How to Print Gridlines in Excel

Tap a step to see how it works.

  1. Open the Page Layout tab

    Click the Page Layout tab on the ribbon.

  2. Find the Gridlines group

    Look for the Gridlines item under Sheet Options.

  3. Check the Print checkbox

    Under Gridlines, check the Print box β€” not the View box.

  4. Check the print preview

    Press Ctrl+P to preview how the sheet looks with gridlines included before printing.

  5. Why this helps

    It lets you print visible cell dividers even on a table where you never explicitly added borders, producing a much more readable printout.

Why don't gridlines show up in printouts?

The faint cell dividers that are clearly visible on screen vanish once you actually print β€” by default, gridlines aren't shown when printing, so you have to switch on that setting separately.

Check your print area setting too

It's also worth setting up a defined print area, so you only print the range you actually need instead of the whole sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are gridlines and cell borders the same thing?

No. Gridlines are the faint on-screen guide lines, while borders are formatting you apply deliberately β€” for a crisper, more customizable look in a printout, borders are the better choice.

Will gridlines print even in empty cells with no data?

Gridlines only appear within whatever range is set as your print area, so it's best to set the print area to just the range you actually need.