How to Change Table Style in Excel & Google Sheets

Written by

Mel Jenkins

Reviewed by

Laura Tsitlidze

Last updated on March 31, 2023

This tutorial demonstrates how to change table styles in Excel and Google Sheets.

 

changetableformat intro

 

Change Excel Table Style

If your data is formatted as a table in Excel, you can access the Table Design tab on the Ribbon.

  1. Select the table, and then in the Ribbon, go to Table Design > Table Styles. Scroll to show alternative styles in the style box, and then click on the Style you want.

 

changetableformat select style

 

  1. Alternatively, to see more styles, click on the More button (the bottom down arrow).

 

changetableformat more

 

  1. This brings up a list of all available styles.

 

advancedpivot stylelist

 

  1. Select the one you want to apply it to your table.

 

changetableformat apply

 

Create Custom Style

You can also create a custom style.

  1. At the bottom of the list of styles, click New Table Style…

 

changetableformat newstyle

 

  1. In the Name field, type a new name for your style. Then from the Table Element list, choose the property to format. Finally, click Format.

 

changetableformat newstyle create

 

  1. Adjust the Font, Border, and Fill. Then click OK to close the Format Cells dialog box.

 

changetableformat newstyle format

 

  1. Notice that in the Table Element list, the elements that you formatted are now bolded. A preview of your style is shown on the right side of the New Table Style box. Click OK to add your New Style to the list.

 

changetableformat newstyle complete

 

  1. Click in the table styles box and choose a custom style to apply.

 

changetableformat newstyle saved

 

Table Style Options

You can also use table style options to change the appearance of your table.

In the Ribbon, go to Table Design > Table Style Options.

 

changetableformat options

 

All the options available are toggle checkboxes – you tick them on or off:

  • Tick to add or remove the Header Row.
  • Tick to show or remove the Total Row.
  • To remove alternating row colors, untick Banded Rows.
  • To format (or highlight) the first column, tick First Column. You can also do this for the Last Column.
  • To add alternating column colors, tick Banded Columns.
  • Tick to switch the Filter Buttons at the top of each column on or off.

Change the Table Style in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, you can’t insert a table, but you can format cells with alternating colors.

  1. Select the data range where you want to display banded rows (B1:E8), and in the Menu, go to Format > Alternating colors.

 

changetableformat gs menu

 

  1. In the window on the right side, choose a style (e.g., blue). You can also change colors for header and items and make your own custom style. Once you have chosen your colors, click Done.

 

changetableformat gs alternate rows

 

The rows in your range are now banded (alternatively colored).

 

changetableformat gs banded

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