By default, every Microsoft Excel spreadsheet features a vertical scrollbar on the right side and a horizontal scrollbar at the bottom. These are essential tools for navigating massive datasets containing thousands of rows and columns. However, if you are designing a compact, self-contained dashboard or a strict data-entry form that fits perfectly within a single screen, the scrollbars become redundant visual clutter. To create a cleaner, software-like presentation that prevents users from scrolling away from the main interface, you can hide the scrollbars entirely.
How to Hide the Scrollbars
Hiding the scrollbars is a workbook-level setting. This means it will only apply to the specific Excel file you currently have open; it will not remove the scrollbars from all other Excel files on your computer.
- Open your specific workbook in Microsoft Excel.
- Click on the File tab located in the top-left corner of the ribbon.
- Look at the bottom of the left-hand blue sidebar and click on Options. (If you don’t see it, click ‘More…’ first).
- The “Excel Options” dialogue box will open. In the left-hand menu pane, click on Advanced.
- Scroll a little more than halfway down the list of settings until you find the section titled Display options for this workbook:.
- Directly beneath that heading, you will see two checkboxes:
- Show horizontal scroll bar
- Show vertical scroll bar
- Click the checkboxes to uncheck them.
- Click the OK button at the bottom right of the window.
The scrollbars will instantly vanish from your spreadsheet. If you ever need to edit the dashboard and require the scrollbars again, simply repeat these steps and re-check the boxes to bring them back.