How Do I Add an Outline to a Cell in Google Sheets?

Adding an outline, also known as a border, to a cell or a group of cells in Google Sheets is a simple process to visually structure your data.

Here's how you can add an outline (border) to a cell or range in Google Sheets, based on the provided steps:

Steps to Add a Border

Applying a border is done through the Borders tool, which gives you various options for placement, style, and color.

Select the Cell or Range: First, click on the specific cell you want to add an outline to. If you want to apply the same outline to multiple cells, drag your cursor to select the entire range of cells.
Access the Borders Button: Locate and click the Borders button on the Google Sheets toolbar. This button typically looks like a square with lines on one side. Clicking it opens a menu with various border options.
Choose a Border Option: In the menu that appears, you will find several options. You can select where the borders appear around the outside of the selection, or cell borders within the selection (for ranges). For a single cell outline, you'll typically choose the 'Outer borders' option or a specific side border.

The Borders menu offers flexibility:

Outer Borders: Applies a border around the perimeter of your selected cell(s) or range. This is often used for creating an "outline."
Inner Borders: Applies borders between cells within a selected range (horizontal or vertical dividers).
Specific Side Borders: Allows you to add a border only to the top, bottom, left, or right side of the selected cell(s).
No Borders: Removes any existing borders from the selection.
Border Style: Lets you choose the thickness and line style (solid, dashed, dotted) of your borders.
Border Color: Allows you to pick the color for your borders.

Beyond the basic application, you can customize the appearance of your cell borders.

After selecting your cell(s) and clicking the Borders button, you'll see options for style and color near the bottom of the border menu.

Click the Border Style icon to choose from different line thicknesses and styles.
Click the Border Color icon (it looks like a colored line or palette) to select a different color for your border.

Example:

Let's say you want a thick blue border around cell A1.

Your cell A1 will now have a thick blue outline.

Border Option	Description	Icon Example (Conceptual)
Outer Borders	Adds border around the selected cell(s) or range.	[Square with border]
Inner Borders	Adds borders between cells in a range (horizontal/vertical).	[Grid inside square]
No Borders	Removes all borders from the selection.	[Square with no lines]
Border Style	Choose line thickness and pattern (solid, dashed, etc.).	[Line options]
Border Color	Choose the color of the border.	[Color palette]

Adding borders is a powerful way to improve the readability and organization of your spreadsheets.