Last updated on November 3rd, 2026 at 05:29 pm
Here is how to remove gridlines in Excel: open the worksheet, select View, then clear the Gridlines checkbox in the Show group. This hides the faint cell guides. It keeps your values, formulas and applied cell borders. To bring the guides back, select the same checkbox.
How to remove gridlines in Excel on Windows
To remove gridlines in Excel on Windows, use the worksheet view control. Menu wording can vary with the version and ribbon layout.
- Open the workbook and select the sheet you want to format.
- Choose the View tab.
- Find Gridlines in the Show group.
- Clear the checkbox. Check that the faint lines have disappeared.
Alternatively, open Page Layout → Sheet Options → Gridlines and clear View. Both controls change the worksheet display. Do not confuse the View checkbox with the separate Print checkbox beside it.
Microsoft’s gridline guidance explains the worksheet setting. Follow the path for your platform rather than an old Excel 2003 menu tutorial.
How to remove gridlines in Excel on Mac and the web
| Platform | Where to look | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Windows desktop | View → Show | Clear Gridlines |
| Mac desktop | Page Layout → Gridlines | Clear View |
| Excel for the web | View → Show | Clear Gridlines |
First make sure you are editing the worksheet rather than a chart. Next, expand a collapsed ribbon if you cannot see the control. A browser window with limited width may place commands inside a menu.
The checkbox affects a worksheet view, so repeat the check on other sheets as needed. To work on several desktop sheets together, select their sheet tabs before changing the setting. Then ungroup them promptly. Leaving sheets grouped can make later edits appear on multiple sheets.
Gridlines, borders and page breaks: identify the line first
If a line remains, changing the same checkbox repeatedly will not help. Identify what created the line before removing formatting.
| What you see | Likely cause | Appropriate action |
|---|---|---|
| Faint guides around most cells | Worksheet gridlines | Use the Gridlines view control |
| Dark or coloured edges around chosen cells | Applied cell borders | Select those cells and review Home → Borders |
| Lines inside a selected chart | Chart gridlines | Use that chart’s element controls |
| Page boundaries in a print-related view | Page breaks or page-layout guides | Return to Normal view and review print setup |
For borders, use No Border only when you intend to remove those cell edges. Avoid Clear All: that command can remove content and other formatting you still need. Likewise, deleting a chart gridline does not change worksheet cells.
How to remove gridlines in Excel for selected cells
When you remove gridlines in Excel, the worksheet checkbox does not target a selected range. If you want a small area without visible guides, apply a cell fill to that area. Even a white fill hides the underlying guides. However, this also changes the cell’s formatting.
For example, you might use a white fill behind a report heading while leaving the calculation area unfilled. To reverse that choice, select No Fill. Choosing white again is not the same as removing the fill.
Keep colour meaningful. Filling a large financial model simply to hide lines can cover the input colours that tell a reviewer where to type. For a whole-sheet presentation, use the view setting and retain purposeful input and output formatting.
How to remove gridlines in Excel when printing
Screen appearance and printing are separate settings. A worksheet can look clean on screen yet still print cell guides if its print option is enabled.
- In desktop Excel, open Page Layout.
- Under Sheet Options → Gridlines, clear Print.
- Open Print Preview and check the actual pages.
- Confirm that any remaining lines are intended table borders.
Conversely, select Print when you want the guides on paper. Excel does not print worksheet gridlines by default. In Excel for the web, use borders when you need printable cell edges; Microsoft documents this distinction in its printing guide.
Worked example: tidy a finance report without changing its formulas
Suppose a fictional monthly report shows Revenue of ₹8,00,000, Costs of ₹5,00,000 and Profit of ₹3,00,000. The profit cell contains a subtraction formula. You want a readable PDF for a manager.
- First, confirm that the profit formula still returns ₹3,00,000.
- Hide the worksheet gridlines through View.
- Keep a deliberate bottom border beneath the total. Use one consistent number format.
- Set the print area around the report, then inspect Print Preview.
- Finally, recheck the formula and the PDF’s page boundaries.
After you hide gridlines in Excel, the numbers should remain the same. Hiding visual guides does not repair a wrong formula, and a neat report still needs calculation checks. For another practical worksheet skill, see our rank formula in Excel examples.
Troubleshooting lines that remain or disappear
- Only some cells have no guides: inspect their fill. Use No Fill if you want the normal guides back.
- Dark lines remain after the toggle: check cell borders rather than deleting values.
- Another sheet still has guides: select that sheet and inspect its setting.
- The printed page differs from the screen: inspect the separate print setting and preview.
- A chart still has lines: select the chart before changing its elements.
Frequently asked questions
Which tab removes gridlines in Excel?
To remove gridlines in Excel on Windows, use View and clear Gridlines in the Show group. Page Layout also provides a View control under Gridlines. Check the platform table above for Mac and web paths.
Does hiding gridlines delete cell data?
No. When you remove gridlines, you change the display of the faint guides. Your cell values and formulas remain. Removing borders or clearing cells is a different action.
Is there a shortcut to remove gridlines?
On Windows desktop, press Alt to display the ribbon KeyTips, then follow the letters shown for View and Gridlines. The displayed letters depend on the interface language and version, so follow your own ribbon rather than assuming one shortcut works everywhere.
Why are gridlines missing even when the checkbox is selected?
A fill colour can hide them in those cells. Inspect the fill first. If the cells should have no fill, remove it and check again.
Should every financial model hide gridlines?
Remove gridlines in Excel on a presentation sheet when a clean background helps the reader. However, a working sheet still needs clear labels, visible inputs and useful borders. Formatting supports a model’s logic, but cannot replace it.
A CFA charterholder with hands-on experience across investment analysis and finance education. At MentorMeCareers, he writes and reviews content on CFA, financial modeling, and investment banking careers — grounded in real market data rather than generic advice, and shaped by what actually helps candidates and professionals succeed.
