Excel for the web gains new options for colors, cell formatting, and tables

Excel Table Improvements
Excel Table Improvements (Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft just rolled out an update to Excel for the web.
  • The update brings new options for cell colors, cell formatting, and tables.
  • A new printing experience is also on the way, though it isn't here just yet.

Microsoft released an update for Excel for the web earlier this week. The company outlines the update in a Tech Community post. The update brings several new features, including new options for cell colors, cell formatting, and tables. The general theme behind the update is helping people create uniform spreadsheets. Microsoft also announced a new printing experience for Excel online, though it isn't available yet.

Excel online now supports custom colors within cells. You can click on the "more colors" option and then pick a specific color using sliders. You can also enter Hex values or RGB values to make sure the spreadsheet uses the exact color that you'd like.

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

You can also make sure your cells look the way you'd like by applying cell styles, which let you select fonts, number formats, cell borders, and shading. These styles can be easily applied to any cells in which you'd like to ensure a consistent look.

Separating cells is easier as well, with the new options to draw borders, draw border grids, and erase borders.

Moving over to tables, you can now select table designs and styling options, rename tables, and add a total row. You can also format any data as a table.

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

It isn't available in the current version of Excel for the web, but you'll soon be able to use a new printing experience. Once it's available, you'll be able to set a print area and insert and delete page breaks.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.