How to Remove Gridlines in Excel

Gridlines are one of the most recognizable visual elements in Microsoft Excel. They provide a clear structure to worksheets by outlining rows and columns, making it easier to read and enter data. However, there are many situations where gridlines are unnecessary—or even undesirable. When preparing professional reports, dashboards, invoices, or charts, removing gridlines can significantly improve the appearance and readability of your worksheet.

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about removing gridlines in Excel, including different methods, common scenarios, printing considerations, and best practices. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced Excel user, this guide will help you understand when and how to remove gridlines effectively.

Understanding What Gridlines Are in Excel

Before removing gridlines, it is important to understand what they are and how they function.

Gridlines are light gray lines that appear by default around cells in a worksheet. They are not borders, and they do not print unless specific settings are enabled. Their primary purpose is to:

• Visually separate rows and columns
• Improve data readability
• Assist with data entry and alignment

Because gridlines are purely visual, they can be turned on or off without affecting the underlying data or formulas.

Why Remove Gridlines in Excel?

There are many practical and aesthetic reasons to remove gridlines. Some of the most common include:

• Creating professional reports with a clean layout
• Designing dashboards where borders and colors replace gridlines
• Preparing worksheets for printing
• Improving focus on important data areas
• Enhancing charts, forms, or templates

Removing gridlines allows you to control the visual structure using borders, shading, and spacing instead of default lines.

Method 1: Remove Gridlines from the Entire Worksheet

The most common way to remove gridlines is through Excel’s View settings.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open your Excel workbook
2. Go to the View tab on the Ribbon
3. In the Show group, locate the Gridlines checkbox
4. Uncheck Gridlines

Once unchecked, gridlines will disappear from the active worksheet immediately.

Important Notes

• This change applies only to the active worksheet, not the entire workbook
• Gridlines can be turned back on at any time by re-checking the box
• Data, formulas, and formatting remain unchanged

This method is ideal for quickly hiding gridlines while working on layout or design.

Method 2: Remove Gridlines Using Page Layout Settings

Excel also allows you to control gridlines through the Page Layout tab, especially useful when preparing worksheets for printing.

Steps to Follow

1. Click the Page Layout tab
2. In the Sheet Options group, find Gridlines
3. Under View, uncheck the box to hide gridlines
4. Under Print, uncheck the box to prevent gridlines from printing

When to Use This Method

• When preparing worksheets for print or PDF export
• When you want separate control over on-screen viewing and printing
• When designing formal documents like invoices or reports

This method gives you more granular control than the View tab alone.

Method 3: Remove Gridlines from Selected Cells Only (Using Fill Color)

Excel does not allow you to remove gridlines from individual cells directly. However, you can visually hide gridlines in selected areas by applying a background fill color.

How This Works

Gridlines are visible only on cells with No Fill. When a fill color is applied, gridlines are hidden within that range.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Select the cells where you want to remove gridlines
2. Go to the Home tab
3. Click the Fill Color icon (paint bucket)
4. Choose White or any other background color

The gridlines will no longer appear in the selected cells, while remaining visible elsewhere.

Best Use Cases

• Highlighting tables or reports within a worksheet
• Creating clean sections in dashboards
• Combining gridline-free areas with visible gridlines elsewhere

Method 4: Remove Gridlines for Printing Only

Sometimes you want gridlines visible while working, but not when printing. Excel makes this easy.

Steps

1. Open the Page Layout tab
2. In Sheet Options, locate Gridlines
3. Leave View checked
4. Uncheck Print

Gridlines will still appear on screen but will not be included in printed output.

Why This Is Useful

• Helps maintain alignment during data entry
• Produces clean, professional printed documents
• Avoids unnecessary visual clutter on paper

Difference Between Gridlines and Borders

One of the most common sources of confusion is the difference between gridlines and borders.

Key Takeaway

• Gridlines are worksheet-level visual guides
• Borders are formatting elements applied to specific cells

When you remove gridlines, you should use borders to maintain structure where needed.

Best Practices After Removing Gridlines

Removing gridlines can make a worksheet look cleaner—but only if done thoughtfully. Here are best practices to follow:

Use Borders Strategically

• Apply borders only where structure is needed
• Use light or subtle border styles for a modern look
• Avoid overusing thick borders

Apply Consistent Spacing

• Use row height and column width adjustments
• Align text properly (left, center, or right)
• Maintain consistent margins

Leverage Cell Styles

• Use Excel’s built-in Cell Styles for headers and totals
• Create custom styles for reusable layouts
• Maintain consistent fonts and colors

Removing Gridlines in Charts and Graphs

Gridlines also appear in Excel charts, but they are handled differently.

How to Remove Chart Gridlines

1. Click on the chart
2. Select the Chart Elements button (plus icon)
3. Uncheck Gridlines

Alternatively, click directly on a gridline and press Delete.

When to Remove Chart Gridlines

• When presenting data visually
• When gridlines distract from key trends
• When labels and axes provide sufficient context

Minimalist charts often benefit from fewer or no gridlines.

Removing Gridlines in Excel Online (Web Version)

Excel Online has a slightly different interface, but the process is similar.

Steps

1. Open your worksheet in Excel Online
2. Click the View tab
3. Toggle Gridlines off

Note that some advanced printing controls may be limited compared to the desktop version.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When removing gridlines, watch out for these common issues:

• Forgetting that gridlines are worksheet-specific
• Confusing gridlines with borders
• Removing gridlines without adding alternative structure
• Printing without checking print preview

Always review your worksheet visually before finalizing.

When You Should Keep Gridlines

While removing gridlines is useful, there are times when keeping them makes sense:

• During heavy data entry
• When working with large datasets
• For internal analysis spreadsheets
• When precision alignment is critical

Gridlines are tools—use or remove them based on purpose.

Summary: Choosing the Right Gridline Removal Method

Excel provides multiple ways to remove gridlines depending on your goal:

• View tab → Quick on-screen removal
• Page Layout → Control viewing and printing
• Fill color → Hide gridlines in specific areas
• Print settings → Clean printed output
• Charts → Simplified data visualization

Understanding these methods allows you to create spreadsheets that are both functional and visually appealing.

Final Thoughts

Removing gridlines in Excel is a simple but powerful formatting technique. When used correctly, it helps transform ordinary worksheets into professional-looking reports, dashboards, and documents. By combining gridline removal with borders, styles, and thoughtful layout design, you can greatly improve the clarity and presentation of your data.

As part of a broader Excel formatting workflow, mastering gridline control will make your spreadsheets easier to read, easier to print, and more visually effective—whether for business, education, or personal use.