A display substrate includes a substrate, a first insulator, a metal film, a second insulator, an alignment film, a line, and film forming area defining recesses. The substrate includes a display area and a non-display area. The metal film is disposed in a layer upper than the first insulator. The second insulator is disposed upper than the metal film and has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the first insulator. The alignment film is disposed upper than the second insulator. The line extends to straddle the display area and the non-display area and includes a section of the metal film. The film forming area defining recesses in the non-display area to extend in a direction crossing an extending direction of the line but not to overlap the line include recessed sections of the first insulator to define a forming area of the alignment film.