How to print excel with lines

To print Excel with lines, you need to enable gridlines in the print settings before printing your spreadsheet.

Understanding Gridlines vs. Borders

Gridlines are the faint gray lines that appear between cells in Excel's normal view. These lines help you see cell boundaries while working but don't print by default. Borders are formatting elements you manually add to cells that always print when included.

Steps to Print with Gridlines

Method 1: Using Page Layout Tab

1. Open your Excel worksheet
2. Click the "Page Layout" tab in the ribbon
3. Navigate to the "Sheet Options" group
4. Under "Gridlines," check the "Print" checkbox
5. Click "File" then "Print" to print your document

Method 2: Using Page Setup Dialog

1. Click the "Page Layout" tab
2. Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the "Page Setup" group
3. Select the "Sheet" tab in the dialog box
4. Check "Gridlines" under the "Print" section
5. Click "OK" to apply changes
6. Print your document using Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac)

How to Print Excel with Lines

To print Excel with lines, you need to enable gridlines in the print settings before printing your spreadsheet.

Understanding Gridlines vs. Borders

Gridlines are the faint gray lines that appear between cells in Excel's normal view. These lines help you see cell boundaries while working, but don't print by default. Borders are formatting elements you manually add to cells that always print when included.

Steps to Print with Gridlines

Method 1: Using Page Layout Tab

1. Open your Excel worksheet
2. Click the "Page Layout" tab in the ribbon
3. Navigate to the "Sheet Options" group
4. Under "Gridlines," check the "Print" checkbox
5. Click "File" then "Print" to print your document

Method 2: Using Page Setup Dialog

1. Click the "Page Layout" tab
2. Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the "Page Setup" group
3. Select the "Sheet" tab in the dialog box
4. Check "Gridlines" under the "Print" section
5. Click "OK" to apply changes
6. Print your document using Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac)

Adding Borders for Guaranteed Line Printing

Borders provide more control over which lines print and their appearance.

Quick Border Application

1. Select the cells where you want lines
2. Click the "Home" tab
3. Find the "Borders" button in the "Font" group (looks like a square divided into four)
4. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Borders button
5. Select "All Borders" for lines around and between all selected cells

Custom Border Options

1. Select your desired cells
2. Right-click and choose "Format Cells" (or press Ctrl+1 on Windows, Cmd+1 on Mac)
3. Click the "Border" tab
4. Choose line style, color, and thickness
5. Click preset options or manually click border placement areas
6. Click "OK" to apply

Print Preview Verification

Always check your print preview before printing to ensure lines appear correctly.

1. Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac)
2. Review the preview pane on the right
3. Verify gridlines or borders display as expected
4. Adjust settings if lines don't appear

Troubleshooting Missing Lines

Gridlines Not Showing

The "Draft quality" option in Page Setup may be enabled. Disable this option in the Page Setup dialog under the "Sheet" tab.

Faint or Unclear Lines

Printer settings may need adjustment. Access printer properties through the Print dialog and increase print quality or darkness settings.

Partial Gridline Printing

Some cells may have a white fill color applied. Remove fill color by selecting cells, clicking the "Fill Color" button in the Home tab, and choosing "No Fill."

Differences Between Windows and Mac

Windows: Access Page Setup through the Page Layout tab or by pressing Alt+P+S+P. The Print Preview integrates directly into the Print dialog (Ctrl+P).

Mac: Page Setup exists as a separate menu option under File > Page Setup. Print Preview appears automatically when selecting File > Print (Cmd+P). The Sheet Options group in the Page Layout tab remains in the same location.

Best Practices for Line Printing

1. Use borders for important documents requiring a consistent line appearance
2. Apply gridlines for draft prints or internal working documents
3. Test print a single page before printing large documents
4. Save printer ink by using thinner line styles when appropriate
5. Create a template with your preferred line settings for repeated use