How to use table in word

Insert a table

For a basic table, click Insert > Table and move the cursor over the grid until you highlight the number of columns and rows you want.

For a larger table, or to customize a table, select Insert > Table > Insert Table.

Tips: 

• If you already have text separated by tabs, you can quickly convert it to a table. Select Insert > Table, and then select Convert Text to Table.

• To draw your own table, select Insert > Table > Draw Table.

Insert and Edit a Table with Multiple Columns and Rows in Word

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated August 23, 2022

Applies to: Microsoft^® Word^® 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 (Windows)

You can create a table in a Word document in 4 easy ways using the Ribbon. A table is a grid made up of columns and rows that intersect to form cells. You can insert text, numbers and images in a table. Once you have inserted a table, you can easily add and resize columns and rows and change table formatting.

It’s best to avoid using Draw Table to create a table since the table may not be created in a consistent way.

Note: Buttons and Ribbon tabs may display in a different way (with or without text) depending on your version of Word, the size of your screen and your Control Panel settings. For newer versions of Word, Ribbon tabs may appear with different names. For example, the Table Design tab may appear as Table Tools Design.

In the following example, a table with 4 columns and 5 rows has been inserted in a Word document:

Recommended article: 10 Microsoft Word Shortcuts for Moving Around in Tables

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Create a table using the Table Grid

To insert a table using Insert Table and select columns and rows in the Table Grid:

1. Click in the Word document where you want to insert a table.
2. Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Table in the Tables group. A drop-down menu appears with a Table Grid.
4. Hover over the grid until the number of columns and rows you want is selected.
5. Click in the highlighted area of the grid to insert a table.

To insert a table, select cells in the Table Grid as follows:

Create a table using the Insert Table dialog box

To insert a table using the Insert Table dialog box:

1. Click in the Word document where you want to insert a table.
2. Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Table in the Tables group. A drop-down menu appears.
4. Select Insert Table. A dialog box appears.
5. Enter the number of columns and rows you want to create.
6. Select the desired options below AutoFit behavior (typically Fixed column width: Auto).
7. Click OK.

The Insert Table dialog box appears with options to select the number of columns and rows:

Create a table using Quick Tables

To insert a table using Quick Tables:

1. Click in the Word document where you want to insert a table.
2. Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Table in the Tables group. A drop-down menu appears.
4. Select Quick Tables. A gallery appears.
5. Click the table you want to insert.

Quick Tables appear in the Table drop-down menu:

Create a table by converting text to a table

If you have used tabs or other delimiters in paragraphs, you can convert the data into a table (if the delimiters are entered consistently). Wherever you have pressed Enter or Return to create a new paragraph, Word will create a new table row. You can use various delimiters to separate data but the most common are tabs, spaces or commas.

To convert delimited data to a table:

1. Select the text that you want to convert.
2. Click the Insert tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Table in the Tables group. A drop-down menu appears.
4. Select Convert Text to Table. A dialog box appears.
5. Enter the number of columns if necessary and ensure a delimiter is selected in the Separate text at area.
6. Under AutoFit behavior, choose how you want your table to appear. Word chooses a width for the table columns by default. If you want a different column width, choose AutoFit to contents or AutoFit to window.
7. Click OK.

In the Convert Text to Table dialog box, enter the number of columns as well as the delimiter:

Show table gridlines

Gridlines show the cell boundaries of a table on screen if table borders are not applied. Gridlines appear only on the screen and are not printed.

Gridlines are not visible when you view a document in a Web browser or in Print Preview.

To show table gridlines in a Word document:

1. Click in a table.
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. In the Table group, check View Gridlines.

View Gridlines appears on the Table Tools Layout or Table Layout tab in the Ribbon:

Move around in a table

You can use the following keys to move from one cell to another in a table:

• Tab to move to the next cell to the right.
• Shift-Tab to move to the cell to left.
• Ctrl-Tab to tab within a cell.

Add a row or a column

To add a row in a table:

1. Click in a cell that is located above or below where you want to add a row.
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. To add a row above the cell you clicked in, click Insert Above in the Rows and Columns group. To add a row below the cell you clicked in, in the Rows and Columns group, click Insert Below.

The commands to insert rows or columns appear on the Table Tools Layout or Table Layout tab in the Ribbon:

You can also right-click in a row and choose Insert from the drop-down menu and insert options from the sub-menu.

