How to Add and Customize Borders in Microsoft Excel

One of the best ways to display your data with emphasis or clarity is to add borders in Excel. You can apply and customize borders in a variety of ways in Microsoft Excel to suit your needs and your data.

You have a few easy ways to add borders in Excel and then customize the line weight, color, and position. Let’s look at how to use each one.

Use the Borders Button and Menu

Probably the simplest way to add cell borders is using the Borders button. This option lets you quickly apply a top, bottom, outside, or double border using the default line style and color.

The nice thing about the Borders button is that it retains your previous selection. This means you can select another cell or range and just use the button to apply the same border as before.

For example, here we applied the Top and Double Bottom Border. You can see that the same border style is available on the Borders button for reuse.

Draw Borders and Border Grids

Another way to add borders in Excel is by drawing them. With this method, you can insert borders without selecting the cell or range of cells first. Plus, you can place the border anywhere in the sheet you want.

It’s best to choose the line color and stylebeforeyou choose the Draw option you want to use. Otherwise, you’ll have to redo the steps and redraw the border.

Once you customize the line, you can then draw your borders.

Use the Format Cells Feature

One more way to add borders in Excel is by using the Format Cells feature. With this option, you can mix and match line colors and styles as well as add diagonal lines inside cells.

Remove Borders in Excel

Just like adding borders in Excel using a variety of methods, you can remove borders in a few different ways. Because of the flexibility offered by Excel, you can mix and match options here too.

For example, if you draw a border, you can then remove it using the Format Cells feature or if you add a border with the Borders button, you can remove it with the eraser.

Do one of the following to remove a border in Excel:

By adding borders in Excel, you can make your data easier to read, apply organization, and create attractive sheets, especially when printing. Experiment with different types of border styles and colors that complement your dataset and your brand.

Now that you know how to add borders in Excel, take a look at our tutorial forusing conditional formattingto automatically apply borders or colors to your spreadsheet.

Sandy Writtenhouse is a freelance technology writer and former Project, Department, and Program Manager. She turned her education, job experience, and love of technology into a full-time writing career. With all sorts of gadgets in her home and her hands, she seeks to help others make life easier through technology.Read Sandy’s Full Bio

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