How to Change Gridlines in Excel: Step-by-Step Customization

I spent years staring at Excel sheets with those default gray gridlines. Then I discovered how much clarity a simple color change adds to data visualization.

Changing gridlines takes under 2 minutes and works identically across Excel 2016, 2019, and 365. The process hides in plain sight under the View tab, with alternative methods through the Page Layout options.

You’ll get better contrast for colorblind users, cleaner presentations, and spreadsheets that actually look professional. The change applies to the entire workbook or individual sheets as needed.

Works for print layouts too—no more faded lines on paper. Here’s how to make it happen.

What Youll Need

Step-by-Step Instructions for Customizing Gridlines in Excel

Here’s the process I use to adjust or remove gridlines for cleaner spreadsheets.

Open your Excel workbook and navigate to the worksheet where you want to modify gridlines. Click the File tab in the top-left corner, then select Options from the left-hand menu. This opens the Excel Options dialog box.

In the Excel Options window, click Advanced on the left. Scroll down to the Display options for this worksheet section. Here you’ll find the gridline controls, but this only affects the current sheet, which is what you want.

Within the same worksheet, look at the top of the ribbon. Under the View tab, you’ll see a checkbox labeled Gridlines in the Show group. Click this to toggle gridlines on or off instantly for the active sheet.

This is the quickest method when you just need a simple toggle. The change applies immediately, and you’ll see the gridlines disappear or reappear. If they don’t, check that you’re not in Page Layout view, which sometimes overrides this setting.

For more control, return to the File menu, select Options, then Advanced. Scroll to Display options for this worksheet. Here, you can change the gridline color from the default gray to any color you prefer.

Click the color dropdown and select your preferred shade. I often use a light blue or soft gray for better visibility without being distracting. After selecting, click OK to apply. The gridlines will update immediately in the worksheet.

If you’re preparing to print, gridlines won’t appear by default. Go to the Page Layout tab, then click Print Area in the Page Setup group. Select Print Gridlines to ensure they appear on the printed page.

Before finalizing, use Print Preview (Ctrl+F2) to confirm the gridlines are visible. If they’re too faint, consider increasing the gridline color contrast in the worksheet settings first.

To apply the same gridline settings across multiple worksheets, right-click any sheet tab and select Select All Sheets. Then make your gridline changes in one sheet—they’ll propagate to all selected sheets automatically.

After applying, right-click any sheet tab again and choose Ungroup Sheets to work independently. This prevents accidental changes to all sheets when you only mean to modify one.

Tips and Common Mistakes

The details that separate good spreadsheets from great ones start with mastering these gridline nuances.

View Tab Shortcut: In Step 2, the View tab checkbox is your fastest route to toggle visibility. I’ve seen users waste minutes digging through File Options when this one-click method works instantly. Remember: changes only apply to the active sheet, so verify you’re on the correct tab before clicking.

Page Layout Pitfall: If gridlines disappear unexpectedly in Step 2, you’re likely in Page Layout view. Switch back to Normal view under the View tab, and the checkbox will function as intended. This overrides the toggle, so it’s the first thing I check when troubleshooting.

Color Consistency: For Step 3, avoid neon colors—they look distracting on screen and print poorly. Stick to muted tones like light gray or soft blue, which maintain readability. After selecting, always click OK in the Options window to lock in your choice; otherwise, the change won’t take effect.

Multi-Sheet Caution: In Step 5, after applying changes to multiple sheets, always ungroup them immediately. I learned this the hard way when I accidentally modified 20 sheets instead of one. Right-click any tab and choose Ungroup Sheets to prevent unintended edits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Changing gridlines in Excel is a simple yet powerful way to enhance your spreadsheet’s readability and aesthetics. Experiment with colors, styles, or even hiding them to fit your needs. Ready to take it further? Try customizing row and column headers next for a polished look! ✨