Excel: Removing Gridlines from a Section of a Worksheet

 Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
Article ID: Q96933
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0

To add or remove gridlines from a portion of the worksheet you can use cell borders to partially override the global gridline settings. The technique you should use depends upon whether you want to remove gridlines from a small range or a large range of cells.

To remove the gridlines from a small portion of your worksheet (the majority of your worksheet will have gridlines,) do the following:

  1. From the Options menu, choose Display. Turn on the Gridlines option (an "x" in this box indicates that the option is enabled). Once the Gridlines option is enabled, choose the OK button.

  2. Select the range of cells from which you would like to remove the gridlines.

  3. From the Format menu, choose Border.

  4. In the Color list, select the White option.

  5. If you are using Microsoft Excel version 4.0, select the smallest border style. If you are using Microsoft Excel version 3.0, select the second smallest border style.

  6. Select the Left, Right, Top, and Bottom boxes. Also select the outline box. (Note: Since the color is white, you will not see any change as you add each border type.) Do not choose the OK button.

  7. Set the color back to Automatic.

  8. Select the smallest Border style. This will set the Outline around the cells.

  9. Choose the OK button.

If you want gridlines to be displayed for only on a small portion of your worksheet (the majority of your worksheet will not have gridlines) do the following:

  1. From the Options menu, choose Display. Clear the Gridlines check box and choose the OK button.

  2. Select the range of cells for which you want gridlines to be visible.

  3. From the Format menu, choose Border.

  4. Set the border color to Automatic.

  5. Select the smallest border style.

  6. Select the Left, Right, Top, and Bottom boxes.

  7. Choose the OK button.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide 1," version 4.0, Pages 238, 249, 531 "Microsoft Excel User's Guide," version 3.0, Pages 214-215, 530

Additional query words: 5.00 4.00 4.0 3.0 3.00 M_eXceL 4.00a
Version : WINDOWS:3.0,4.0,4.0a,5.0; MACINTOSH:3.0,4.0,5.0
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
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