How to Make Borders on Google Sheets? Easy Step Guide

Are you tired of manually typing borders around your tables in Google Sheets? Do you want to add a professional touch to your spreadsheets? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we will show you how to make borders on Google Sheets like a pro. With the help of this tutorial, you’ll be able to add borders to your tables, charts, and even entire sheets with ease.

Google Sheets is an incredibly powerful tool for data analysis and visualization. It offers a wide range of features and functions that make it an ideal choice for professionals and individuals alike. However, one of the most frustrating tasks in Google Sheets is manually typing borders around tables and charts. This can be time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when working with large datasets.

That’s where borders come in. Borders are a great way to add visual appeal to your spreadsheets and make them more readable. They can help to highlight important information, separate different sections of your sheet, and even create a professional-looking design. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create borders in Google Sheets using various methods, including the built-in border tool, formulas, and add-ons.

Method 1: Using the Built-in Border Tool

The built-in border tool in Google Sheets is a quick and easy way to add borders to your tables and charts. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Select the Cells or Range

To add a border to your cells or range, first, select the cells or range you want to border. You can do this by clicking and dragging your mouse over the cells or by using the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) to select all cells.

Step 2: Go to the Format Tab

Once you’ve selected the cells or range, go to the “Format” tab in the top menu bar. Click on the “Border” button, which looks like a small rectangle with a line around it.

Step 3: Choose Your Border Style

When you click on the “Border” button, you’ll see a range of border styles to choose from. You can select from various colors, line styles, and widths. You can also choose to add a border to the top, bottom, left, right, or all sides of your cells or range.

Step 4: Apply the Border

Once you’ve chosen your border style, click on the “Apply” button to add the border to your cells or range. You can also click on the “Preview” button to see how the border will look before applying it.

Method 2: Using Formulas

Another way to add borders to your tables and charts in Google Sheets is by using formulas. This method is a bit more advanced, but it gives you more control over the border style and placement. (See Also: How to Change Columns to Rows in Google Sheets? Simplify Your Data)

Step 1: Create a Formula

To add a border using a formula, you’ll need to create a formula that uses the `Borders` function. This function is available in Google Sheets, but it’s not as well-known as some of the other functions.

Step 2: Use the Borders Function

The `Borders` function takes three arguments: the range of cells to border, the border style, and the border width. Here’s an example formula: `=Borders(A1:E5,”solid”,1)`. This formula adds a solid border to the cells in the range A1:E5 with a width of 1 pixel.

Step 3: Apply the Formula

Once you’ve created your formula, apply it to the cells or range you want to border. You can do this by clicking on the cell or range and then clicking on the “Apply” button in the formula bar.

Method 3: Using Add-ons

Google Sheets has a wide range of add-ons available that can help you add borders to your tables and charts. Some popular add-ons include:

Table Border

This add-on allows you to add borders to your tables with a single click. You can choose from various border styles, colors, and widths.

Border Master

This add-on gives you more control over your borders, allowing you to add borders to individual cells, rows, or columns. You can also choose from a range of border styles and colors.

Table Tools

This add-on offers a range of tools for working with tables in Google Sheets, including the ability to add borders. You can choose from various border styles and colors, and even add a border to the entire table.

Customizing Your Borders

Once you’ve added a border to your cells or range, you can customize it to fit your needs. Here are some tips for customizing your borders: (See Also: How to Break a Line in Google Sheets? Simplify Your Data)

Changing the Border Color

To change the border color, simply select the cells or range with the border and go to the “Format” tab. Click on the “Border” button and choose a new color from the palette.

Changing the Border Style

To change the border style, select the cells or range with the border and go to the “Format” tab. Click on the “Border” button and choose a new style from the palette.

Changing the Border Width

To change the border width, select the cells or range with the border and go to the “Format” tab. Click on the “Border” button and choose a new width from the palette.

Common Border Issues

When working with borders in Google Sheets, you may encounter some common issues. Here are some tips for troubleshooting common border issues:

Border Not Showing Up

If your border is not showing up, try the following:

Check that the border is selected and applied to the correct range of cells.
Check that the border style and color are not set to “none” or “transparent”.
Try applying the border again by selecting the cells or range and going to the “Format” tab.

Border Not Printing

If your border is not printing, try the following:

Check that the border is set to print by going to the “File” tab and selecting “Print”.
Check that the border style and color are not set to “none” or “transparent”.
Try printing the sheet again by going to the “File” tab and selecting “Print”.

Conclusion

Adding borders to your tables and charts in Google Sheets is a great way to add visual appeal and make your spreadsheets more readable. In this guide, we’ve shown you how to use the built-in border tool, formulas, and add-ons to add borders to your cells and ranges. We’ve also provided some tips for customizing your borders and troubleshooting common border issues.

Recap

Here’s a quick recap of the methods and tips we’ve covered in this guide:

Method 1: Using the built-in border tool.
Method 2: Using formulas.
Method 3: Using add-ons.
Customizing your borders.
Common border issues.

FAQs