Gridlines in Excel serve their purpose, aiding data alignment and readability. However, for a more polished presentation, you might want to consider their removal. In this article, we'll guide you how to remove gridlines from excel to enhance the visual appeal of your spreadsheets.
What is Gridline?
Gridlines in Excel serve as the subtle, guiding lines that delicately divide and distinguish cells within a worksheet. These lines are designed to be slightly less prominent in appearance compared to the boldness of borderlines, aiding in a clearer and more organized view of your data. They function as visual aids, helping you align and structure your content with precision. Think of them as the gentle boundaries that ensure your Excel sheet remains well-organized and easy to navigate, making your data manipulation tasks more efficient and your spreadsheet presentation more polished.
How to Remove Gridlines from Excel Worksheet?
Now, let's explore how to remove these gridlines from your Excel worksheet using various methods, allowing you to fine-tune the appearance of your spreadsheet and enhance its visual appeal.
Hide Gridlines (View Tab)
Transitioning from our discussion about gridlines, here's a step-by-step guide to hiding them using the "Hide Gridlines" feature found in the View tab:
Step 1: Start by opening your Excel workbook using the Excel application.
Step 2: Navigate to the View tab, conveniently located in the Excel toolbar.
Step 3: Click on "Page Layout" within the ribbon menu. This action will transform the display, enabling you to view your worksheet in a page-like format.
Step 4: While in the page layout view, locate the "Gridlines" checkbox in the Show section of the ribbon menu.
Step 5: By selecting this checkbox, you can completely remove the gridlines from your worksheet.
This method is remarkably effective and exceptionally straightforward. With just a few clicks, users can rid their worksheets of gridlines, providing them with a clearer picture of how their pages will appear when printed or in various other scenarios. This feature enhances the overall presentation of your Excel documents.
Fill Background Color
Moving on to our next method, we'll explore how to hide gridlines by changing the background color:
Step 1: Begin by selecting the specific range you wish to work with or the entire spreadsheet.
Step 2: Proceed to the Font group located on the HOME tab, then open the Fill Color drop-down list.
Step 3: From the drop-down list, select the color white to effectively remove the gridlines.
By following these steps, you'll notice that applying a white background creates the visual effect of concealed gridlines within your worksheet.
This method offers users the convenience of concealing gridlines without the need to remove them entirely. It's a valuable option for those who wish to enhance the presentation of their Excel documents while maintaining the gridlines for reference. However, keep in mind that this approach may not be suitable for everyone, and some users might face challenges related to choosing the right background color or readability, depending on the content of the spreadsheet.
Tip:
Users can use the Select All feature at the top left of the worksheet. This allows users to select the whole worksheet with just a single click.
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
Moving forward, let's delve into our final method: using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) to remove gridlines in an Excel worksheet.
Step 1: Start by clicking on the "Developer" tab located in the Excel spreadsheet.
Step 2: Next, go to the "Insert" option and select the "Command Button" from the "Active X Controls" section.
Step 3: Double-click on the newly added "Command Button" within the work area.
Step 4: In the dialog box that appears, either type or copy-paste the following code:
“Sub Hide_Gridlines()
Dim ws As Worksheet
'hide gridlines in a workbook
For Each ws In Worksheets
ws.Activate
ActiveWindow.DisplayGridlines = False
Next ws
End Sub”
Step 5: After entering the code, close the dialog box.
Step 6: Now, proceed to the "Macros" ribbon and run the code. This code effectively hides the gridlines throughout the entire workbook.
Although this method might initially appear a bit complex for users seeking a straightforward gridline removal, it offers the advantage of allowing users to add additional lines of code to perform various functions beyond gridline removal. These customized macros can then be saved for future use with a single click.
Tip:
While using this method, some users may encounter an error. This could be due to the presence of default lines, such as "Sub Hide_Gridlines()" and "End Sub", which are automatically added when creating a new module. To resolve this, simply edit and remove these extra lines and run the macro again
If you can't find the Developer tab in your Excel interface, it's likely because it hasn't been enabled. To enable it, follow these steps:
Step 1: Click on the main menu.
