How to Fix Excel Gridlines Missing in New Workbooks and Sheets
Question details
The user needs to restore the default gridlines display for all newly created Excel workbooks and worksheets.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel 2019
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating a new workbook via Ctrl+N or adding a new blank worksheet to an existing file.
- Observed behavior
- Gridlines are missing by default in newly created workbooks and sheets, even after repairing or reinstalling Excel, though they correctly appear in Safe Mode.
Verify that your default gridline color is not accidentally set to white in the advanced options, and ensure your monitor's contrast settings are capable of displaying light gray lines correctly.
Apply Gridlines View to All Existing Sheets
Because gridline visibility is a sheet-level setting, grouping all tabs allows you to apply the change to the entire workbook simultaneously.
Excel treats gridlines as a worksheet-specific property rather than a global application view setting. If you only enable gridlines on the active sheet, other sheets in the workbook will remain blank.
Right-click on any sheet tab at the bottom of the Excel window and select 'Select All Sheets' from the context menu.
Navigate to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon menu.
In the 'Show' group, check the box next to 'Gridlines' to display them across all grouped sheets.
Right-click any sheet tab again and choose 'Ungroup Sheets' to return to normal editing mode.
Recreate Default Book.xltx and Sheet.xltx Templates
Resetting the default startup templates in the XLSTART folder will resolve persistent layout issues for every new file created via Ctrl+N.
Easily Manage View Settings with WPS Office
If Excel's template system is causing persistent formatting headaches, WPS Spreadsheet offers an intuitive interface where gridline toggles and default workbook behaviors are straightforward and reliable.
- 1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and click on 'Blank' under the Spreadsheet category.
- 2. Access View Tools: Click on the 'View' tab located in the top navigation ribbon.
- 3. Toggle View Gridlines: Simply check the 'View Gridlines' box to instantly reveal cell borders on your current sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do gridlines show in Safe Mode but not in normal Excel mode?
In Safe Mode, Excel temporarily bypasses custom startup folders, add-ins, and templates. If your gridlines return in Safe Mode, it directly indicates that a file inside your XLSTART folder (like a corrupted Book.xltx) or a rogue add-in is causing the issue.
Does the View Gridlines setting apply to the entire workbook automatically?
No. The View > Gridlines setting is purely a worksheet-level preference. To apply it to the whole workbook, you must right-click a sheet tab, choose 'Select All Sheets', and then toggle the gridlines checkbox.
Where can I find the XLSTART folder in Windows?
The most common user-specific path is C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART. You may need to enable 'Show hidden files and folders' in Windows Explorer to see the AppData directory. Another possible location is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\XLSTART.
Will enabling gridlines in the View tab make them appear when printing?
No, the View setting only changes your on-screen workspace. If you want gridlines to be visible on physical paper or exported PDFs, you must navigate to the Page Layout tab and check the 'Print' box located under the Gridlines grouping.
