Remove Table Border in Google Docs: Step-by-Step

This guide shows you how to remove the borders from a table in Google Docs, turning it into an invisible layout tool for organizing text, images, or creating worksheets. You only need a Google account and a document with an existing table.

What You’ll Need

• A Google account (free)
• A Google Docs document containing a table
• Web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)

Step-by-Step

1. Open your document in Google Docs by going to docs.google.com and clicking the file you want to edit.
2. Click inside the table you want to modify. This places your cursor in a cell and activates the table tools.
3. Right-click anywhere inside the table to open the context menu. Alternatively, click Format in the top menu bar.
4. Select “Table properties” from the right-click menu, or if using the top menu, go to Format > Table > Table properties. A dialog box will appear on the right side of your screen.
5. Locate the “Color” section in the Table properties panel. It has a color swatch and a border width dropdown.
6. Set the border width to 0 pt. Click the dropdown that shows “1 pt” (or another value) and select 0 pt. This is the key step.
7. Check the border color (optional but recommended). If the width is set to 0 pt, the color doesn’t matter, but setting it to white can help if you later increase the width accidentally.
8. Click anywhere outside the table to close the Table properties panel. Your table borders should now be invisible.

If you want to remove borders from only certain cells (for example, keeping the outer border but removing internal dividers), select just those cells before following steps 3-8. The Table properties panel will apply changes only to your selection.

Common Mistakes

• Selecting the table instead of clicking inside it: Clicking the table’s edge selects the whole table as an object, which doesn’t show the Table properties option. Always click inside a cell first.
• Changing border color instead of width: Setting the border color to white makes borders invisible on a white background, but they reappear if you print with background colors or view in dark mode. Setting width to 0 pt is the correct, permanent solution.
• Forgetting to apply to the right cells: If you have a large table and only want some borders removed, you must highlight the specific cells before opening Table properties. Otherwise, changes apply to the entire table.
• Using the toolbar border button: The toolbar’s border icon (a square with lines) adds or removes borders on selected cells, but it’s easy to accidentally remove all borders including the outer edge. Table properties gives finer control.

Tips

• Use a borderless table as a layout tool: This is the most common reason to remove borders. You can align text, images, and lists into columns and rows without visible gridlines, creating a professional, clean look.
• Keep the outer border only: To create a box around your content without internal lines, select the entire table, set border width to 0 pt, then select only the outer cells (top row, bottom row, left column, right column) and set their border width back to 1 pt.
• Add borders back later: If you change your mind, simply click in the table, open Table properties, and set the border width to 1 pt (or your preferred thickness).
• Copy-paste preserves formatting: When you copy a borderless table and paste it into another document, the borderless formatting carries over, saving you time.
• Use keyboard shortcuts for speed: Right-click and press “T” to jump to Table properties quickly, or use Alt+Shift+T on Windows or Option+Shift+T on Mac to open Format > Table menu.

Troubleshooting

Borders still visible after setting width to 0 pt: First, make sure you clicked inside the table, not just selected it. Then reopen Table properties and confirm the width shows 0 pt. If you have multiple tables, check you’re editing the correct one. Sometimes the panel doesn’t refresh; close it and reopen.

Only some borders disappeared: This happens when you had a partial selection of cells. Click inside the table, press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on Mac) to select all cells, then set border width to 0 pt again.

Table properties panel is grayed out: You likely have the table selected as an object (clicked on its edge). Click inside any cell to activate the options.

Borders show in print but not on screen: This is unusual but can occur with custom page backgrounds. Check your document’s page setup and remove any background color, or set border color to white as a temporary fix.

Undo doesn’t restore borders: If you’ve made many changes since removing borders, use the Undo button (Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z) repeatedly, or manually set border width back to 1 pt in Table properties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I remove borders from just one row or column?
A: Yes. Highlight the cells in that row or column, right-click, choose Table properties, and set border width to 0 pt. Only the selected cells’ borders are removed.

Q: Will removing borders affect the text inside the table?
A: No. Text formatting, alignment, and spacing remain exactly the same. Only the visible gridlines disappear.

Q: Can I make borders invisible but keep the table structure for screen readers?
A: Yes. Setting border width to 0 pt keeps the table’s semantic structure in the document. Screen readers still recognize it as a table, which is helpful for accessibility.

Q: How do I get the borders back after removing them?
A: Click inside the table, open Table properties (right-click > Table properties), and set border width to 1 pt or any value above 0. The borders will reappear immediately.

Q: Does this work in the Google Docs mobile app?
A: The mobile app has limited table formatting. You can open the document in a mobile browser and switch to “Desktop site” mode to access Table properties. For full control, use a desktop browser.

Q: Can I remove borders from a table I pasted from Microsoft Word?
A: Yes. The process is identical. Pasted tables retain their borders, but you can remove them using the same Table properties steps.

Q: Why would I want a table without borders?
A: It’s the easiest way to create multi-column layouts, align images with captions, or build printable worksheets where gridlines would be distracting. The table structure keeps content organized without visual clutter.

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