Tables are a great way to organize and present data in Google Docs. However, sometimes table borders can be distracting or unnecessary. Fortunately, removing table borders in Google Docs is easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide.
Why Remove Table Borders
Here are some common reasons you may want to remove table borders in Google Docs:
- Borders clutter up the data and make it harder to read
- Borders don’t print well and use up toner/ink
- You want a seamless look for formal reports and presentations
- Borders don’t fit the visual style you’re going for
Removing borders allows you to keep the structure of a table while creating a cleaner, less cluttered look.
How to Remove Table Borders in Google Docs
Removing table borders in Google Docs only takes a few clicks:
1. Select the Table
Click anywhere inside the table to select it. This will highlight the table with a blue border.
2. Open the Table Properties Box
Right click the table and choose Table Properties from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, go to the Table tab in the toolbar and click the Table Properties icon (a small square with a border around it).
3. Set Border Size to 0
In the Table Properties box, click the Borders tab. Set the border size to 0 pt to remove borders. You can also individually set the borders for each side to 0 pt.
Table properties dialog box
That’s all there is to it! All borders in the table will now be invisible. The rows and columns themselves will remain to keep the table structure intact.
Removing Borders from Specific Cells
You can also remove borders from specific cells while keeping borders on other cells:
- Select the cells you want to remove borders from
- Open the toolbar and click the Borders icon
- Choose No border to remove borders only from the selected cells
This allows you to remove borders selectively within a table.
When Table Borders Seem to Reappear
Sometimes table borders may seem to reappear after you’ve removed them. This happens because Google Docs uses hidden borders to allow you to continue editing the table structure.
To check if your table has hidden borders, hover over the table area. If you see the table editing icons appear, there are still hidden borders in place allowing you to edit columns and rows.
These phantom borders won’t show up when printing or exporting the document. They are just there for editing purposes.
More Table Customization Options
Removing borders is just one way to customize the look of tables in Google Docs. You can also:
- Change border color and style
- Add alternating row colors
- Adjust column widths and spacing
- Merge and split cells
- Convert table to text and vice versa
Take advantage of all the formatting options to create tables that communicate your data clearly and effectively.
Remove Borders in Google Slides
The process for removing table borders in Google Slides is the same:
- Select the table
- Open Table Properties
- Set border size to 0 pt
This will instantly turn any visible borders invisible.
Remove Cell Borders in Google Sheets
Removing borders in Google Sheets works a bit differently:
- Select the cells you want to remove borders from
- Click the border icon in the toolbar (looks like a square divided into four boxes)
- Choose the No border option
And the borders will be removed!
Why You Might Want Borders
While invisible borders can help reduce clutter, visible borders do have some advantages:
- Borders clearly separate data into rows and columns
- Gridlines make it easier to read numerical data
- Borders highlight the boundaries of merged cells
Consider your audience and the type of content when deciding whether to remove borders or not. There are good design cases to be made for both approaches.
Conclusion
Removing table borders in Google Docs only takes a few clicks once you know how. Open the Table Properties box and set borders to invisible to subtly improve the cleanliness and readability of your tables.
Just remember that phantom borders may reappear to allow further editing after you remove visible ones. But these hidden borders won’t show up in the final exported document.
With the power to show, hide, and customize table borders, you can build tables that perfectly fit your documents in Google Docs.
