Excel : Change default of Bottom Border to All Borders under Home tab / Font

Question

Greetings,

I am unsure if this has a solution. On Microsoft Excel when i want to set a border to my cells, I quickly go upto the Font section of the Home tab and select a border from there. However if I directly click on this button it sets only Bottom Border which is the default. Hence each time with a new sheet I have to click on its drop down arrow and select All Borders.

Is it possible to set the default to All Borders. So that in a new sheet, I select my cells and just do a simple click on the Borders button on the Font section of Home tab and do not need to click on drop down?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 

No Etymology

Answer 1

Hi

Workaround: Add the "All borders" to the Quick access toolbar

I don't run an EN version of Excel so not sure of the below terms in the user interface:

• Click the arrow down "small icon" on the right side of the Border "menu"

• Right click on All borders
• Select the 1st option that says something like Add to Quick Access Toolbar

(Running Excel 2016: closing then reopening it => All borders is still in the Quick access toolbar)

EDIT: Forgot to say that the Quick access toolbar can be moved below the ribbon (at least in Office 2016)...

Answer 2

by *Allen Wyatt* (last updated January 23, 2016) http://excelribbon.tips.net/T013425_Changing_Ribbon_Tool_Defaults.html

Tom wonders if there is a way to change the automatic format settings on some of the Ribbon tools. For example, the Borders button always defaults to a single underline, but Tom would like it to be bold borders on all four sides. Or, the default colors in the Fill Color and Font Color tools always start at yellow and red, but Tom would like other combinations as his default.

There are no settings in Excel that allow you to permanently change the defaults. Once you use the tool, the option you selected (such as bold borders on all four sides) should remain as the default for the rest of the Excel session, but the next time you start the program the real default settings come back into play. It seems that these default settings are hard-coded into the program.

To get around this type of issue, most people record or create macros that apply the desired formatting. The macros can then be assigned to a button on the Quick Access Toolbar or to a shortcut key. In this way, you could simply apply your preferred formatting with the click of a button (or the typing of a shortcut key), bypassing the built-in Ribbon tools entirely.

E xcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13425) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Answer 3

by *Allen Wyatt* (last updated January 23, 2016) http://excelribbon.tips.net/T013425_Changing_Ribbon_Tool_Defaults.html

Tom wonders if there is a way to change the automatic format settings on some of the Ribbon tools. For example, the Borders button always defaults to a single underline, but Tom would like it to be bold borders on all four sides. Or, the default colors in the Fill Color and Font Color tools always start at yellow and red, but Tom would like other combinations as his default.

There are no settings in Excel that allow you to permanently change the defaults. Once you use the tool, the option you selected (such as bold borders on all four sides) should remain as the default for the rest of the Excel session, but the next time you start the program the real default settings come back into play. It seems that these default settings are hard-coded into the program.

To get around this type of issue, most people record or create macros that apply the desired formatting. The macros can then be assigned to a button on the Quick Access Toolbar or to a shortcut key. In this way, you could simply apply your preferred formatting with the click of a button (or the typing of a shortcut key), bypassing the built-in Ribbon tools entirely.

E xcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13425) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Thanks for your response but it didn't help me. As per your guidelines, I tried this two times.

1. I recorded a macro. My selection/cursur was in a single cell, F3. I gave All Borders. Stopped Recording the Macro. Created a new button in the quick access toolbar to run this macro. Now in the same or new sheet, no matter where my selection/cursur is, whenever i click that button or use the shortcut key that I had assigned, the macro sets an all border to F3 cell only. I want it to select whichever cell or cells I have selected anywhere in the entire sheet, be it A1 to B15 for example. 

2. 1. I recorded a macro. I selected range A1 to B5. I gave All Borders. Stopped Recording the Macro. Created a new button in the quick access toolbar to run this macro. Now in the same or new sheet, no matter where my selection/cursur is, whenever i click that button or use the shortcut key that I had assigned, the macro sets an all border to cells from A1 to B5 only. I want it to select whichever cell or cells I have selected anywhere on the entire sheet.

I appreciate your inputs. Thanks

Answer 4

Why don't you go to http://excelribbon.tips.net/T013425\_Changing\_Ribbon\_Tool\_Defaults.html  by *Allen Wyatt* you can leave a comment. Allen will get back to you.

Answer 5

I have posted there now. Thanks. Awaiting response.