Printing Problems

How to Add a Bottom Border to an Excel Header with a Picture

Rana Garcia Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to add a bottom border line to a printed page header that contains a centered picture, but Excel does not have a native feature for this specific formatting.

How to Add a Bottom Border to an Excel Header with a Picture

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a worksheet for printing where the company logo or header image requires a dividing line beneath it across every page.
Observed behavior: Excel does not provide a direct way to apply cell-style borders or draw lines inside the standard page header when an image is present.

Before you start

Before proceeding, determine the exact print width of your document columns so you know exactly which cells require the border formatting.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Top Worksheet Row as a Repeated Print Title

Since standard headers lack border formatting for images, the best workaround is to place your header content in the first row of your worksheet, apply a bottom border, and set it to repeat on every printed page.

This method replaces the traditional header feature by treating the top row of your spreadsheet as the header.

By applying cell borders to this top row and using the Print Titles function, you can ensure your image and its bottom border appear uniformly at the top of every printed page.

Insert the header image

Make the first row (Row 1) tall enough to fit your picture. Go to the 'Insert' tab, select 'Pictures', and place your centered image directly into the top row of your worksheet.

Apply the bottom border

Highlight all the cells in Row 1 that span the width of your printed document. Go to the 'Home' tab, click the 'Borders' dropdown, and select 'Bottom Border'.

Open Print Titles

Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Print Titles' in the Page Setup group.

Set the row to repeat

In the Page Setup dialog box under the 'Sheet' tab, click into the 'Rows to repeat at top' field. Select Row 1 (it will display as $1:$1), and then click 'OK'.

Use the Top Worksheet Row as a Repeated Print Title

Adjusting Page Breaks: Because your content spans multiple pages and varies in height, you may occasionally need to check 'Page Break Preview' to ensure your data is flowing naturally below the repeated header row without awkward cutoffs.

Effortless Print Layouts

Use WPS Spreadsheet for Easy Print Title Formatting

WPS Spreadsheet offers an incredibly intuitive Page Layout interface, making it simple to insert images, apply custom cell borders, and set up repeating print titles for a flawless printed document.

1. Open your workbook: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your document.
2. Format the top row: Insert your picture into the first row and apply a bottom cell border using the tools on the Home tab.
3. Access Print Titles: Navigate to the Page Layout tab and click on the Print Titles button.
4. Apply repeating rows: Set the first row in the 'Rows to repeat at top' field, click OK, and proceed to print.

Free, lightweight, and fast office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) filesIntuitive Page Layout and Print Title configurationSeamless cell formatting and image insertion

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I draw a line shape in the header instead of using spreadsheet cells?

No, standard spreadsheet headers generally do not support inserting line shapes directly alongside or underneath a picture. Using the top spreadsheet row as a Print Title remains the most reliable method for adding a clean border line.

Will the repeated header row overlap with my actual spreadsheet data on page 2?

No. When you configure a row as a Print Title, the software automatically pushes the rest of your data downward on subsequent printed pages, ensuring there is no overlap with the repeated row.

How do I make sure the bottom border stretches exactly across the printed page?

You need to select the specific range of cells in the top row that correspond precisely to your active document columns. Applying the bottom border only to this highlighted range guarantees the line perfectly matches your document's printed width.

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