Home / Computers / Microsoft Excel

Applying Borders and Shading (Continued)

To apply a pattern to the cells, use the Format Cells dialog:

1. Select the cells.
2. Select Cells from the Format menu.

The Format Cells dialog opens.

3. Select the Patterns tab.

4. The swatches under Color let you choose a fill color for the cells, just as the Fill Color button on the Formatting toolbar does. If necessary, select a fill color.
5. Select a pattern from the Pattern drop-down menu. The patterns are shown in swatches above the color swatches.

6. You can apply a color to the pattern by selecting one of the color swatches from the menu. If you don't select a color, the pattern will be black (for example, black dots).
7. Click OK to apply the pattern to the cells.