How to Print Gridlines in Excel (and why they sometimes won’t)

Gridlines show on screen but not on paper by default. One tick changes that.

Steps

1. Go to the Page Layout tab.
2. In the Sheet Options group, under Gridlines, tick Print.
3. Ctrl + P — the preview shows the lines.

Only around your data, not the empty area

Gridlines print for the used range only. To print exactly one block, set a print area first.

Darker lines

Printed gridlines are light grey. For clear black lines use borders instead: select the data › Home › Borders › All Borders. Borders always print.

Gridlines don’t show on screen either

View tab › tick Gridlines. If they still don’t show, the cells have a white fill — select all › Home › Fill Color › No Fill.

The Print tick box is greyed out

The sheet is in Page Break Preview or a chart is selected. Click a normal cell, View › Normal.

Check it worked

Ctrl + P. The preview shows light grey lines between every cell in the printed area.

Row and column headings too

Same group: under Headings tick Print. The A, B, C and 1, 2, 3 print with the data.