How to Get Missing Gridlines Back in Excel

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Afam has been a content writer with Guiding Tech Media since August 2023. However, his experience in tech writing dates back to 2018, when he worked as a freelance writer for Make Tech Easier. Over the years, he has grown a reputation for publishing quality guides, reviews, tips, and explainer articles. His work is featured on top websites, including Technical Ustad, Windows Report, and Next of Windows. He has training as a Microsoft Certified Professional and has covered more Microsoft-related guides on these platforms.

Method 1: Enable Show Gridlines

MS Excel provides an option to hide gridlines for users who do not like them. In your case, the hide feature may have been activated by mistake. Here is how you fix it.

Step 1:Launch the Excel app.

Step 2:Navigate to theViewtab and ensure to check the box forGridlinesunder the Show section.

Method 2: Ensure the Gridline Color Is Not Set to White

By default, Excel assigns a greyish shade to the gridlines. However, you may have set the color to white, which could be why the gridlines are missing. Follow these steps to change the color to default again.

Step 1:Launch the Excel app and navigate toFile>Options.

Step 2:Now click onAdvanced, scroll toDisplay options for this workbooksection, and select yourworkbook.

Step 3:In theDisplay options for this worksheetsection, select your worksheet and chooseAutomaticin the drop-down for Gridline color.

Method 3: Update Cell Border Colors

In some cases, your gridlines may have everything right, but the white cell borders may still hide them. The best thing here is to remove the cell borders.

Step 1:LaunchExcel, pressCtrl+Ato select all cells, then right-click and chooseFormat Cells.

Step 2:Go to theBordertab, selectNone,and clickOK.

Method 4: Update Color Overlay

Sometimes, you may highlight blocks of data with different colors to differentiate them. In a color overlay situation, gridlines may not be visible. If you do not see any color, the overlay color may be white.

Step 1:LaunchExceland pressCtrl+Ato select all the cells.

Step 2:Go toHometab and change the color fill option toNo Fill.

Method 5: Clear Conditional Formatting Options

The worksheet may have conditional formatting, which hides the gridlines. This will come in handy if some formatting options arecolor alternatingthe sheet.

To fix this, navigate toHome>Styles>Conditional Formatting>Clear Rules>Clear Rules from Entire Sheet.

Note:Clearing rules will remove all other rules along with the one you are trying to remove. So, it is better to go to Manage Rules and check the details to see if there is such a setting. If yes, remove the specific formatting.

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Last updated on 27 May, 2024

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