Excel provides different ways to add, change, and remove cell borders. Some border formatting options take only a single click.
Adding borders in Excel is a great way to improve the appearance and readability of your spreadsheets. Borders help delineate sections, highlight headings, and make your data more visually appealing.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk through the various ways you can add borders in Excel using the user interface controls as well as some handy shortcuts and tips Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn or an advanced user wanting to save time, this guide has got you covered!
Using Predefined Border Styles
The easiest way to add borders is to use Excel’s predefined border styles. Simply select the cells you want to add a border to go to the Home tab and click the drop-down arrow next to the Borders button.
This will reveal a menu of different border styles you can choose from like All Borders Top Border, Left Border and more. Select the style you want and Excel will apply it instantly.
Some things to keep in mind when using predefined borders:
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Borders applied to a cell will also apply to adjacent cells sharing that boundary.
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If you apply two border styles to the same cell boundary, the most recent style will be displayed.
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Ranges of cells are formatted as a block so borders only display on the outer edges.
Using the Format Painter
If you’ve already formatted some cells with a border and want to quickly copy that formatting, use the Format Painter. This nifty tool is found on the Home tab.
Simply select the cells with the border you want to copy, click Format Painter, then select the cells you want that border applied to. The formatting will be copied over instantly.
Double click the Format Painter button to keep it “turned on” so you can paint the formatting across multiple ranges. Press Esc when done to deactivate it.
Drawing Borders Manually
For more customization, you can manually draw borders using the Draw Border and Draw Border Grid tools found in the Borders drop-down menu.
Select the line style and color you want first, then choose Draw Border to add borders one cell at a time by clicking gridlines. Or choose Draw Border Grid to click and drag borders across a range of cells.
This is great for quickly adding borders in specific areas without formatting the entire sheet.
Using the Border Tab of Format Cells
For fine-tuned control, use the Border tab in the Format Cells dialog box. Select your cells, press Ctrl+1 to open Format Cells, then go to the Border tab.
You’ll find options to set line style, color, presets, and can preview your custom border. You can even draw borders directly in the preview area.
Applying as Table Style
Applying your data as an Excel Table offers preset borders as part of the table styles. Select your data, press Ctrl+T to convert to a table, then pick a style from the Table Design tab.
The “Table Style Options” section lets you toggle the visibility of header row, total row, banded rows, and first/last column borders.
Using Conditional Formatting
You can automatically apply borders using Conditional Formatting rules. After selecting your cells, create a new rule based on your desired criteria.
Click Format to open the Format Cells dialog and set up your border options on the Border tab. Excel will apply those borders to all cells meeting the rule criteria.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Don’t forget these handy keyboard shortcuts for fast border formatting:
- Ctrl+Shift+7 – Applies outside border
- Ctrl+Shift+8 – Applies bottom border
- Ctrl+Shift+9 – Applies thick outside border
- Ctrl+Shift+_ – Removes borders
Tips for Printing Borders
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Enable worksheet gridlines under View > Show > Gridlines to print default cell borders.
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Use inside borders on rows broken across printed pages to maintain continuity.
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Uncheck View > Headings > Print row/column headings to omit those from printing.
Using Borders Efficiently
Here are some tips for using borders effectively:
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Use borders sparingly. Too many can reduce readability.
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Be consistent with border usage and formatting across your workbook.
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Put borders only around data ranges, not entire empty rows/columns.
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Place borders around formulas or referenced cells to make them stand out.
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Use double borders for summary rows like totals.
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Alternate row shading can complement borders without being distracting.
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Match border lines to data relationships, like putting heavier lines around main categories.
When to Avoid Borders
There are a few instances where you may want to avoid using borders:
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If data is already visually distinct, additional borders may be unnecessary.
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In compact, dense tables, borders can reduce white space and legibility.
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Don’t use vertical borders for columns less than 60px wide as they become difficult to see.
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On printed handouts, borders may be redundant if you’ve already included row/column headings.
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If using alternating row colors for visual grouping, vertical borders may not be needed.
Removing Borders
Removing borders is just as easy as adding them in Excel. Simply select the cells, go to the Home tab, open the Borders drop-down and choose No Border.
Alternatively, you can click the Erase Border option from the Borders menu and select the individual borders you want to erase.
And that’s a wrap on working with borders in Excel! As you can see, it’s a simple yet powerful tool for enhancing the presentation of your worksheets.
By mastering borders along with other formatting options, you can transform your raw data into something more visually striking and effective for analysis.
Apply a pre-defined cell border
- On a sheet, select the cell or range of cells where you want to add or change the borders.
- On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the arrow next to Border
, and then click the cell border that you want to apply. Tip: To add or remove parts of a border, click More Borders at the bottom of the menu. Under Border, click the borders that you want to add or remove.
Remove all cell borders
- Select the cell or range of cells where you want to remove the borders.
- On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the arrow next to Border , and then click No Border.
Add Borders and Draw Borders in Excel
How do I make a border in Excel?
The fastest way to make a border in Excel is to apply one of the inbuilt options directly from the ribbon. Here’s how: Select a cell or a range of cells to which you want to add borders. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the down arrow next to the Borders button, and you will see a list of the most popular border types.
How to add and customize cell borders in Excel?
There are three ways to add and customize cell borders in Excel: By manually drawing the borders. We are going to take a look at each of the above ways one by one. Select the cells around which you want to add borders. To select individual cells, press down the control key, and select each cell.
How to add outside border in Excel?
The keyboard combination Ctrl + Shift + 7 adds an outside border to any cell or cell ranges in Excel. To use this technique, highlight one or many cells around which you want to add the outside border style. Now, press Ctrl + Shift + 7 once to add the border.
How to add a border grid in Excel?
If you want to manually add all outer borders to cells in various segments of a large dataset, you can use the Draw Border Grid option. From the Borders context menu, choose Draw Border Grid. Now, click on any cell and drag up, down, left, and right to apply cell borders quickly.
