Grid lines obscured by fill color

[Paul]

When I apply a fill color to a block of cells, the grid lines don't
show in that block of cells. I don't expect that there is a way to
force the grid lines to show, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong. Thanks
any workarounds, if they exist.

[T. Valko]

That's how it works.

You can format the cells borders to look like grid lines.

Format>Cells>Border tab

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP

"Paul" <Paul.D...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:dd151509-ed56-4f0f...@a23g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...

[Tom Hutchins]

One workaround...

Add cell borders to repalce the invisible gridlines. Select the block of
cells, right-click, and select Format Cells. On the Border tab of the Format
Cells dialog, select a line style. Click the Outline button, then the Inside
button, then OK.

Hope this helps,

Hutch

[Paul]

OK, thanks for that. I'll hold off on it for now, because the fill
colors are not permanent, and I have to rejig the borders after the
fill colors are removed.

T. Valko wrote:
> That's how it works.
>
> You can format the cells borders to look like grid lines.
>
> Format>Cells>Border tab
>
>

[Paul]

Thanks for that, Hutch. I'll hold off for now because I'd have to
undo the cell borders when the (temporary) fill color is removed.

On Apr 1, 6:24 pm, Tom Hutchins

<TomHutch...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> One workaround...
>
> Add cell borders to repalce the invisible gridlines. Select the block of
> cells, right-click, and select Format Cells. On the Border tab of the Format
> Cells dialog, select a line style. Click the Outline button, then the Inside
> button, then OK.
>
> Hope this helps
>

[patricia....@gmail.com]

If you apply a fill color to cells on your worksheet, you won't be able to see or print the cell gridlines for those cells. If you want to see or print the gridlines for these cells, you must remove the fill color. To do so, select the cells, and then click arrow next to Fill Color Button image (Home tab, Font group). To remove the fill color, click No Fill. Keep in mind that you must remove the fill entirely. If you simply change the fill color to white, the gridlines will remain hidden. If you want to be able to retain the fill color, you can use borders instead of gridlines. For more information, see Apply or remove cell borders on a worksheet.

[tbroo...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, September 11, 2013 4:35:05 PM UTC-4, patricia....@gmail.com wrote:
> If you apply a fill color to cells on your worksheet, you won't be able to see or print the cell gridlines for those cells. If you want to see or print the gridlines for these cells, you must remove the fill color. To do so, select the cells, and then click arrow next to Fill Color Button image (Home tab, Font group). To remove the fill color, click No Fill. Keep in mind that you must remove the fill entirely. If you simply change the fill color to white, the gridlines will remain hidden. If you want to be able to retain the fill color, you can use borders instead of gridlines. For more information, see Apply or remove cell borders on a worksheet.

If you apply the border and choose the broken line just under "none", it looks perfect when you print! It has the shading and the gridlines.

[zisha.w...@gmail.com]

If you set the border color using the Custom Color dialog (Format->Border->Color->More Colors->Custom) to the RGB colors R:208 G:215 B:229 then it should give you the exact color as the default gridline color.

[zoejb...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, 17 October 2013 06:15:43 UTC+13, zisha.w...@gmail.com wrote:
> If you set the border color using the Custom Color dialog (Format->Border->Color->More Colors->Custom) to the RGB colors R:208 G:215 B:229 then it should give you the exact color as the default gridline color.
>

Thank you! So helpful.

[maxwe...@gmail.com]

Great fix. I have been wondering about this for years.

[shanta...@gmail.com]

This is how you unfill on Excel. The question is how do you do this in Google Drive Sheets?

[siru...@gmail.com]

Awesome answer. Exactly what I needed. Thank you.

[chris...@gmail.com]

Thanks for the solutions here, but it's a PITA to do this. I've noticed this since first stated using Excel in MSO 3.1 but never really sought how to do it. VERY surprised MS doesn't have a box under "FORMAT/PATTERNS/Pattern:" (with all the dots, horiz/vert/diag lines, crosshatch, diagonal crosshatch dots, etc that I've used maybe on three sheets over 25 years) that simply says GRID.

