Convert Google Sheets to PDF Without Gridlines
Gridlines in a Google Sheets PDF make the output look like a spreadsheet printout. If you want a cleaner, document-style PDF without cell borders, you can turn off gridlines in the print settings before exporting.
Turning off gridlines in print settings
Go to File > Print in Google Sheets. In the print preview, look for the Formatting section and uncheck 'Show gridlines'. This removes the default cell grid from the PDF output. Your explicit cell borders, applied through Format > Borders, are not affected by this setting.
Difference between gridlines and cell borders
Gridlines are the default light gray lines that separate every cell. Cell borders are formatting you explicitly applied using Format > Borders. Turning off gridlines removes only the default lines. Any borders you deliberately added to your cells remain in the PDF.
When to remove gridlines
Remove gridlines when the spreadsheet contains a styled table with its own borders and formatting, when the data represents a report or form rather than a working spreadsheet, or when you want the PDF to look more like a polished document than a raw data export.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I export Google Sheets to PDF without the grid?
Go to File > Print, uncheck Show gridlines in the Formatting section, and then export using the Docs to PDF extension. The saved print settings are used for the export.
Will my cell borders still show after I turn off gridlines?
Yes. Cell borders you added manually through Format > Borders are separate from the default gridlines and are not affected.
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