Formatting Issues

How to Remove Gridlines from a Linked Excel Object in Word

Bushra Parveen Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove gridlines that unexpectedly appear in an Excel Worksheet object linked and pasted into a Word document.

How to Remove Gridlines from a Linked Excel Object in Word

Product: Microsoft Word / Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Pasting an Excel Worksheet as a linked object into a Word document.
Observed behavior: Gridlines remain visible in the Word document's linked object even when they have been hidden in the original source Excel worksheet.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved both your Word document and Excel worksheet before making formatting changes, and verify that you are pasting the data as a 'Linked Object' rather than a standard Word table.

Solution 1Recommended

Restart System to Fix Temporary Rendering Issues

Sometimes gridlines appear due to a temporary graphical rendering glitch in the Office suite.

A known issue in some versions of Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise involves the display cache not updating correctly. Restarting clears these temporary glitches.

Save your files

Save and close both your active Word document and the linked Excel worksheet.

Restart your computer

Restart your operating system to clear out temporary display caches and reset system rendering.

Reopen and verify

Open the Word document again to see if the gridlines are no longer visible in the embedded object.

Solution 2

Change Excel Gridline Color to White

If gridlines stubbornly appear in Word, forcing the gridline color to be white in Excel makes them invisible in the linked object.

Insert Linked Spreadsheets Seamlessly in WPS Office

WPS Office allows you to link spreadsheet data into your text documents without unexpected formatting issues. You can easily manage object display settings across WPS Writer and WPS Spreadsheet.

1. Copy Spreadsheet Data: Open your data in WPS Spreadsheet, select the cells you want to link, and press Ctrl+C.
2. Paste Special in WPS Writer: Open WPS Writer, click the drop-down arrow under the Paste button on the Home tab, and select Paste Special.
3. Choose Paste Link: Select Paste Link, choose WPS Spreadsheet Object from the list, and click OK.
4. Toggle Gridlines: If you need to hide gridlines, go to the View tab in WPS Spreadsheet and uncheck View Gridlines, then update the link in Writer.

Free, all-in-one office suite for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations100% compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx)Clean, precise object rendering without ghost gridlines

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do gridlines show in Word when they are hidden in Excel?

This is often caused by a graphical rendering glitch or caching issue within Microsoft Office, particularly when using the 'Linked Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object' paste option.

How do I update a linked Excel object in Word?

Right-click the embedded Excel table or object in your Word document and select 'Update Link' from the context menu to sync the latest data and formatting from the source file.

Are there alternative ways to paste Excel data into Word without gridline issues?

Yes, instead of pasting as a linked OLE object, you can choose 'Keep Source Formatting' or 'Use Destination Styles' under Paste Options to insert the data as a native, editable Word table.

Document & File Issues