Excel Performance Problems

Fix Excel Gridlines Becoming Misaligned or Shifting Position

Huda Qurayshi Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is experiencing a display issue where worksheet gridlines visually shift or become misaligned, making the data difficult to read.

How to Fix Excel Gridlines Becoming Misaligned or Shifting Position

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Using the workbook for an extended period or after entering specific formulas.
Observed behavior: The gridlines shift position and become misaligned, disrupting the normal worksheet layout and degrading readability.

Before you start

Save your current work and try scrolling up and down or switching worksheet tabs to see if a simple screen refresh corrects the visual glitch.

Solution 1Recommended

Restart Excel and Update Microsoft 365

Since misaligned gridlines are often a temporary rendering glitch or a known software bug, restarting the application and applying the latest updates is the most effective first step.

Microsoft frequently patches display bugs and performance issues. Ensuring your software is up to date can resolve unexpected visual shifting in worksheets.

Restart the application

Save your workbook and close Microsoft Excel completely. Reopen the application to see if the gridlines display correctly.

Navigate to Account settings

Click on 'File' in the top left corner, then select 'Account' from the bottom left menu.

Check for updates

Under 'Product Information', click the 'Update Options' dropdown box and select 'Update Now'.

Apply updates

Allow Microsoft 365 to download and install any pending updates, then restart Excel once the process is complete.

Check Hardware Acceleration: If updating doesn't work, go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll to the Display section, and check 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration' if the option is available in your version.

Solution 2

Document the Issue and Contact Support

If updates do not resolve the gridline shift, escalate the recurring bug to Microsoft Support via your IT administrator.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office to Avoid Display Glitches

If Microsoft Excel continues to suffer from rendering bugs and shifting gridlines, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a highly stable, lightweight, and free alternative that opens Excel files seamlessly without display glitches, ensuring a smooth and reliable spreadsheet experience.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite.
2. Open WPS Spreadsheets: Launch the application and select 'Spreadsheets' from the main dashboard.
3. Open your file: Click 'Open', select your existing Excel workbook, and enjoy a stable, glitch-free editing environment.

Stable rendering engine that prevents gridline shifts and visual glitches.Strict format compatibility with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .csv).Free and lightweight, avoiding heavy resource usage that causes display lag.Familiar user interface requiring zero learning curve for Excel users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can complex formulas cause gridlines to misalign?

Formulas themselves do not alter gridline structures, but heavy calculations can strain system resources, causing a rendering lag or visual glitch in the software's display engine.

How do I quickly force Excel to refresh the screen and fix the gridlines?

You can force a screen refresh by minimizing the Excel window and restoring it, or by clicking a different worksheet tab at the bottom and then switching back to your original sheet.

Does zooming in and out fix misaligned gridlines?

Yes, adjusting the zoom slider located at the bottom right of the Excel window can often force the application to redraw the gridlines correctly and resolve temporary alignment issues.

Excel & Data Problems