How to Remove Grid Lines in Google Sheets

Grid lines in Google Sheets are the light gray borders that separate cells, making the spreadsheet look like a ledger. While they help with data entry, they can make a finished report or dashboard look cluttered. This guide shows you how to hide grid lines for the entire sheet, for a specific range, or just for printing, so you can present your data cleanly.

What You’ll Need

• A Google account (free) with access to Google Sheets.
• A spreadsheet open in Google Sheets (either a new one or one with data).
• Basic familiarity with the Google Sheets menu bar at the top of the screen.

Step-by-Step

There are three common ways to remove grid lines: for the whole sheet, for a selected range, and for printing. Each method is explained below.

Method 1: Hide Grid Lines for the Entire Sheet (View Only)

1. Open your Google Sheets document.
2. Click on View in the top menu bar.
3. In the dropdown menu, look for Show. Hover over it to expand the submenu.
4. Click on Gridlines to uncheck it. The grid lines will disappear immediately from your screen.
5. To bring them back, repeat the same steps and click Gridlines again to re-check it.

Note: This method only affects the current view on your screen. It does not change the actual cell borders, and the grid lines will still appear when you print unless you also change the print settings (see Method 3).

Method 2: Hide Grid Lines for a Specific Range Using Borders

This method is useful when you want to keep grid lines on most of the sheet but remove them from a particular area (like a title block or a chart area).

1. Select the range of cells where you want to remove the grid lines. For example, click and drag from cell A1 to C5.
2. Click on the Borders icon in the toolbar. It looks like a square with four quadrants (a window pane).
3. In the dropdown menu, choose the Border color option (the pencil icon) and select White (or the same color as your sheet background, usually white).
4. Then, in the same dropdown, click on the Borders icon again and select All borders. This will apply white borders to the selected range, effectively hiding the gray grid lines.
5. Click anywhere outside the selection to deselect. The grid lines within that range will appear hidden.

Tip: If your sheet has a colored background (e.g., light yellow), choose that same color for the borders instead of white.

Method 3: Hide Grid Lines When Printing

1. Open your spreadsheet.
2. Click on File in the top menu.
3. Select Print (or press Ctrl+P on Windows / Cmd+P on Mac).
4. In the print setup window that opens, look at the right-hand side panel.
5. Scroll down to the Formatting section.
6. Uncheck the box that says Show grid lines.
7. Adjust any other print settings (like margins or scaling) as needed, then click Next and print.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing View with Print: Turning off grid lines via the View menu does not affect printed output. You must also uncheck the print option if you want a clean printout.
• Using white borders on a colored background: If your sheet has a fill color, white borders will stand out. Always match the border color to the cell background.
• Forgetting to select the right range: When using the borders method, if you forget to select the range first, you might apply white borders to the entire sheet, which can be tedious to undo.
• Thinking grid lines are cell borders: Grid lines are a formatting display feature, not actual borders. Removing them doesn’t delete any data or formatting you’ve applied.

Tips

• Use the View toggle for quick review: If you just want to see how your sheet looks without grid lines temporarily, use the View menu. It’s the fastest way.
• Use white borders for permanent removal: If you want the grid lines gone for everyone who views the sheet (including on mobile), use the white border method, as it’s part of the cell formatting.
• Combine with cell fill: For a professional look, you can also add a light fill color to your data range and use white borders. This creates a clean, card-like appearance.
• Remember the print setting: If you frequently print, check the print settings each time, as Google Sheets sometimes resets them.

Troubleshooting

• Grid lines still show after unchecking View: This can happen if you have a browser extension that overrides styles, or if you have a very old version of the sheet. Try refreshing the page (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R). If that doesn’t work, try a different browser or an incognito window to rule out extensions.
• White borders don’t hide the grid lines: Make sure you selected the correct range and that the border color is actually white (or matches the background). Also, check that you applied the border to the inside of the cells, not just the outside. Use the “All borders” option in the borders menu.
• Print preview still shows grid lines: Double-check that the “Show grid lines” checkbox in the print settings is unchecked. Sometimes it’s under a collapsed section called “Formatting” – expand it if needed.
• Grid lines reappear when someone else opens the sheet: The View menu setting is per-user and per-browser. To make it permanent for everyone, use the white border method instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does removing grid lines delete my data?

No. Removing grid lines only hides the visual lines. All data, formulas, and formatting remain intact.

Can I remove grid lines for just one row or column?

Yes, you can select a single row or column (by clicking its header) and then apply the white border method to that selection.

Why do grid lines disappear when I apply a fill color to cells?

By default, Google Sheets hides grid lines behind cells that have a background fill color. That’s a normal behavior. If you want grid lines to show on colored cells, you’ll need to add custom borders.

Will the grid lines be hidden on the mobile app?

If you use the View menu toggle, it only affects the current device and browser. If you use the white border method, the grid lines will be hidden on all devices because it’s part of the cell formatting.

Can I hide grid lines only when printing a specific range?

Yes, in the print settings, choose “Selected cells” from the print range dropdown, then uncheck “Show grid lines”. Only the selected range will print without grid lines.

Is there a way to hide grid lines permanently by default for new sheets?

No, there is no global setting to disable grid lines for all new sheets. You’ll need to turn them off per sheet using the View menu or the white border method.

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