Excel Shortcut to Remove Gridlines: Windows and Mac

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Alt, then W, V, G to toggle gridlines off for the active worksheet. Press the same sequence again to show them; on a Mac, use the Gridlines control on the View tab because the Windows key sequence does not apply.

The Windows shortcut, step by step

The sequence uses Excel ribbon access keys. Press and release each key in order rather than holding the four keys together:

Click a cell on the worksheet whose gridlines you want to change.
Press Alt, then W, then V, then G.
Check the worksheet: its faint cell grid should disappear. Repeat the sequence to turn gridlines back on.

The shortcut changes the gridline display setting for the active worksheet; it does not erase cells, values, formulas, or formatting. Because the sequence works through ribbon access keys, Excel may show small letter or keytip prompts as you go. Follow those prompts if your interface presents a different keytip, for example after a ribbon customization or in a localized edition. The dependable mouse route is View > Show > Gridlines.

There is no need to select the entire sheet first. The setting applies to the worksheet, not just the selected cell or range. If you have several worksheet tabs, confirm the active tab before using the shortcut so you do not change the wrong sheet.

What gridlines are, and what hiding them does

Gridlines are the light boundary marks Excel displays between cells when the sheet is in Normal view. They help you track rows and columns while entering or reviewing data, but they are not the same thing as cell borders. A gridline is a worksheet display aid; a border is formatting applied to selected cells.

Hiding gridlines changes how the worksheet looks on screen. It does not remove the underlying row and column structure, change cell addresses, hide data, or stop formulas from calculating. A formula in C5 remains in C5, and you can still select, edit, copy, and format cells normally. The view setting also does not convert the worksheet into a picture or lock it.

This distinction matters when a sheet still has visible lines after you use the shortcut. Those lines may be borders that were deliberately applied, not gridlines. Conversely, if you want a table to retain clear section edges after hiding gridlines, apply borders to the relevant cells rather than relying on the default grid.

Use the ribbon if the shortcut is unavailable

The ribbon command offers a useful alternative when you prefer not to use key sequences, when a keytip does not match, or when you want to verify the setting visually. In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows:

Select the worksheet tab you want to change.
Open the View tab.
In the Show group, clear the Gridlines checkbox.

To restore the lines, return to the same checkbox and select it. The checkbox reflects the active worksheet’s display setting. If you move to another worksheet, its gridlines can remain visible because the option is controlled sheet by sheet.

Another common route is to use the keyboard to navigate the ribbon without memorizing the full sequence: press Alt to display keytips, then follow the letters shown above the relevant tabs and commands. This is helpful if a future interface change or a regional version displays different access keys.

Gridlines are a per-worksheet display setting

A workbook can contain worksheets with different gridline settings. For example, you might leave gridlines visible on a data-entry sheet, hide them on a polished dashboard, and hide them on a chart-focused summary page. Changing the setting on one tab does not generally mean every tab in the workbook has been changed.

For a workbook with many sheets, visit each tab and set its view as needed. Before applying a change, check which sheet is active. If worksheet tabs are grouped, Excel can apply some changes to multiple selected sheets; grouped tabs are indicated visually. If you did not intend to edit several sheets at once, right-click a selected tab and choose Ungroup Sheets before continuing.

Gridlines should also be distinguished from row and column headings, such as A, B, C and 1, 2, 3. Those labels are a separate display option. Hiding gridlines does not automatically hide the headings, and hiding headings does not turn gridlines off. In the View tab, the Show group includes separate controls for these worksheet aids.

Hiding gridlines versus preventing them from printing

Turning off gridlines in the View tab is primarily a screen-display change. It is not the same as changing the print setting. In desktop Excel for Windows, gridlines are not printed by default, even if they appear on the screen. If a printed page does show cell divisions, they may be cell borders rather than printed gridlines.

To control gridlines on paper or in a print-to-PDF output, use the worksheet’s print option. Open Page Layout, find Sheet Options, and look under Gridlines. Clear Print to prevent gridlines from printing, or select it if you want them included. The View checkbox in the same group controls their on-screen appearance, so check the correct box for the result you want.

