5 Ways to Print Excel with Lines

Introduction to Printing Excel with Lines

When working with Excel, it’s common to want to print your spreadsheets with grid lines for better readability and to make it easier to reference specific cells. By default, Excel does not print grid lines, but there are several ways to enable this feature. In this article, we’ll explore five methods to print Excel spreadsheets with lines, making it easier to understand and work with printed versions of your spreadsheets.

Method 1: Using the Page Setup Options

The most straightforward way to print Excel with lines is by using the Page Setup options. To do this, follow these steps: - Go to the Page Layout tab in the Excel ribbon. - Click on Page Setup in the Page Setup group. - In the Page Setup dialog box, click on the Sheet tab. - Under Print, check the box next to Gridlines. - Click OK to apply the changes. This method ensures that your spreadsheet prints with grid lines, making it easier to read and reference.

Method 2: Using the Print Preview

Another way to print Excel with lines is through the Print Preview feature. Here’s how: - Go to the File tab and select Print, or press Ctrl+P. - In the Print dialog box, click on the Print Preview button or the Page Setup link. - In the Page Setup dialog, navigate to the Sheet tab. - Check the box next to Gridlines under the Print section. - Click OK and then print your spreadsheet. Using Print Preview allows you to see how your spreadsheet will look before printing, ensuring that grid lines are included.

Method 3: Using the Excel Options

You can also configure Excel to print grid lines by default through the Excel Options. To do this: - Go to the File tab and select Options. - In the Excel Options window, click on Advanced. - Scroll down to the Printing section. - Check the box that says Print gridlines under Print section if available, or look for a similar option depending on your Excel version. - Click OK to apply the changes. This method sets a default for printing grid lines, which can save time if you frequently need to print spreadsheets with lines.

Method 4: Using VBA Macro

For those comfortable with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), you can create a macro to print Excel with lines. Here’s a basic example of how to do this: - Press Alt+F11 to open the VBA Editor. - In the VBA Editor, go to Insert > Module to insert a new module. - Paste the following code into the module:

Sub PrintWithGridlines()
    ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintGridlines = True
    ActiveSheet.PrintOut
End Sub

• Save the macro by clicking File > Save (or press Ctrl+S).
• Run the macro by pressing Alt+F8, selecting PrintWithGridlines, and clicking Run. This method provides a quick way to print the active sheet with grid lines using a macro.

Method 5: Using Excel Add-ins

Some Excel add-ins offer features to enhance printing, including the option to print grid lines. To use an add-in for this purpose: - Install an appropriate Excel add-in that offers printing enhancements. - Follow the add-in’s instructions to enable the print grid lines feature. - Once enabled, you can print your spreadsheet with grid lines using the add-in’s print options. Using an add-in can provide additional flexibility and features for printing Excel spreadsheets with lines.

💡 Note: The availability of certain features and options might vary depending on the version of Excel you are using.

To summarize, printing Excel spreadsheets with grid lines can significantly improve their readability when on paper. Whether you choose to use the Page Setup options, Print Preview, Excel Options, VBA macro, or an Excel add-in, there are multiple ways to achieve this. Each method has its own advantages, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs and how often you need to print spreadsheets with grid lines.