How to hide gridlines in Excel: Go to the View tab and uncheck the Gridlines box, or use keyboard shortcuts depending on your system. 🎯 Hiding gridlines is a simple yet powerful way to create cleaner, distraction-free sheets—ideal for dashboards, reports, or when applying custom cell borders. Whether you’re presenting data or building a polished spreadsheet, turning off gridlines adds a professional touch. ✨
🧠 Why Hide Gridlines in Excel?
Gridlines are the faint gray lines you see by default on every worksheet. They help visualize individual cells, but sometimes they can:
- Make your sheet look cluttered 😵
- Clash with custom borders or shading
- Distract from key visuals or charts
- Appear unprofessional in printed reports 🖨️
Hiding them = cleaner layout, smoother design!
🔧 How to Hide Gridlines in Excel (Standard Method)
Here’s how to do it manually:
- Open your worksheet
- Click the View tab on the Ribbon
- In the Show group, uncheck Gridlines ✅
Boom! Gridlines are gone—your sheet is instantly tidier.
⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts to Hide Gridlines
While Excel doesn’t offer a direct shortcut for hiding gridlines, here are quick ways to access the setting:
| Platform | Shortcut Sequence |
|---|---|
| Windows | Alt + W + V + G |
| macOS | Fn + Alt + W, then press V, then G (or use menu bar) |
| Ubuntu (LibreOffice Calc) | F12, then navigate to View > Grid Lines |
💡 Note: You may need to use arrow keys to navigate or enable function keys on macOS.
🎨 Hide Gridlines Using Page Layout View
Another way to hide gridlines is through Page Layout:
- Click on the Page Layout tab
- Under Gridlines, uncheck View
- To hide in print, uncheck Print too 📄
This lets you control visibility for on-screen display and printing independently.
🖨️ Prevent Gridlines from Printing
Even if they’re hidden on-screen, gridlines might still appear on printed copies.
To stop gridlines from printing:
- Go to the Page Layout tab
- In the Sheet Options group, uncheck Print under Gridlines
- Done!
🖨️ Tip: For a clean, print-ready sheet, also check Print Area and add borders where needed.
🌈 Alternative: Use White Fill to Hide Gridlines in Specific Cells
Want to hide gridlines only in specific areas?
Here’s how:
- Select your cells
- Go to Home > Fill Color
- Choose White (or sheet background color)
🎨 Gridlines vanish where the fill is applied—but only in those cells!
📊 Why Designers and Analysts Hide Gridlines
| Purpose | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Dashboard design | Sleek, clean visuals |
| Reports & PDFs | No clutter in printed versions |
| Branded templates | Uniform formatting |
| Custom table borders | Prevents visual overlap |
| Presentations | Improves focus on data |
🐧 How to Hide Gridlines in Ubuntu (LibreOffice Calc)
LibreOffice Calc users can also hide gridlines easily:
Steps:
- Go to
Viewin the menu bar - Uncheck Grid Lines
You can also customize grid visibility through:
- Tools > Options > LibreOffice Calc > View
- Under Visual Aids, uncheck “Grid lines”
✅ Works across Windows, macOS, and Linux versions of LibreOffice.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Unchecking gridlines but forgetting they still print — use Page Layout > Print
- Applying white font instead of white fill — doesn’t hide gridlines
- Trying to hide gridlines per column/row — Excel doesn’t support partial gridline visibility globally
- Forgetting to re-enable — making edits can be harder without visual cell boundaries
FAQs
How do I hide gridlines in Excel with a shortcut?
Use Alt + W + V + G on Windows. Mac and Linux require menu navigation or toolbar access.
Can I hide gridlines for only part of the sheet?
Yes—apply a white fill color to specific cells. This masks the gridlines in selected areas.
Will hidden gridlines affect my data or formulas?
No. Hiding gridlines is purely cosmetic. Your data and formulas remain unchanged.
How do I stop gridlines from printing?
Go to Page Layout > Uncheck Print under Gridlines.
Are gridlines the same as cell borders?
No. Gridlines are default visual guides; borders are customizable and printable formatting elements.
Can I hide gridlines in Google Sheets?
Yes! Go to View > Show > Gridlines and uncheck it.
✅ Final Thoughts on How to Hide Gridlines in Excel
Learning how to hide gridlines in Excel is a small trick with a big visual impact. Whether you’re working on a corporate dashboard, designing a polished report, or simply organizing your spreadsheet, turning off gridlines gives you a cleaner, more professional look. 💼✨
So next time your Excel sheet looks too “boxy”—ditch the gridlines and watch your design shine! 🌟
Complete List of Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
If you need help for Windows, you can find a whole list of all keyboard shortcuts here.
https://keyboard-shortcuts.org/
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