How Do You Print Gridlines in Excel 2011 (Step-by-Step Guide)

When working in Microsoft Excel 2011 (especially on a Mac), you might notice that your printed spreadsheet looks different from what you see on your screen. The most common issue? Missing gridlines.

By default, Excel doesn’t print gridlines to make printouts cleaner. However, if you want those familiar gray lines to appear—whether for better readability, data presentation, or organization—it’s very easy to enable this option.

In this detailed guide, we’ll show you how to print gridlines in Excel 2011, step by step. We’ll also explain why gridlines don’t print by default, how to preview your document, and how to customize their look for professional reports.

What Are Gridlines in Excel 2011?

Gridlines are the faint gray lines that separate cells in an Excel worksheet. They help you visually distinguish one cell from another, making your data easier to read and organize.

• On your screen, gridlines appear automatically.

• When printed, however, they don’t show up unless you specifically tell Excel to include them.

These lines are not the same as cell borders, which are manually applied and can be customized in color and thickness.

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Why Excel 2011 Doesn’t Print Gridlines by Default

Microsoft Excel 2011 (for Mac) hides gridlines in printouts by default for a few practical reasons:

• Cleaner presentation: Removing gridlines gives spreadsheets a neater, report-style look.

• Ink efficiency: Lighter backgrounds reduce printing costs.

• Design flexibility: Users can add custom borders instead of relying on gridlines.

But if you need to keep your spreadsheet structure visible—say, for school reports, invoices, or checklists—you can turn on the gridline printing option manually.

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How to Print Gridlines in Excel 2011 (Step-by-Step)

Here’s the exact process for printing gridlines in Excel 2011:

Step 1: Open Your Excel File

Launch Excel 2011 on your Mac and open the worksheet you want to print.

Step 2: Go to the Layout Tab

At the top of the screen, click the Layout tab.
This is where Excel stores page and print settings.

Step 3: Locate the “Gridlines” Section

In the Layout tab, look for the Gridlines group—usually on the right-hand side.

Step 4: Enable “Print” Option

You’ll see two checkboxes:

• View – shows gridlines on screen.

• Print – includes gridlines in printed output.

✅ Check the box next to “Print.”

Step 5: Preview Your Changes

Click File → Print (or press Command + P) to open the print preview.
You should now see gridlines displayed on your print preview page.

Step 6: Print the Document

Once everything looks right, click Print to send it to your printer.

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How to Preview Gridlines Before Printing

Before wasting paper or ink, it’s smart to preview your document:

1. Go to File → Print.

2. In the preview window, look for the faint gridlines around your data.

3. If you don’t see them, go back and make sure Gridlines → Print is enabled.

You can also use Page Layout View for a more realistic preview:

• Go to View → Workbook Views → Page Layout.
  This mode shows how your spreadsheet will appear on a printed page.

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How to Print Gridlines for Specific Areas Only

You may not want to print gridlines for your entire sheet—just a specific section. Here’s how:

1. Highlight the cells or area you want to print.

2. Go to File → Print Area → Set Print Area.

3. Then enable Gridlines → Print (as shown earlier).

4. When you print, Excel will only include the selected range—with gridlines visible.

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How to Change Gridline Color in Excel 2011

While Excel 2011 doesn’t allow you to color gridlines for printing directly, you can modify their appearance on-screen or simulate colored lines using borders:

1. Go to Excel → Preferences → View.

2. Under “Window options,” find Gridline color.

3. Choose a new color from the palette.

Note: This only changes how they appear on screen. For printing colored gridlines, use Borders instead.

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How to Print Borders Instead of Gridlines

If you want more control over line thickness and color, you can use Borders instead of gridlines. Borders are visible both on screen and in print by default.

Here’s how:

1. Select the range of cells you want to outline.

2. Go to the Home tab.

3. Click the Borders icon (looks like a small grid).

4. Choose All Borders or customize your own.

5. Preview and print—your borders will always appear.

Borders are ideal for professional reports, invoices, and tables that need clear structure.

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Gridlines vs. Borders — What’s the Difference?

If you want a subtle guide, use gridlines. For formal documents, use borders.

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How to Troubleshoot Gridlines Not Printing

If gridlines still aren’t printing, try these quick fixes:

1. ✅ Ensure File → Print → Gridlines → Print is checked.

2. Verify that Borders or background fills aren’t hiding gridlines.

3. ️ Check your printer settings—some printers use “Draft Mode” that ignores faint lines.

4. Save your file, restart Excel, and reprint.

5. Print to PDF first to confirm it’s not a printer issue.

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Tips for Better-Formatted Printouts

Here are some quick ways to improve the look of your printed Excel sheets:

• Use Page Layout → Fit to Page to avoid cut-off columns.

• Add Headers and Footers for professional labeling.

• Use Margins → Narrow for space efficiency.

• Add Borders to highlight totals or key data.

• Use Print Titles to repeat header rows on every page.

These small tweaks make your reports both readable and visually appealing.

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How to Reset Print Settings in Excel 2011

If you want to revert to Excel’s default printing setup:

1. Go to File → Page Setup.

2. Click the Sheet tab.

3. Uncheck Gridlines → Print.

4. Click OK to apply.

Your future prints will no longer include gridlines until you re-enable them.

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Why Printing Gridlines Can Be Useful

Printing gridlines may seem minor, but it has several practical advantages:

• Helps readers follow data easily.

• Keeps tables aligned for manual entries.

• Ideal for data collection sheets or forms.

• Useful for school or financial reports.

If your printed document is meant for handwritten notes, gridlines are especially helpful.

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Professional Alternatives to Printing Gridlines

Want your document to look more polished? Try these alternatives:

• Use shaded cells or alternating row colors for readability.

• Apply thin borders to selected areas instead of full-sheet gridlines.

• Export your sheet as a PDF to maintain layout and color consistency.

These methods look cleaner while still giving structure to your spreadsheet.

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Conclusion

Printing gridlines in Excel 2011 is quick and easy once you know where to look. By default, Excel leaves them out, but turning them back on takes just a few clicks:

• Go to Layout → Gridlines → Print.

• Preview your file.

• Print and confirm the gridlines appear correctly.

Whether you’re preparing data reports, checklists, or spreadsheets for review, adding gridlines can make your printed pages easier to read and use.

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FAQs

1. Why can’t I see gridlines when printing in Excel 2011?

Because Excel hides them by default. Enable Print gridlines under the Layout tab.

2. Do gridlines print in color?

No, gridlines print in black or gray. To print colored lines, use Borders instead.

3. Can I print gridlines on just one worksheet?

Yes. Gridline settings apply per sheet, so turn it on for each sheet you want to print.

4. How do I remove gridlines from printing later?

Uncheck the Print gridlines option in the Layout tab before printing.

5. Why do gridlines disappear after adding cell fill color?

Gridlines become invisible on filled cells. Use Borders to outline colored cells.

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Key Takeaways

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By following these steps, you’ll never have to wonder again, “Why don’t my Excel gridlines print?” Now you can easily control exactly how your spreadsheets look on paper — crisp, clear, and professional.