"Gridlines" in Microsoft Word can mean two different things: the grid of lines that covers the whole page to help you align objects, or the faint dotted lines that show the edges of table cells when a table has no borders. Neither prints, but both can be distracting. This guide shows how to remove each type in Word 2013, and the same steps work in Word 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365. It also covers table borders, which do print and are often confused with gridlines.
Quick Answer
For page gridlines, click the View tab and uncheck Gridlines in the Show group. For table gridlines, click inside the table, open the Table Tools Layout tab, and click View Gridlines to turn them off. To remove lines that print, select the table and choose Borders > No Border on the Home tab.
Which Lines Do You Want to Remove?
| Type | What it looks like | Prints? | Where to turn off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page (drawing) gridlines | A grid over the whole page | No | View > Gridlines |
| Table gridlines | Light dotted or blue lines around table cells with no borders | No | Table Tools Layout > View Gridlines |
| Table borders | Solid lines around cells | Yes | Home or Table Design > Borders > No Border |
| Text boundaries | Dotted lines around the text area | No | File > Options > Advanced > Show text boundaries |
Remove Page Gridlines
- Click the View tab.
- In the Show group, uncheck Gridlines.
You can also adjust the grid under Page Layout > Align > Grid Settings (or Layout > Align in newer versions). Uncheck Display gridlines on screen there, and use the options to change grid spacing or turn off Snap objects to grid.
Remove Table Gridlines
- Click anywhere inside the table.
- Click the Layout tab under Table Tools (in newer versions, it is called Table Layout).
- In the Table group, click View Gridlines so it is no longer highlighted.
This setting applies to all tables in Word, not just the current one.
Remove Table Borders (Lines That Print)
- Click the table move handle (the four-way arrow at its top-left corner) to select the whole table, or select specific cells.
- On the Home tab, click the arrow next to Borders in the Paragraph group, or use Table Tools Design > Borders.
- Choose No Border.
If View Gridlines is still on, you will see faint lines where the borders were. Those are gridlines and will not print.
Remove Text Boundaries
If you see dotted lines around the text area of each page, go to File > Options > Advanced. Under Show document content, uncheck Show text boundaries, then click OK.
Remove Other Lines That Look Like Gridlines
- Horizontal lines from typing —: Word's AutoFormat can turn three hyphens and Enter into a border line. Place your cursor just above it and choose Home > Borders > No Border. To stop it, go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type and uncheck Border lines.
- Page borders: go to Design > Page Borders and choose None.
- Red or blue wavy underlines: these are spelling and grammar marks, not gridlines. Turn them off in File > Options > Proofing.
Troubleshooting
The Gridlines checkbox is grayed out
Switch to Print Layout view on the View tab. Gridlines are not available in some views, such as Read Mode.
Lines still print
They are borders, not gridlines. Remove them with Borders > No Border or check for page borders.
Gridlines reappear in a shared document
Gridline visibility is a view setting stored with Word on each computer, so other people may see them depending on their own settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do gridlines print in Word?
No. Page gridlines and table gridlines appear only on screen. Borders print.
How do I show gridlines again?
Check View > Gridlines or click View Gridlines on the Table Tools Layout tab.
Can I change the grid size?
Yes. Use Align > Grid Settings to change horizontal and vertical spacing.
Summary
- Page gridlines: View > uncheck Gridlines.
- Table gridlines: Table Tools Layout > View Gridlines.
- Lines that print: Borders > No Border.
- Text boundaries: File > Options > Advanced.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.