Tables in Word — Word

In this lesson you will learn

Insert a table and move around it with the keyboard
Add and delete rows and columns, merge and split cells
Apply a table style and repeat the header row on each page

A class timetable, sports results, a price list — some information is clearer in rows and columns. In Word, a table is not for calculating (that's what Excel is for) but for laying information out neatly. Instead of faking “columns” with tabs, use a table — when the text gets longer, everything stays in place.

Inserting a table

Insert › Tables › Table — move the mouse over the grid to cover as many cells as you need and click (up to 10 columns × 8 rows this way).
Insert › Tables › Table › Insert Table… — type the number of columns and rows; AutoFit to contents sizes the columns to the text.
Insert › Tables › Table › Convert Text to Table… — turns existing text separated by tabs or commas into a table.
Insert › Tables › Table › Quick Tables — ready-made samples such as calendars.

When the cursor is in a table, two extra tabs appear on the ribbon: **Table Design (appearance: styles, colours, borders) and the table's Layout** tab (structure: rows, columns, merging, sizes). Don't confuse it with the page Layout tab — the table's Layout tab sits to the right of Table Design.

Rows, columns and cells

What to do	Command (table `Layout` tab)
Add a row or column	`Rows & Columns › Insert Above / Insert Below / Insert Left / Insert Right`
Delete a row, column or the table	`Rows & Columns › Delete`
Merge several cells into one	`Merge › Merge Cells`
Split a cell into several	`Merge › Split Cells`
Size the columns automatically	`Cell Size › AutoFit › AutoFit Contents / AutoFit Window`
Make the columns equally wide	`Cell Size › Distribute Columns`
Centre text in a cell	`Alignment › Align Center`
Repeat the header row on every page	`Data › Repeat Header Rows`

To change a column's width, point at its border and drag when the pointer becomes ↔; double-click the border to fit the width to the text. To select the whole table, click the small four-arrow square (the move handle) at its top-left corner — dragging it moves the table.

Making the table look good

In the Table Design › Table Styles gallery, one click changes colours, borders and font together. The Table Style Options group on the left fine-tunes the style: Header Row highlights the first row, Banded Rows stripes the rows, First Column makes the first column bold and Total Row styles the last row as a total. For single cells there are the Shading (fill colour) and Borders buttons.

Example: a weekly class timetable

Build a 6-column table: “Time”, “Mon”, “Tue”, “Wed”, “Thu”, “Fri”. After the 3rd lesson, a “Long break” label should run across the whole row, and the table should look neat.

Show solution

1. Insert › Tables › Table › Insert Table…: Number of columns — 6, Number of rows — 8 (header, 6 lessons and the break), OK.
2. Type the headers in the first row, moving between cells with Tab.
3. Select every cell of row 5 (the break), click Layout › Merge › Merge Cells, type “Long break” and choose Layout › Alignment › Align Center.
4. Pick a style from the Table Design › Table Styles gallery with Header Row and Banded Rows ticked.
5. If the table might run onto a second page, click in the first row and choose Layout › Data › Repeat Header Rows.

Next cell; in the last cell — add a new rowTab

Previous cellShift+Tab

Insert a tab character inside a cellCtrl+Tab

Move the current row up (Alt+Shift+↓ — down)Alt+Shift+↑

Go to the first cell in the row (Alt+End — the last)Alt+Home

Split the table at the cursorCtrl+Shift+Enter

Key points

Insert a table with Insert › Tables › Table; with the cursor in it, the Table Design and Layout tabs appear.
Tab moves to the next cell and, in the last cell, adds a new row.
Merge Cells joins cells; Split Cells divides them.
A table style formats everything in one click; Repeat Header Rows repeats the header on each page.
With the table selected, Delete clears the contents and Backspace removes the table itself.

Check yourself

10 questions. Every correct answer earns XP.

1 / 10

What happens if you press Tab in the last cell of a table?