If you click in the last cell in a table and press Tab, Word will automatically add a row.

To add a column in a table:

1. Click in a cell that is located to the right or left of where you want to add a column.
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. To add a column to the left of the cell you clicked in, click Insert Left in the Rows and Columns group. To add a column to the right of the cell you clicked in, in the Rows and Columns group, click Insert Right.

You can also right-click in a row and choose Insert from the drop-down menu and insert options from the sub-menu.

Delete a column or row

To delete a row or column:

1. Select the row or column (drag over the cells or click to the left of a row or above a column when the arrow appears).
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. In the Rows & Columns group, click Delete. A drop-down menu applears.
4. Click Delete Rows or Delete Columns as appropriate.

You can also right-click in a row or column and choose Delete from the drop-down menu and delete options from the sub-menu.

Change column width

To change column width:

1. Select the column or columns you want to change.
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Properties in the Table group. You can also right-click and choose Properties from the drop-down menu. A dialog box appears.
4. Click the Column tab.
5. Check Preferred Width.
6. Type the new measurement for the column width. For example, typer 1.0″ or click the up and down arrows.
7. Click OK.

The Table Properties dialog box appears as follows with the Column tab selected:

You can also drag the right line of a column to resize it.

Change row height

To change row height:

1. Select the row or rows you want to change.
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Properties in the Table group. You can also right-click and choose Properties from the drop-down menu. A dialog box appears.
4. Click the Row tab.
5. Check Specify Height.
6. Type the new measurement for the row height. For example, type 1.0″ or click the up and down arrows.
7. Specify row height as At Least or Exactly.
8. Click OK.

The Table Properties dialog box appears as follows with the Row tab selected:

You can also drag the bottom line of a row to resize it.

Distribute rows and columns evenly

To distribute rows and columns evenly:

1. Select the entire table by clicking the four-arrows that appear on the top left of the table.
2. Click the Table Layout or Table Tools Layout tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click Distribute Rows and / or Distribute Columns in the Cell Size group.

Apply a table style

To apply a table style:

1. Click in the table.
2. Click the Table Design or Table Tools Design tab in the Ribbon.
3. Click a table style or click the More arrow to display the Table Styles gallery and click a style.

Table Styles gallery appears on the Table Tools Design or Table Design tab in the Ribbon:

To learn more about working with table styles, check out the article How to Format Microsoft Word Tables Using Table Styles (Ultimate Guide).

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You’ve done the hard work in the laboratory, taking precise measurements and recording them diligently. Now comes the time to write up your results.

But how should you do this? Is there not some kind of clear, simple and visually striking way to present your data in a Microsoft Word document? Friend, you’ve come to the right place.

In today’s blog post, we run through the basics of adding (and formatting) charts and tables in Microsoft Word.

Adding a Chart or Graph

Microsoft Word enables adding charts and graphs of many kinds in your document, from simple pie charts to 3D surface graphs. To do this, simply:

1. Place the cursor where you want your chart to appear
2. Go to “Insert” on the main ribbon and select “Chart” from the “Illustrations” section
   
3. In the new window, pick the type of chart you want in your document and click “OK”
4. Your chart will now appear in the position selected and an Excel spreadsheet window will open (called “Chart in Microsoft Word”)
5. Edit the values and labels in the Excel window to reflect the data required for your chart
   
6. To change the chart title, simply double click and type (you can also add a caption by right clicking on the chart and selecting “Insert Caption…)

You can customize your chart further via the buttons that appear when you click on the chart (options include layout, chart elements, chart style, colors and the data you wish to be visible).

Linking Excel and Word

Alternatively, if you already have an Excel spreadsheet containing a chart, you can copy and paste this to a Microsoft Word document using the “Paste Special…” option on the “Home” tab (to select this, click the small arrow at the bottom of the normal “Paste” button).

To do this, open the Excel spreadsheet in question and copy the relevant chart. Next, select “Paste Special.” You can then add the chart to your Word document by selecting “Paste link” and “Microsoft Excel Chart Object”.

This links the chart in the Word document to the one in the original spreadsheet. It will then update automatically if the values in the spreadsheet are changed.

Adding a Table

You have various options for adding tables to a Microsoft Word document, so we’ll stick to the three simplest here.

