How to Hide Input Cell Formatting When Printing an Excel Sheet in WPS Spreadsheets
Question details
The user needs to keep input cells highlighted on screen for data entry but hide that formatting when printing or exporting the worksheet to PDF.
- Product
- WPS Office Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user manages a worksheet or template where input cells are formatted with fills or borders for editing guidance, and wants the printed or PDF copy to appear without those visual guides.
- Observed behavior
- There is no built-in cell style that is visible on screen and automatically removed only during printing or PDF export, so the input formatting normally appears in the printed output.
Before applying the rule, identify the exact input cells and review any existing conditional formatting rules so the new print-status rule can be added without overriding other formatting.
Use a Print-Status Cell and Conditional Formatting to Hide Input Highlighting
Use this manual method when you want a simple, repeatable way to remove input cell formatting just before printing or exporting to PDF.
This approach keeps the input formatting visible while you edit or fill out the sheet. When the status cell is set to "Ready to Print," the conditional formatting rule switches off the input highlight, so the printout or PDF only contains the data.
Select a cell outside the printed range, such as H1, and type "Draft" or "Not Ready to Print". You can also create a drop-down for this cell by selecting it, going to Data > Validation, choosing List, and entering Ready to Print,Draft.
Select the input cells you normally highlight, go to the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting > New Rule, then choose "Use a formula to determine which cells to format".
In the formula box, enter =$H$1<>"Ready to Print" (change $H$1 to your status cell), click Format, and set the input fill color or border you use on screen.
Before printing, change the status cell to "Ready to Print". Then go to File > Print or File > Export to PDF; the input fill disappears from the printed output. After printing, set the status cell back to "Draft" to keep on-screen highlighting for editing.
Automate Temporary Formatting Removal with a Macro Before Printing or PDF Export
Choose this method when the workbook is printed or exported repeatedly and you want the formatting removal and restoration to run automatically.
Hide Input Cell Formatting Only When Printing in WPS Spreadsheets
Use a print-status cell with conditional formatting or a short macro to keep input highlighting on screen while printing or exporting a clean PDF from WPS Spreadsheets.
- 1. Open your workbook in WPS Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Office, open the Excel workbook, and click the sheet that contains the input cells.
- 2. Set up a print-status cell: Select an out-of-print-range cell such as H1, type "Draft", and optionally create a drop-down via Data > Validation with the values Ready to Print and Draft.
- 3. Add conditional formatting to input cells: Select the input cells, go to Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule, use a formula such as =$H$1<>"Ready to Print", and choose the highlight format.
- 4. Print or export to PDF without input formatting: Set the status cell to "Ready to Print", then go to File > Print or File > Export to PDF. After output, return the status cell to "Draft" to restore the on-screen highlight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a cell style that hides automatically when printing without changing any cell before printing?
WPS Spreadsheets and Excel do not have a built-in print-only cell style. The closest built-in approach is a print-status cell with conditional formatting, or a macro that removes and restores formatting around the print command.
Does this method work when I export the sheet to PDF?
Yes. PDF export uses the print output, so set the status cell to "Ready to Print" before choosing File > Export to PDF, and the input highlighting will be omitted.
How do I prevent conditional formatting from overriding existing rules on the input cells?
Use a separate rule for the print status and check the rule order in Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules. You can also enable Stop If True for the rule that turns off the highlight.
Can I use a drop-down list instead of typing the print status each time?
Yes. Select the status cell, go to Data > Validation, choose List, and enter Ready to Print,Draft. The drop-down makes it easier to switch between editing and print mode.
Does WPS Spreadsheets support the VBA macro method from Excel?
WPS Spreadsheets supports macro-enabled workbooks and many Excel-compatible macros, but some advanced VBA commands may need adjustment. Test the macro on a copy before relying on it for production printing.