I used the solution of highlighting then border all cells with "first border under NONE" for stored/emailed spreadsheets, and will used contributor's color formula if I ever need a good printed document.

[chris...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 11:57:29 AM UTC-6, chris...@gmail.com wrote:
> Thanks for the solutions here, but it's a PITA to do this. I've noticed this since first stated using Excel in MSO 3.1 but never really sought how to fix it. VERY surprised MS doesn't have a box under "FORMAT/PATTERNS/Pattern:" (with all the dots, horiz/vert/diag lines, crosshatch, diagonal crosshatch dots, etc that I've used maybe on three sheets over 25 years) that simply says GRID.

[chris...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 11:57:29 AM UTC-6, chris...@gmail.com wrote:

> Thanks for the solutions here, but it's a PITA to do this. I've noticed this since first stated using Excel in MSO 3.1 but never really sought how to fix it. VERY surprised MS doesn't have a box under "FORMAT/PATTERNS/Pattern:" (with all the dots, horiz/vert/diag lines, crosshatch, diagonal crosshatch dots, etc that I've used maybe on three sheets over 25 years) that simply says GRID.
>
> I used the solution of highlighting then border all cells with "first border under NONE" for stored/emailed spreadsheets, and will use contributor's color formula if I ever need a good printed document.

[katiean...@gmail.com]

Thank you very helpful!!

[onysk...@gmail.com]

I insert a text box sized perfectly over the cells not filled with color, then color the interior of the textbox, and set the transparency of the text box way high, so the gray gridlines underneath can show through. You have to go to Page Layout, Gridlines, and check the checkbox for Print, as you do even if you're printing uncolored cells.

[martinez...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 4:03:51 PM UTC-6, Paul wrote:

I am suing Excel 2010. Always showing cell border with or without fill color: Home -> Styles, right click on Normal style -> Modify, click on Format, Border tab, open Color combo, click on More Colors, Custom tab, enter 208, 215, 229, in RGB, click on Outline, then OK and OK. Now cell borders are always shown. Doing this in your local Normal template should available to any new book.

[neu...@gmail.com]

> I am suing Excel 2010. Always showing cell border with or without fill color: Home -> Styles, right click on Normal style -> Modify, click on Format, Border tab, open Color combo, click on More Colors, Custom tab, enter 208, 215, 229, in RGB, click on Outline, then OK and OK. Now cell borders are always shown. Doing this in your local Normal template should available to any new book.<

Fantastic!
+100!

[lbs...@quartic-training.com]

Thanks Hutch, that was very useful

[sou...@gmail.com]

Thank you

[mr.georg...@gmail.com]

This is what I use because I want colors but still wanted the faint gridline to organize the data.

My solution: Highlight the area you want the gridlines (likely the area you colored and lost them) - Right click - format cells - select the normal border size on the bottom left of the style box - under the color option select "Tan, Background 2" (this is a pre-set option third over right on the top selection - next ensure you select the type of border you want (this is the sample box that says "none, outline, inside, etc.) - finally click okay. You should now have a faint grid border that blends with the original grid marks un-noticingly (yes I made that word up :)

You can then use the same steps to add a black border around your new grid like border to better present your colored grid lined chart. :)

[manoh...@gmail.com]

In Excel 2003 there is no option for " More Colours"?

[Peter Dow]

Libre Office Calc has an option "Grid lines: show on colored cells". Too bad Excel doesn't have something similar.

[Nadia Fernando]

On Tuesday, 22 August 2023 at 15:27:41 UTC-4, Peter Dow wrote:
> Libre Office Calc has an option "Grid lines: show on colored cells". Too bad Excel doesn't have something similar.

how do I find that option? I saw on another forum to go to Tools > Options >... but I don't have "Options" under my Tools Menu... I've been searching where else it could be and I'm just not seeing it... please help