• Option 1
  Go to “Insert” and select “Table.” This opens a dropdown menu with a grid. You can then pick the number of columns and rows required.
  
• Option 2
  In the same dropdown menu, select “Insert Table.” In the window that opens, pick the number of columns and rows required.
• Option 3
  Draw your own! In the “Table” menu on the “Insert” tab, select “Draw Table.” This lets you draw and edit tables by hand

If you click on an existing table, you can edit its design and layout via the “Table Tools” tab that appears on the ribbon.

A table is a collection of information or data, usually represented by horizontal rows and vertical columns. Each column and each row can have a header. Some tables have only column headings or only row headings. The box at the junction of each column and row is a cell that contains data such as text, numeric information, or images. Some cells can be merged or split (see more about formatting tables). E.g.:

Microsoft Word has many features that make working with tables simple and convenient.

Create a table

There are several ways how to insert or create a table:

To create a blank table in a Word document, do the following:

   1.   Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.

   2.   On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table button:

   3.   Do one of the following:

Create a blank table of up to 10 columns and 8 rows

• To create a table of up to 10 columns and 8 rows, move the cursor right (to select columns) and down (to select rows) the grid to select as many cells as you need. E.g., the table of 5 columns and 3 rows (selected cells will turn orange):

  

  Click on a cell in the grid with the expected number of rows and columns (or press Enter) to insert an empty table to fit the width of the text (paragraph).

  The table has the specified number of single-line text rows in the current paragraph and equal-width columns. E.g., the table of 3 rows and 5 columns:

  

Create a blank table with more than 10 columns or more than 8 rows

• To create a table with more than 10 columns or more than 8 rows, do one of the following:
  • Create a table with exactly 10 columns or 8 rows, then add as many columns or rows as you need (see below how to customize table).
  • Click the Insert Table… option:

    

    In the Insert Table dialog box:

    

    • In the Table size group, specify the number of columns and rows,
    • In the AutoFit behavior group, specify the width of the table and its columns:
      • Select the Fixed column width option to customize width in the appropriate field: select Auto (used by default) or specify width. E.g., 0.75″:

      

      • Select the AutoFit contents option to adjust cell sizes to the document content. E.g.:

      

      • Select the AutoFit to window option to adjust the table’s width to the document content width. E.g.:

      

    • Select the Remember dimension for new tables check box if you want to create tables with the same options later. Word will remember your customization.

Create a blank table manually

• To manually create an empty table, click the Draw Table option:

  

  After clicking that option, the cursor changes to the pencil that allows drawing cells directly in the Word document to create a table:

  

  Click anywhere in a document but the table itself by the pencil to stop drawing a table.

  Notes:

  1. To draw additional lines, select a table, then on the Table Layout tab, in the Draw group, click the Draw Table button:

     

  2. If you draw a line in the wrong position, click the Eraser button in the Draw group of the Table Layout tab:

     

  3. We recommend displaying the rulers or gridlines to help you place the lines correctly.

Create a table using predefined templates

To create a table using predefined Word templates of tables and calendars, do the following:

   1.   Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.

   2.   On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table dropdown list, then select Quick Tables list:

   3.   From the Quick Tables gallery, select the template you prefer.

For example:

Create a table from the existing data

To create a table from the existing data in a document data (either as regular text or as a tabbed list), do the following:

   1.   Select the document data you want to shape into a new table.

   2.   On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table dropdown list, then select Convert Text to Table…:

   3.   In the Convert Text to Table dialog box:

• In the Table size group, specify the number of columns,
• In the AutoFit behavior group, specify whether the width of the columns should be fixed (see details above),
• In the Separate text at group, select the character that separates text into columns in the selected text: paragraph marks, commas, tabs, or some other character.

E.g.:

Insert a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

Note: It is possible to insert a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet in a document. To do so, on the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table dropdown list, then select Excel Spreadsheet:

Word opens the Excel spreadsheet where you can enter the data. You can use Excel features such as functions and formulas to create or manipulate the data. Note that it is not a Word table.

Add rows and columns

To add a row and a column to a table, do the following:

   1.   Position the cursor:

• to a cell in a row above or below which you need to insert a row,
• to a cell in a column left or right which you need to insert a column.

   2.   Do one of the following:

• