Gridlines in Excel help users distinguish individual cells within a spreadsheet. However, in some cases, they might not be necessary. Depending on your needs, you can hide them to make your worksheet look cleaner. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to enable or disable gridlines in Excel.
Nội dung
1. Understanding Gridlines in Excel
What Are Gridlines in Excel?
Gridlines in Excel are faint lines that divide cells into columns and rows. These intersecting lines help users visually separate data within the spreadsheet, making navigation easier.
When working in Excel, gridlines allow you to identify cell locations without referring to row and column headers. They are especially useful when referencing data ranges in formulas. Thanks to gridlines, inputting data and formatting tables become more efficient.
Unlike Microsoft Word, where text automatically wraps to the next line when it reaches the margin, Excel does not automatically adjust text within a cell. This means that text might overflow into adjacent cells if the content is too long. Gridlines help you see the boundaries of each cell, allowing better control over content placement.
Why Hide Gridlines in Excel?
Once all formulas and calculations are set up, gridlines may no longer be necessary. Instead of keeping them visible, you can remove them to improve the visual appeal of your worksheet. This makes the spreadsheet look cleaner and more professional. Below, we will explore different ways to hide or remove gridlines in Excel.
2. How to Hide Gridlines in Excel
Temporarily Hiding Gridlines
By default, Excel displays gridlines. If you want to hide them temporarily:
- Go to View > Show group > Uncheck Gridlines.
- The gridlines will disappear, making the spreadsheet look blank.
Shortcut: Use Alt + W + VG to toggle gridlines quickly.
To restore gridlines, repeat the steps above and check the Gridlines box again.
Hiding Gridlines Using Cell Fill Color
Another way to hide gridlines is by changing the background color of the worksheet:
- Select the entire worksheet (
Ctrl + A). - Go to Home > Fill Color (paint bucket icon).
- Choose White.
Note:
- This method removes gridlines while still allowing borders to be applied.
- However, using this method on large datasets may slow down Excel.
- This is not the correct way to disable gridlines but can be a temporary fix.
Permanently Disabling Gridlines
If you want Excel to always start without gridlines, follow these steps:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced.
- Scroll to Display options for this worksheet.
- Uncheck Show gridlines.
- Click OK to save changes.
You can re-enable gridlines anytime by checking the Show gridlines option again.
3. Gridlines vs. Borders: Key Differences
Although gridlines and borders both help separate data in Excel, they serve different purposes. Below is a detailed comparison:
| Feature | Gridlines | Borders |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Helps identify cells while working | Enhances table formatting and highlights data |
| Customization | Cannot change color or thickness | Can be customized (color, thickness, style) |
| Printing | Not visible in print (unless enabled) | Always visible when printing |
| Scope | Affects the entire worksheet | Can be applied to specific cells, rows, or columns |
| ⚙ How to Enable/Disable | View > Gridlines | Home > Borders |
When to Use Gridlines vs. Borders?
✔ Use Gridlines when working with raw data that does not need to be printed or presented professionally.
✔ Use Borders when formatting tables, improving readability, and preparing data for printing.
Pro Tip: If you need to print gridlines, go to Page Layout > Sheet Options > Check Print under Gridlines.
4. Summary
In this article, we have explored gridlines in Excel, how to hide them, and how to make them visible again when needed. Remember, you can enable or disable gridlines anytime during your work process, depending on your needs.
Hopefully, this short guide has helped you understand how to hide gridlines in Excel quickly and easily, making your spreadsheet look cleaner and more professional. To learn more Excel tips and tricks, check out other related articles on the LammocOffice blog!
See more: Drop Down List in Excel (Complete Guide)