What is the outline border shortcut in Google Sheets?

Natively Alt + Shift + 7 adds an outer border. With XLKeys you can also use Excel’s Alt H B S, plus the rest of the Excel border family that Sheets lacks.

Can I do top and bottom borders only?

Yes — XLKeys maps Alt H B D for top-and-bottom, Alt H B P (top), Alt H B O (bottom), and Alt H B B (double bottom) for totals rows.

All shortcuts

Outside Border in Google Sheets

Windows

Alt→H→B→S

Mac

Option→H→B→S

Boxing a table with an outside border is the finishing touch on most schedules. Excel users type Alt H B S; in Sheets the equivalent is hidden behind a toolbar dropdown or the unrelated combo Alt + Shift + 7.

XLKeys lets your Excel habit work as-is: select the range, press Alt H B S, and the selection gets a clean outer border. Need a heavier line? Alt H B T draws a thick outside border.

Excel vs. Google Sheets vs. XLKeys

Where	Shortcut
Excel	`Alt`→`H`→`B`→`S`
Google Sheets (native)	`Alt`+`Shift`+`7`
Google Sheets + XLKeys	`Alt`→`H`→`B`→`S`

Sheets does have Alt + Shift + 7 for an outer border, but Excel users’ muscle memory is Alt H B S — and the rest of the border family has no native shortcut at all.

How to use it

Select the table or range to outline.
Press Alt, release it, then type H, B, S.
An outside border is drawn around the selection.
For a thick outline use Alt → H → B → T; to clear, Alt → H → B → N.

Frequently asked questions

Related shortcuts

All Borders

Alt→H→B→A

Merge Cells

Alt→H→M→A

Accounting Number Format

Alt→H→A→N

Make Google Sheets feel like Excel

Install XLKeys to use outside border and 150+ other Excel-style shortcuts, Alt-key sequences, formula auditing, Goal Seek, and Sensitivity Tables in Google Sheets.

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