Fix Excel Borders Not Showing Next to Hidden Rows or Columns
Question details
Users experience disappearing cell borders in spreadsheets when hiding specific rows or columns.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel / WPS Spreadsheet
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Hiding a row or column that has a specific border formatting applied to it.
- Observed behavior
- The border does not appear between the remaining visible rows or columns, making the spreadsheet look unformatted and causing unexpected printing results.
Ensure you unhide the affected rows or columns first so you can correctly select the adjacent cells to apply the new shared border formatting.
Apply a Shared Border to Both Adjacent Rows or Columns
Assign the border formatting to the shared edge of both adjacent columns or rows so it remains visible even if one of them is hidden.
When you apply a right border to Column D and then hide Column D, the border disappears because it belongs exclusively to the hidden column. By applying a shared vertical or horizontal border between two visible columns or rows, the formatting attaches to both sides.
Highlight both adjacent columns or rows (for example, Columns C and D) where you want the border to remain visible.
Navigate to the Home tab on the top ribbon and click the drop-down arrow next to the Borders icon.
Select 'More Borders' at the bottom of the drop-down menu to open the Format Cells dialog box.
In the Border tab, click the vertical line (for columns) or horizontal line (for rows) in the middle of the preview area, then click OK.
Fix Missing Borders Easily in WPS Spreadsheet
WPS Spreadsheet offers highly compatible and intuitive cell formatting tools, allowing you to easily manage shared borders across hidden rows and columns without losing your layout.
- 1. Open Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your document.
- 2. Select Columns or Rows: Highlight the two adjacent columns or rows where the border is disappearing.
- 3. Open Format Cells: Right-click the highlighted selection and choose 'Format Cells' from the context menu.
- 4. Apply Middle Border: Switch to the 'Borders' tab, click the middle border line in the preview, and click OK to apply the shared format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my printed Excel sheet lose its gridlines and borders?
If borders were applied only to rows or columns that are currently hidden in your view, they will not print. You need to apply shared borders between the visible and hidden columns, or check 'Print Gridlines' in the Page Layout settings before printing.
Does hiding a row delete the formatting in those cells?
No, hiding a row or column only conceals it from view. The cell formatting, including borders, fonts, and background colors, remains completely intact and will reappear once you unhide the row or column.
Can I apply this shared border fix to multiple scattered hidden columns at once?
No, you must select each pair of adjacent columns individually to apply the shared middle border. If you have many hidden columns, it is usually faster to unhide them all, apply 'All Borders' to the entire data range, and then re-hide the necessary columns.
