Google Docs allows you to conveniently insert a table in your document. Once you have inserted a table in the doc, you can also edit it in various ways.
In this article, we will be talking about how to remove the borders of your table by changing its color and thickness.
Removing the borders can make your table look more aesthetic. Sometimes, removing borders allows you to combine cells (when you remove borders by merging cells). These are some reasons why you might be interested in removing table borders.
4 methods of removing table borders in Google Docs.
- Using the table toolbar to change the color or thickness of the borders
- Right clicking and using the Table properties window to change the color or thickness of the borders
- Going to the Format menu and using the Table properties window to change the color or thickness of the borders
- Merging cells
Method 1: Using the table toolbar to change the color or thickness of the borders
The first method involves using the table toolbar to change the border color or thickness. When you click on any cell in your table, a toolbar will appear at the top of the screen, right next to the existing Google Docs toolbar. This toolbar contains various options for formatting your table, such as changing the border thickness, style and color, and changing the background color of the cells in your table.
You might be wondering how changing the border color or thickness allows you to remove table borders. Note that Google Docs doesn’t currently have an option that allows you to directly remove table borders. Hence, we have to find workarounds for them. One workaround is changing the border color to the background color of your document (generally, this is white). This makes the border disappear. Another workaround is changing the thickness of the border to 0.
Also, this method is more convenient than the other methods. Hence, we recommend that you use this method.
Step 1: Open your Google Docs document.
(Optional) Step 2: Insert a table.
Step 3: Select the border or borders that you would like to remove.
The next step is to select the border or borders that you would like to remove from your table. To select a single border, just click on it. To select multiple borders, click on the borders of your choice while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. To remove all the borders from your table, just select your entire table. You can do this by dragging your cursor across the screen.
Step 4.1: Use the border color icon to change the border color.
You can use either this step or the next step to remove table borders.
In the table toolbar, you should find the icon for changing the border color of your table borders. This is what the icon looks like:
Click on this icon. This will open a drop down menu containing the various options for border colors. Click on the color that is the same as the background color of your document. For example, if the background color of your document is white (which is typically the default color), then select the white color option from this drop down menu.
Step 4.2: Use the border thickness icon to change the border thickness.
In the table toolbar, you should also find the icon that allows you to change the thickness of your table borders. This is what the icon looks like:
Click on this icon to open a drop down menu containing the various options for border thickness. Click on 0pt to change the border thickness to 0. This will make it disappear.
You can also click on your table and change the border color or thickness. When you click on any cell in your table, a toolbar appears at the top of the screen where you will find the border color and border thickness icons. When you change the border color or thickness using these icons, all four borders of the cell are affected.
For example, when you click on a particular cell and change the border color to white, this is what happens:
Method 2: Right clicking and using the Table properties window to change the color or thickness of the borders
The next method involves using the Table properties window.
The Table properties window contains various options for formatting your table. One option is for changing the border color and thickness of your table borders.
The benefit of this method is that it allows you to change multiple aspects of your table at once. For example, you can not only change the border color or thickness, you can also change the row height or alignment of your table. This is because you are opening the Table properties window which contains several options for formatting your table that are not available in the table toolbar.
However, the problem with this method is that you cannot use it to remove specific borders. For example, if you only want to remove the top border of the first cell of your table, you cannot use this method. You can only use it to remove all four borders of a particular cell of your choice.
Step 1: Right click on your table.
Go to your table and right click on it. This will open a long drop down menu.
Step 2: Click on the Table properties option.
In the drop down menu, you should see the Table properties option (somewhere in the middle). Click on this option to open the Table properties window.
Step 3.1: Change the border color under Table border.
You can use either this step or the next step to remove the borders of your table.
In the Table properties window, you should see the Table border heading. The first option under this heading allows you to change the color of your table borders. Click on this option to open a drop down menu containing the various color choices. Click on the color that is the same as the background color of your table to remove your table borders.
Step 3.2: Change the border thickness under Table border.
The second option under the Table border heading allows you to change the thickness of your borders. Click on this option to open a drop down menu containing various border thickness options. Select the 0pt option to remove the table borders of the cell you selected.
Step 4: Click on OK.
Once you have selected background color of your choice, click on OK. This option is located at the bottom right corner of the screen. Doing this will reflect the changes you made in your document.
Method 3: Going to the Format menu and using the Table properties window to change the color or thickness of the borders
This method is similar to the previous one. The only difference between this method and the previous method is that in this method, we will be using the Format tab to open the Table properties window whereas in the previous method we right-clicked on the table. Hence, there is one extra step in this method.
Step 1: Click on the Format tab at the top left corner of the screen.
The Format tab is located at the top left corner of the screen (next to the Insert tab). Click on it to open the Format menu.
Step 2: Click on or hover over the Table option.
Towards the bottom of the Format tab, you should find the Table option. Click on or hover over it to open another smaller drop down menu.
Step 3: Click on the Table properties option.
The last option in the new drop down menu is Table properties.
Click on it to open the Table properties window.
Step 4.1: Change the border color under Table border.
You can use either this step or the next step to remove the borders of your table.
In the Table properties window, you should see the Table border heading. The first option under this heading allows you to change the color of your table borders. Click on this option to open a drop down menu containing the various color choices. Click on the color that is the same as the background color of your table to remove your table borders.
Step 4.2: Change the border thickness under Table border.
The second option under the Table border heading allows you to change the thickness of your borders. Click on this option to open a drop down menu containing various border thickness options. Select the 0pt option to remove the table borders of the cell you selected.
Step 5: Click on OK.
Once you have selected a background color of your choice, click on OK. This option is located at the bottom right corner of the screen. Doing this will reflect the changes you made in your document.
Method 4: Merging cells
Another way of removing table borders is by merging cells. Merging cells refers to combining consecutive cells to create a single cell. One benefit of doing this is that you can add a heading to your table. When you merge cells, the borders in between them disappear.
Step 1: Select the cells you would like to merge.
Drag your cursor across the screen to select the cells you would like to merge. You can select consecutive row cells or column cells.
Step 2: Right click on the table.
Next, right click on the table to open a long drop down menu.
Step 3: Click on the Merge cells option.
In the drop down menu, you should find the Merge cells option. Click on it.
You can also go to the Format menu > Table > Merge cells.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the article. Thank you for reading this article!