How to Print Gridlines in Excel (and Remove Lines That Still Print)

To print gridlines in Excel, go to the Page Layout tab and, in the Sheet Options group, check Print under Gridlines. Then press Ctrl+P and print. Excel doesn’t print gridlines unless you turn this on.

In this guide:

Print a sheet with gridlines
Print gridlines on several sheets
Print a blank grid
Excel for the web
Gridlines won’t print
Remove lines that still print
FAQs

Table of Contents show

How to Print an Excel Sheet With Lines

Open the worksheet you want to print.
Click the Page Layout tab.
In the Sheet Options group, check the Print box under Gridlines.
Press Ctrl+P (or go to File > Print) and check the preview.
Click Print.

If the Sheet Options boxes are grayed out, you probably have a chart, picture or other object selected. Click a cell and try again.

Result: The print preview shows light lines around every cell that has data, and they appear on paper the same way.

Steps to print gridlines in Excel: open the Page Layout tab, check Print under Gridlines in Sheet Options, press Ctrl+P, and click Print — Check Print under Gridlines on the Page Layout tab before printing.

How to Print Gridlines on Several Sheets at Once

Per Microsoft’s print gridlines guide, select all the sheets first. Hold Ctrl and click each sheet tab, and [Group] appears in the title bar. Then check Print under Gridlines and print as usual.

When you’re done, click any sheet that isn’t selected, or right-click a selected tab and choose Ungroup Sheets, so later edits don’t change every sheet at once.

Result: Each selected sheet prints with gridlines in one go.

How to Print a Blank Sheet With Gridlines

If you are starting with a filled-in form, first clear the old data while keeping the cell formatting. Clear only the input cells when headings or formulas should remain, then check the blank form in print preview.

Gridlines only print around cells that have data. To print an empty grid, such as a blank table or sign-up sheet, do one of these:

Set a print area: select the empty cells you want, then go to Page Layout > Print Area > Set Print Area. With gridline printing turned on, those cells print as a grid.
Add borders: select the cells, go to Home, click the arrow next to Borders, and choose All Borders. Borders always print.

Result: You get a printable empty grid, which works well for sign-up sheets and checklists.

Printing Gridlines in Excel for the Web

Microsoft says Excel for the web can’t print gridlines, but borders give the same look:

Select the cells you want lined.
On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Borders > All Borders.
Select File > Print, check the preview, and select Print.

Result: The bordered cells print with dark lines, even though true gridlines aren’t available in the browser version.

Gridlines Won’t Print? Check These

Make sure Print under Gridlines is checked for the sheet you are printing.
Turn off draft mode: go to File > Print > Page Setup, open the Sheet tab, and clear Draft quality.
Update your printer driver from the printer maker’s website.
Excel for the web can’t print gridlines. Use the desktop app or add borders instead.

Why Is Excel Still Printing Lines When Gridlines Are Off?

Those lines are almost always cell borders, not gridlines. Borders print no matter what the gridline setting is. To remove them:

Select the cells with the lines. Press Ctrl+A to select the whole sheet.
On the Home tab, click the arrow next to Borders.
Choose No Border.

Steps to remove lines that still print in Excel: select the cells, open the Home tab, click the Borders arrow, and choose No Border — Choose No Border to remove lines that print even with gridlines off.

Result: Only gridlines remain, and they print only when the Gridlines Print box is checked.

The dashed lines you may see on screen after printing or previewing are page breaks. They show where pages split and don’t print.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do gridlines only print around part of my sheet?

Microsoft notes that gridlines print only around cells with data. Set a print area or add borders to include empty cells.

Is there a shortcut to Page Setup?

Yes. Press Alt+P, S, P to open the Page Setup dialog, where the Sheet tab holds the Draft quality setting.

Will gridlines fit on one page?

They follow your page layout. To shrink a sheet to one page, see how to fit a spreadsheet on one page. To move a small table to the middle of the paper, see how to center a worksheet horizontally and vertically in Excel.

Sources: Microsoft’s Print gridlines in a worksheet and Apply or remove cell borders articles.

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Matthew Burleigh

Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.

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