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Working With Tables in Microsoft Word
Use tables to align columns and rows of text
By James Marshall James Marshall Writer James Marshall is a pro journalist who covers technology and computer troubleshooting. He is also skilled with Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and other word processors. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 31, 2019 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Insert Table Method Draw Table Method Enter Text in a Table Convert Text to Table Aligning text in a word processing document can be tedious when it's done with tabs and spaces. With Microsoft Word, insert tables in a document to align columns and rows of text with ease. Learn how to work with tables in Word. Instructions in this article apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010. Insert Table Method
Using the menu, you can either select or type the desired number of columns and rows. Open a Word document and select the location where you want to place the table. Go to the Insert tab. In the Tables group, select Table. Select Insert Table. To make a quick and basic table, drag across the grid to select the number of columns and rows for the table. In the Insert Table dialog box, enter the number of columns and rows you want in the table. In the Autofit Behavior section, enter a width measurement for the columns. Or, leave the field set to autofit to generate a table the width of the document. Select OK. The blank table appears in the document. To add or delete rows or columns, select Insert > Table. To change the width or height of the table, drag the lower-right corner of the table. When you select the table, the Table Design and Layout tabs appear on the ribbon. Use the tabs to apply a style or make changes to the table. Draw Table Method
Drawing a table in Word gives you more control over a table's proportions. With a Word document open, go to the Insert tab. Select Table. Select Draw Table. The cursor turns into a pencil. Drag down and across the document to draw a box for the table. The dimensions can be modified later if needed. Click inside the box and draw a vertical line for each column and a horizontal line for each row you want in your completed table. Style the table using the Table Design and Layout tabs. Enter Text in a Table
No matter which of these methods you use to draw a blank table, you enter text in the same way. Select a cell and type. Use the tab key to move to the next cell or the arrow keys to move up and down or sideways within the table. For more advanced options, or if you have data in Excel, embed an Excel spreadsheet in a Word document in place of a table. Convert Text to Table
If there's text in a document that you want to use in a table, insert separator characters, such as commas or tabs, to indicate where to divide the text into table columns. For example, in a list of people's names and addresses, insert a tab between each name and corresponding address to make it easy to create a table. Open the Word document containing the text you want to convert into a table and select that text. Go to the Insert tab. Select Table. Select Convert Text to Table. In the Convert Text to Table dialog box, change the default settings if needed. Select OK to create the table. To revert the table to text, go to the Layout tab and select Convert to Text. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Insert a Table in Microsoft Word 2013 How to Insert a PDF Into Word How to Make a Brochure in Microsoft Word How to Add a Border in Google Docs How to Insert a Table in Microsoft Word How to Use Text Boxes in Microsoft Word How to Insert a Document in Word How to Use Microsoft Word How to Add Line Numbers to a MS Word Document How to Limit Rows and Columns in an Excel Worksheet How to Embed Excel Files in Word Documents How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation Microsoft Publisher Tutorial for Beginners How to Hyperlink in Word Documents How to Make Flashcards on Word How to Add and Remove a Border From a Word Document Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies