How to alternate row colors in Excel To apply color in alternate rows or columns in Excel, follow these steps- Open the spreadsheet with Excel. Select the rows and columns that you want to colorize.

Excel's default color is already white, so you need only format every other column or row as gray to alternate between white and gray cells.

There's no reason to dread your spreadsheets. Learn how to save time on common Microsoft Excel tasks with Sharon Zardettou2019s favorite tips for everyday use.