Color sorting will achieve what nothing else can if the standard black borders are not working for you and your organizational senses are screaming for order. Changing the font color is frequently not an option that makes sense. Although color fill is another helpful sorting companion, the focus of this tutorial is on altering border colors.
You could be adhering to a format (all receipts ink in blue), color-coding columns, or perhaps your fancy rainbow streak is on, so why change from black borders? Using your cursor as a digital color pencil, a few quick keys, Format Cells, and even changing the default border color are all skills you will learn today. All that sits right below, so let’s start digging.
Change border color of active cell in Excel
How to change the border color in Excel using “More Borders”
Various tools and settings are available in an Excel sheet for editing and customizing cell borders. The “More Borders” tool in Excel can be used in the following four steps to alter the color of the cell border:
1. Select the cell or range of cells
The cell or range of cells where you want to apply the color should be highlighted using your cursor. Multiple cells in one area can be highlighted at once. Click and drag along that grouping until all the cells you want to colorize are highlighted.
2. Open the “Border” tool
Go to the “Home” tab at the Excel window’s top. Find the “Border” tool under this tab in the toolbar’s “Font” grouping. To access the options menu for editing cell borders, click on the tiny arrow next to the “Border” button.
3. Scroll to “More Borders”
Choose “More Borders” from the drop-down menu at the bottom. This opens a settings dialog box labeled “Format Cells”. You can view and use the functions for editing cell borders here.
4. Select a color
Select the “Border” tab from the “Format Cells” dialog box. Under this tab, open the drop-down menu for “Colors”. To apply the selected color to the cells in your highlighted range, click “OK” in the dialog box after making your choice from the available options.
Why change the border color in Excel?
Here are some situations where improving your Excel sheet and your work involve changing the border color:
How to change the border color in Excel using “Line Color”
By choosing the “Line Color” tool in Excel, you can also alter the border color of a collection of cells. To apply “Line Color” to cell borders in your Excel sheet, follow these steps:
1. Open the “Border” tool menu
Select the “Home” tab toolbar at the top of your Excel window. Find the “Border” tool from the “Font” grouping on this bar. To access the drop-down menu of border options, click on the tiny arrow next to the “Border” button.
2. Access the “Line Color” settings
Scroll to the “Draw Borders” section of the drop-down menu and choose the “Line Color” option. This choice displays a different drop-down menu with pre-set Excel color choices. Select your desired border color from this menu.
3. Apply the color
Your cursor changes to a pencil once you’ve chosen a color from the menu. Drag this pencil icon over the cells you want to select. When you let go of the mouse button, the selected cell’s borders are colored.
Tips for changing the border color in Excel
Here are some pointers for modifying Excel’s border color:
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FAQ
Why can’t I change the border color in Excel?
- Select the cells whose border colors you want to change.
- Choose Cells from the Format menu. …
- Make sure the Border tab is selected. …
- Choose the color you want to use for borders using the Color drop-down list.
How do I change cell borders in Excel?
To change the cell border, right-click the cell and select “format cell” You must reapply the border after changing the border’s color from automatic in the border tab; doing so will not cause the border to change automatically.
How do you add a red border in Excel?
Right-click over the cells you’ve chosen, select Format Cells, and then click the Border tab in the ensuing pop-up window. Select one of the thicker styles from the Line box to create a continuous line. In the Presets section, click your existing border type. Check your new border width in the preview diagram.
