Enhanced Readability: A different color can make the gridlines stand out more, improving the visibility of cell boundaries.
Customized Aesthetics: Matching the gridline color to your project or company colors can make your spreadsheet more visually appealing and professional.
Accessibility Improvements: Changing the color can help those with visual impairments or color blindness better navigate your data.
How to Change the color of cell gridlines in Microsoft Excel - Office 365
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Access Excel Options
Open Microsoft Excel and click on the 'File' tab.
Select 'Options' at the bottom of the sidebar. This action opens the Excel Options dialog box.
Step 2: Navigate to Advanced Options
In the Excel Options dialog box, click on 'Advanced' in the left-hand pane.
Scroll down to the 'Display options for this worksheet' section.
Step 3: Change the Gridline Color
Find the 'Gridline color' option within the 'Display options for this worksheet' section.
Click on the color box next to 'Gridline color' to open the color selection dialog.
Choose your desired color for the gridlines. You can select from standard colors or customize a specific color if needed.
Click 'OK' to apply the new color.
Step 4: Apply and Confirm Changes
Click 'OK' again in the Excel Options dialog box to apply your changes.
Return to your spreadsheet to see the new gridline color in action.
Imagine you're preparing a financial report in Excel, and your company's branding includes a specific shade of blue. You want to customize the gridlines to match this branding color to enhance the report's visual appeal.
Access Excel Options: You open Excel, click on 'File', and then select 'Options'.
Navigate to Advanced Options: In the dialog box, you select 'Advanced' and scroll to 'Display options for this worksheet'.
Change the Gridline Color: Within the 'Display options', you click on the 'Gridline color' box and select a shade of blue that matches your company's branding.
Apply and Confirm Changes: After clicking 'OK' to close the color selection and again to close the Excel Options, you see that the gridlines in your financial report now reflect the company's branded blue, enhancing the professional appearance of your document.
Advanced Tips
Consider Workbook Themes: Before changing gridline colors, consider if a different workbook theme might better suit your needs. Themes affect the entire workbook's appearance, including cell styles and colors.
Use for Specific Worksheets: Remember, the gridline color change applies to the currently selected worksheet. If you have multiple worksheets, you'll need to change the gridline color for each one individually if you want a consistent look across your workbook.
Printing Considerations: Be aware that gridline color changes do not affect printouts by default, as Excel does not print gridlines unless specifically instructed to do so in the 'Page Layout' tab.
Accessibility: Choose gridline colors that maintain high contrast with the cell background color to ensure that your data is accessible to all users, including those with visual impairments.
