Make Google Sheets "Watch New Rows" not picking up new rows

Description and use

In a Make.com scenario, the Watch New Rows trigger fails to detect new rows due to blank rows, wrong tab, incorrect start point, or row manipulation. Removing blanks, correcting tab and header settings, resetting the start point, and treating the sheet as append‑only ensures reliable detection and single processing of new rows.

Problem

The Make.com Google Sheets Watch New Rows trigger fails to detect new rows when a blank row exists above them, the wrong tab or header row is selected, the start point is past the new rows, or rows are inserted, sorted or deleted.

Outcome

After cleaning the sheet, correcting trigger settings, and treating the tab as append‑only, the Watch New Rows trigger reliably captures new rows and processes them once.

Workflow

• Check that the trigger points to the correct spreadsheet and sheet name.
• Verify that the sheet contains headers and set the header row range if not in row 1.
• Remove any blank rows between headers and data.
• Reset the trigger’s "Choose where to start" to a point before the first unprocessed row and run once.
• Treat the watched tab as an append‑only log; sort data on a separate tab if needed.
• Add a filter after the trigger to ensure only rows with a key column value exist.
• If using formulas that fill entire columns, limit them to rows with data or move them to a separate tab.
• Use Search Rows on a schedule with a status column for hand‑typed sheets if needed.
• Ensure the scenario is on and the schedule and limit settings are appropriate.
• Optionally, use an Apps Script installable trigger to send new rows to a Make custom webhook for instant processing.

Evidence

Make's documentation for Watch New Rows says: if a sheet contains a blank row, Make doesn't process the rows after it.

Source

Make checks the sheet on the scenario's schedule (e.g. every 15 minutes) and returns new rows, up to the Limit you set.

Source

Reset "Choose where to start" to a point before the first unprocessed row, save, and click Run once.

Source