Office for Mac Issues

How to Remove a Bold Underline from Non-Bold Text in Excel for Mac

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to remove a bold underline appearing on non-bold text in Excel for Mac and apply standard underline formatting.

Product: Microsoft Excel for Mac
Device & OS: Mac OS
Scenario: Formatting text within spreadsheet cells where an unexpected bold underline is applied to non-bold text.
Observed behavior: The text features a bold underline despite the text itself not being bold. Excel for Mac does not provide independent bold-underline styles, making it difficult to separate text weight from underline weight.

Before you start

Before proceeding, check if the bold line underneath the text is actually a bottom cell border rather than a font underline, as they can look visually identical in a spreadsheet.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Font Formatting and Reapply Standard Underline

Reset the cell's formatting entirely to clear any hidden bold attributes applied exclusively to the underline.

In Excel for Mac, underline appearance depends heavily on the formatting of the text itself, and the system lacks the fully independent bold-underline styling found in the Windows version. Clearing formats is the most reliable way to reset it.

Select the affected cells

Click and drag to highlight the cell or range of cells containing the stubborn bold underlined text.

Clear existing formats

Navigate to the top menu bar, select 'Edit', choose 'Clear', and then click on 'Clear Formatting' (or 'Clear Formats'). This will remove all styling, including the bold underline.

Reapply a standard underline

Go to 'Format' > 'Cells' from the top menu, select the 'Font' tab, and choose a standard single or double underline from the drop-down menu.

Mac Excel Limitations: Unlike Excel for Windows, Excel for Mac does not provide the same extensive color and independent weight options for underlines in the Ribbon tool.

Solution 2

Verify and Remove Bottom Cell Borders

Determine if the bold line is actually a thick bottom border applied to the cell, and remove it.

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Try WPS Office for a Seamless Spreadsheet Experience on Mac

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1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for Mac.
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3. Format with ease: Use the highly intuitive Ribbon menu to apply clear font styles, underlines, and borders without restriction.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my underline appear bold when the text isn't in Excel for Mac?

In Excel for Mac, the underline style is often tied to the text formatting. Anomalies can occur if different styles were pasted from another source, or if a thick bottom cell border was applied instead of a standard font underline.

Can I change the underline color independently in Excel for Mac?

Excel for Mac has limited underline formatting compared to Windows. The Ribbon underline tool on Mac does not provide the same extensive independent color options, meaning the underline usually inherits the font's text color.

What is the difference between a bottom border and an underline in Excel?

An underline is a font property applied directly to the text characters, spanning only the length of the words. A bottom border is applied to the bottom edge of the spreadsheet cell itself and will stretch across the entire width of the cell, regardless of the text length.

How do I apply a double underline in Excel for Mac?

To apply a double underline, select your cell, go to 'Format' > 'Cells' from the top menu, choose the 'Font' tab, and select 'Double' from the Underline drop-down menu.

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