Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Changing the Color of Worksheet Gridlines.

Changing the Color of Worksheet Gridlines

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 10, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365


3

Most people using Excel leave the gridlines visible so that they can easily see where the various cells are. By default, the gridlines are a light gray. You can easily change the gridlines to a different color by following these steps:

  1. Display the Excel Options dialog box. (In Excel 2007 click the Office button and then click Excel Options. In Excel 2010 or a later version, display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
  2. Click Advanced at the left side of the dialog box.
  3. Scroll through the options until you see the Display Options for this Worksheet section. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.

  5. Ensure the Show Gridlines check box is selected.
  6. Using the Gridline Color drop-down list, choose the color you want to use.
  7. Click OK.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6210) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Changing the Color of Worksheet Gridlines.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Keeping Callouts Positioned

Using graphics to add callouts to your graphics is a common occurrence in Word. Here's how to stop all those graphics ...

Discover More

Printing Documents in a Folder

If you want to print a group of documents at the same time there are a couple of ways you can accomplish the task. Here ...

Discover More

Creating a Workbook Clone

If you are afraid of messing up a workbook, consider doing your work on a clone of the workbook. Excel provides an easy ...

Discover More

Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Creating Worksheets from a List of Names

Need to create a large number of worksheets using specific names? If so, you'll love the ideas presented in this tip.

Discover More

Copying a Worksheet

Need to make a copy of one of your worksheets? Excel provides a few different ways you can accomplish the task.

Discover More

Limiting How Many Times a Worksheet Can Be Calculated

Excel, by default, recalculates your worksheets as you make changes in those worksheets. If you want to limit the number ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 9 + 6?

2025-06-05 19:23:35

Kevin H

On Mac, this is under Excel > Preferences > View


2025-05-12 05:02:35

DaveS

@Ray

Two ways of doing that are:
(i) Under the Borders dropdown (Home tab of the ribbon), select Draw Border Grid, then select the range of cells you want and it infills the borders. Default is black but if you select Line color first to set another colour.
(ii) Select the range of cells and then under the Format dropdown (Home tab of the ribbon) select Format Cells to open the Format Cells dialog, and then select the Border tab on the dialog. This approach enables whole rows or columns to be selected whereas I think (i) only works on blocks of cells.


2025-05-10 06:36:20

Ray McAllister

Can I change the color of grid lines in different parts. Of a worksheet? That is, can I make grid lines red for some rows (or columns) and blue for others?


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.