Print Excel Gridlines

What Is Print Excel Gridlines?

Print Excel Gridlines refers to the feature in Microsoft Excel that allows users to print the gridlines visible on the worksheet along with the data. These horizontal and vertical gridlines help structure and organize the data within cells. While these gridlines are typically visible on-screen, they are not printed by default when preparing a hard copy of the worksheet.

To illustrate, begin by opening a worksheet where the gridlines are readily accessible. Next, select the cell range that corresponds to the provided data.

To print the worksheet with gridlines, press the excel shortcut keys CTRL + P to access the print section. Additionally, we can preview the printout by selecting the Print Preview option, as demonstrated below.

The resulting printout will mirror the appearance showcased in the print preview.

Print Gridlines in Excel - Print
Key Takeaways
  • The Print Excel Gridlines feature allows us to print a worksheet with the inclusion of gridlines. Gridlines are rectangular boxes that form the structure of rows and columns in a worksheet. Without gridlines, the printed worksheet may resemble a blank Word document.
  • To ensure clear printing of an Excel workbook, it is advisable to utilize borders.
  • To conveniently show or hide gridlines, we can employ the shortcut keys ALT+W+VG.
  • Another method to remove or hide gridlines is by applying a background color of No fill to the desired cells or selected range within the worksheet.

How To Print Gridlines In Excel Worksheet?

To print gridlines in an Excel worksheet, follow these simple steps.

  • First, open the workbook and select the worksheet we want to work with.
  • Then, go to the Page Layout tab on the excel ribbon and click on Gridlines under the Sheet Options group.
  • A drop-down menu will appear, allowing us to choose between printing gridlines for the entire sheet or specific cells.
  • Next, check whether our printer settings align with our printing preferences by clicking File and then Print.
  • Ensure the Gridlines option is checked under the Settings section.
  • If not, tick the checkbox to add gridlines to our printed worksheet.
  • Finally, review all other print settings, such as paper size and orientation, before clicking the Print button to generate a hard copy of our Excel worksheet with gridlines intact. 


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Top 2 Methods To Print Excel Sheets With Gridlines

There are several methods to print an Excel sheet with gridlines that provide a visually appealing and professional presentation.

  • One way is through the Page Layout view, accessed from the View tab. In this view, check the Print box under Gridlines in the Sheet Options section to include them in the printout.
  • Alternatively, accessing the Print settings through File > Print allows further customization.
  • Here, choose the Gridlines option under Settings to have them printed. To ensure an accurate depiction of gridlines on each page, it is advisable to adjust scaling or introduce page breaks if necessary.
  • Additionally, adjusting cell formatting by selecting all cells and going to Format Cells > Border can enhance gridline visibility before printing. Utilizing these techniques will aid professionals in attaining clear and aesthetically pleasing Excel printouts featuring prominent gridlines.

#1 – Using Page Layout Tab

Please find below the data we intend to print, which currently lacks borders.

To print using the Page Layout tab, please follow the steps outlined below:

Step 1: Navigate to the Page Layout tab in the top menu. Then, locate the Sheet Options group and select the Gridlines option. The image below demonstrates that the View and Print checkboxes are checked. It is important to note that gridlines are only visible in the View mode. The Print checkbox must also be selected to include them in the printout.

Print Gridlines in Excel - Page layout - Step 1

Step 2: To access the print section and preview the document, press CTRL + P on our keyboard. We can see the print preview as shown below.

Print Gridlines in Excel - Page layout - Step 2

#2 – Using The Page Set Up Tab

Please find below the data that we would like to print. Currently, it does not have any borders.

To print using the Page Setup in excel, please follow the steps outlined below:

Step 1: Navigate to the Page Layout tab and locate the Page Setup group. The Page Setup box is positioned at the bottom-right corner of this group. Click on this box, as indicated in the image below.

Step 2: Once the Page Setup dialog box appears, switch to the SHEET tab.

Print Gridlines in Excel - Page Setup - Step 2

Step 3: Under the SHEET tab, we will see a section labeled PRINT. Please ensure the Gridlines checkbox is checked or ticked within this section.

Print Gridlines in Excel - Page Setup - Step 3

Step 4: After selecting the Gridlines option, proceed to the end of the dialog box and click Print Preview in Excel.

Step 5: The print preview will be displayed, showcasing the gridlines, as depicted below.

Print Gridlines in Excel - Page Setup - Step 5

How To Print Gridlines With Different Color?

To print gridlines with different colors, we must follow a few steps in the printing options of our chosen software.

  • First, ensure our document displays gridlines on the screen before printing. Once confirmed, navigate to the program’s Page Setup or Print Setup section.
File - Option
  • Look for an option related to printing gridlines and click on it. Advanced options may be hidden in some applications under a More Settings or similar button.
  • Once we access the gridlines settings, we can usually find an option to change their color.
  • Select this option and pick the desired color from a palette or enter specific RGB values if offered by our software.
Print Gridlines in Excel - Page Setup - Display Option
  • Remember that not all software may provide this functionality; Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets are examples of programs allowing users to customize gridline colors during printing.
  • Finally, proceed with printing as usual, ensuring our printer settings match our requirements for color printing.
Page Setup - color printing

Important Things To Note

  • Enable Print Gridlines option ensures that these lines are included when printing, resulting in a clearer, more professional-looking document.
  • This feature is particularly useful when sharing printed copies of spreadsheets containing complex data or formulas, as it helps readers easily identify different cells and their corresponding values. 
  • Please note that any modifications made to the gridlines will solely affect the current worksheet. To apply changes to other sheets, we will need to make them separately.
  • The option to remove or utilize gridlines applies to the entire worksheet, encompassing all its sections.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I enable gridlines to be printed with my Excel sheet?

First, open the Excel worksheet and then go to the Page Layout tab on the ribbon at the application’s top. Click on the small arrow in the Sheet Options group to expand it. Next, under Gridlines, tick the checkbox next to Print. This ensures that gridlines will be included when printing our spreadsheet.
Additionally, we want to customize how gridlines are displayed before printing. In that case, we can adjust their color or style by clicking the Gridline Color option and selecting our desired attributes. Once all adjustments are made, print our Excel sheet using any preferred method or printer.

FAQ 1 - Advanced

By enabling gridlines and paying attention to their appearance, we can present a more professional and visually appealing document that helps readers comprehend data more effectively.

FAQ 1 - Data

2. Are there any limitations or restrictions when printing gridlines in Excel?

* Firstly, gridlines are not automatically printed by default when Excel files are sent to the printer; therefore, users need to enable this feature before printing manually.
* Users must also note that gridlines do not appear when worksheets are viewed in Page Break Preview or Full-Screen Reading mode.

3. Will printing gridlines affect the rest of my Excel formatting?

Printing gridlines in Excel will not affect the rest of our formatting. Gridlines are visual aids that help users navigate and locate cells easily within a spreadsheet. Turning gridlines on or off does not impact formatting attributes like fonts, borders, colors, or cell alignment. Hence, we can confidently print gridlines without inadvertently altering other design elements in our Excel document.

This has been a guide to What Is Print Excel Gridlines?. We learn how to print gridlines in excel worksheet with examples and points to remember. You can learn more from the following articles –

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