Adding Gridlines to a Table

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 25, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

The table feature in Word is very powerful, and it is great for presenting certain forms of data. Some of the later versions of Word also include auto-formatting features that allow you to quickly format a table, including the addition of grid lines. Unfortunately, if you want to add your grid to only a portion of your table (not all the cells), then you must apply the grid manually. You can add a grid to any portion of your table in the following manner:

Select the cells in the table which you want to be included within your grid.
Choose the Borders and Shading option from the Format menu. You will see the Cell Borders and Shading dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Borders and Shading dialog box.

Make sure the Borders tab is selected (it should be, by default).
Click on Grid in the Preset box (upper-left corner).
Change any individual line styles, as desired.
Click on OK.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (108) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Losing All Formatting in a Document

Have you ever made a formatting change to a couple of characters or to a paragraph, only to see those changes affect text ...

Discover More

Blank Lines before Tables

Adding a blank line before your table is easy, but Word's behavior as you attempt to make the insert can depend on where ...

Discover More

Creating a String

Need to use a macro to create a text string? One easy way to do it is to use the String function, described in this tip.

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (menu)

Getting Rid of Background Color in All Tables

When working with tables (particularly those created by others), you can spend a large amount of time getting the ...

Discover More

Repeating Table Rows with Manual Page Breaks

Need to make sure part of a table is on one page and part on another? The way to do so is not to use manual page breaks, ...

Discover More

Aligning Positive and Negative Whole Numbers in a Column

When you use a table to present numeric information, you may want to have Word align the numbers in the table. This can ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 6 + 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.