Office Settings & Configuration

WPS Spreadsheet: Unhide Rows When an Excel Worksheet Shows No Cells or Gridlines

Aamir Naveed Akram Nov 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to restore visible cells and gridlines in a worksheet that appears blank because rows or other display elements may be hidden.

Product: WPS Spreadsheet
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A worksheet looks completely blank while other worksheets display normally, and the user wants to reveal the hidden rows and restore the worksheet view.
Observed behavior: The affected worksheet shows no visible cells or gridlines, although the workbook contains other worksheets that display correctly.

Before you start

Select the worksheet tab that appears blank and compare it with a normally displayed sheet in the same workbook. Confirm that the blank sheet is active before changing its row or display settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Unhide rows from the Home tab

Use this solution when hidden rows are preventing the worksheet cells from appearing.

Unhiding rows restores row content that has been hidden from the active worksheet. If the sheet remains blank afterward, check hidden columns and display settings as well.

Select the affected worksheet

Click the worksheet tab that appears blank to make it the active sheet.

Open the row visibility menu

On the Home tab, click Format, choose Hide & Unhide, and select Unhide Rows.

Check hidden columns

If cells are still not visible, return to Home > Format > Hide & Unhide and choose Unhide Columns.

Review zoom and gridlines

Use the zoom control on the status bar to return to a normal zoom level, then open the View tab and make sure Gridlines is enabled.

Worksheet restored: After rows or columns are unhidden, the worksheet cells should become visible. Gridlines may still depend on the View tab display setting.

Solution 2

Restore the worksheet display settings

Use this check when rows and columns are already visible but the sheet still looks empty or lacks gridlines.

Fix Blank Worksheets by Unhiding Rows in WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet lets you restore hidden rows and columns from Home > Format > Hide & Unhide, then verify zoom and gridline settings from the worksheet view controls.

1. Open the workbook: Launch WPS Office, open the XLS or XLSX workbook, and select the worksheet that appears blank.
2. Unhide rows: Go to Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows.
3. Unhide columns if needed: Use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns when the worksheet is still missing visible cell areas.
4. Restore display settings: Check View > Gridlines and set the bottom-right zoom control to a normal percentage.

Quickly reveal hidden rows and columns in a blank-looking worksheetRestore gridlines and a normal worksheet view without recreating the sheetUse a familiar spreadsheet interface for everyday Excel workbook tasksOpen and edit Microsoft Excel XLS and XLSX files with broad format compatibility

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Excel worksheet look completely blank?

Rows or columns may be hidden. Select the affected worksheet and use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows, then repeat the command for columns if necessary.

How do I unhide rows in WPS Spreadsheet?

Activate the worksheet, open the Home tab, select Format, choose Hide & Unhide, and click Unhide Rows.

What should I check if unhidden rows still show no gridlines?

Open the View tab and enable Gridlines. Also check the bottom-right zoom control and return it to a normal level such as 100%.

Can hidden columns make a worksheet appear empty?

Yes. If rows are unhidden but the sheet still looks blank, use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns to restore the column display.

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