    */
   function REVERSE(string) {
     if (typeof string != 'string') {
       return null;
     }
     return string.split('').reverse().join('');
   }
   

4. Save, return to your spreadsheet, and use =REVERSE(A1) as described above.

Answer 2

As Ben Collins writes in his Blog you can extract all letters and concatenate them in reverse order using an ArrayFormula without any script:

Use =ArrayFormula(concatenate(MID(A1,LEN(A1)-ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A1)))+1,1)) to reverse the content of A1.

This will not trigger your Google apps limits as easily as the script solution.

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-> example sheet