For example, a budget worksheet may look easier to scan with screen gridlines on, while its printed report uses formatted borders around totals and no printed grid. That combination is possible: leave View enabled, leave Print disabled, and add borders only where the report needs stronger visual structure. Always check Print Preview before distributing a file, because page breaks, scaling, and printer settings can affect the final appearance.

Gridlines, borders, and cell fill are different

Gridlines are faint and uniform, whereas borders are formatting that can have chosen colors, line styles, and positions. If you hide gridlines and still see dark lines around cells, inspect the border formatting. Select the affected range and use Home > Borders to change or remove borders. Removing borders is a separate formatting action and should not be used as a substitute for toggling gridlines.

Cell fill can also make the display seem inconsistent. Excel generally does not show worksheet gridlines through cells that have a fill color, including a white fill. If a patch of cells looks blank while nearby cells show gridlines, select the patch and check Home > Fill Color. Choose No Fill if you want the default gridlines visible there. Do not assume that the gridline setting has failed just because filled cells look different.

When preparing a clean-looking form, a common approach is to hide gridlines, then add intentional borders and fills to input areas. This makes the layout clearer, but it does not restrict where a person can type. Use data validation or worksheet protection separately if you need to guide or limit editing.

Common problems and quick checks

If the shortcut seems to do nothing, start with these checks before changing workbook formatting:

Confirm the active tab. Gridline display is worksheet-specific, so the active sheet may not be the one you meant to edit.
Use the keys in sequence. Press and release Alt, W, V, and G one at a time. This is not a simultaneous keyboard combination.
Try the ribbon checkbox. Go to View > Show > Gridlines. If the box is selected, clear it; if it is already clear, the current sheet’s gridlines are already hidden.
Check for borders. Dark or colored cell outlines can remain visible after gridlines are hidden because borders are independent formatting.
Check cell fill. A filled range can conceal gridlines even when the worksheet-wide setting is on.
Check the view mode. View controls may differ when the workbook is in Page Layout or Page Break Preview. Return to Normal view to inspect the standard worksheet display.

If the sequence appears to activate something else, press Esc to leave the current ribbon prompt and use the View tab directly. Keyboard access letters may depend on the edition, language, or ribbon configuration. The visible ribbon command is the reliable fallback and also makes it easier to distinguish the View setting from the separate Print setting.

Excel for Mac and Excel for the web

The Windows sequence Alt, W, V, G is not the Mac equivalent. In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Mac, select the worksheet, open the View tab, and toggle Gridlines in the Show controls. The exact ribbon arrangement can vary with the window width, but the View tab control is the appropriate route; do not substitute a Windows Alt-key sequence on a Mac.

In Excel for the web, open the View tab and use the Gridlines control to show or hide them. The web app’s interface and keyboard access keys differ from desktop Excel, so the Windows sequence should not be assumed to work there. If you are switching between desktop and web, verify the sheet after switching; the visual controls are similar in purpose, but menus and available print options can differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Excel shortcut to remove gridlines?

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Alt, then W, V, and G. The sequence toggles gridlines for the active worksheet. Use View > Show > Gridlines if the access keys do not work in your edition.

Does hiding gridlines delete cell borders?

No. Hiding gridlines changes the worksheet display setting only. Cell borders are separate formatting and remain until you change or remove them through the Borders controls.

Will gridlines disappear from every worksheet?

Not necessarily. Gridline visibility is set per worksheet, so other tabs can keep their existing settings. Activate each sheet and change its setting if you want a consistent workbook appearance.

Why can I still see lines after hiding gridlines?

The remaining lines may be borders, which are not affected by the gridline toggle. They may also be lines in a filled or specially formatted area. Check the cell border settings and fill before concluding that the toggle failed.

How do I stop gridlines from printing?

In desktop Excel for Windows, go to Page Layout > Sheet Options and clear Print under Gridlines. The View checkbox controls the screen, while Print controls printed output; they are separate settings.

Is there a Mac keyboard shortcut for gridlines?

The Windows Alt-key sequence is not a Mac shortcut. Use the Gridlines control on Excel for Mac’s View tab. This is the direct, version-appropriate way to change the display.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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