Step 2: Navigate to "Options".
Step 3: In the "Excel Options" window, select "Customize Ribbon".
Step 4: Look for the "Developer" tab in the list on the right. Ensure that the checkbox next to "Developer" is checked.
Which one to use?
For quick and simple gridline removal, the "Hide Gridlines'' method from the View tab is highly recommended, especially for beginners. For those who want to keep gridlines for reference while enhancing visual appeal, the "Fill Background Color" method is convenient. Lastly, if you're comfortable with coding and seek automation capabilities, the VBA method offers a broader range of possibilities for Excel customization.
How to Remove Gridlines from Specific Excel Cells?
To eliminate gridlines for specific cells in Excel, an effective method is to apply white borders or alter the background to white. This guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions.
Step 1: Begin by selecting the range of cells from which you want to remove the gridlines. To do this, hold down the SHIFT key and click on the last cell in the desired range.
Step 2: Next, right-click on the selected cell range. From the ensuing drop-down menu, choose "Format Cells". Alternatively, you can press "CTRL+1" to display the Format Cells Dialog box.
Step 3: In the Format Cells Window, navigate to the "Border" Tab.
Step 4: From the Color ribbon, select the color white.
Step 5: Under presets, ensure that both the outline and inside buttons are selected.
Step 6: To confirm and apply the changes, click “OK”.
This method provides a practical solution for individuals seeking to remove gridlines for specific cells in Excel. However, users may encounter challenges when selecting large or complex cell ranges. This method is especially preferred when you want to enhance the visual presentation of specific data without altering the entire worksheet's appearance.
How to Remove Gridlines from Excel Chart?
Continuing our journey to enhance the visual appeal of your Excel documents, let's now explore how to remove gridlines from Excel charts. This handy skill allows you to fine-tune your charts, making them more polished and presentation-ready.
Step 1: Start by clicking anywhere on the chart in which you want to hide chart gridlines.
Step 2: On the Design tab, located in the Chart Layouts group, click "Add Chart Element". Now, point your cursor to "Gridlines", and a menu of gridline options will appear. Select the specific gridline option you want to hide. To help you decide, hover your mouse pointer over each option to preview how it affects the gridline display.
Step 3: Alternatively, if you've already identified the horizontal or vertical chart gridlines you wish to remove, simply select them and press the DELETE key.
This method provides users with precise control over which gridlines to hide in their Excel charts, allowing for customized chart presentations. However, users may face challenges when deciding which gridlines to remove, especially if they're new to chart formatting. It's a valuable option for individuals who want to create visually refined charts for reports, presentations, or data visualization.
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FAQs
Q1. How to change the color of gridlines in Excel?
Step 1: Begin by clicking on the File tab.
Step 2: From the menu that appears, select Options.
Step 3: Inside the Excel Options dialog box, locate and click on Advanced.
Step 4: Scroll down until you find the Display options for this worksheet section.
Step 5: Within this section, you'll see the Gridline color drop-down menu; select your preferred color for the gridlines.
Step 6: To confirm your choice, simply click OK to close the dialog box.
Q2. How to print gridlines in Excel?
Step 1: Navigate to the Page Layout tab, which can be found in the Excel ribbon.
Step 2: Look for the Sheet Options group, and make sure to check the Print box located under Gridlines.
Step 3: Now, when you go to File > Print, you'll notice that the gridlines are included in the print preview, ensuring they appear when you print your document.
Mastering Gridlines: Excel's Visual Polish
In this article, you discovered how to remove gridlines from Excel, giving you more control over your data presentation. WPS Office Spreadsheet is an excellent option for achieving this, offering simplicity and comprehensive formula features. Supercharge your Excel skills with WPS Office! Download now for seamless spreadsheet editing.
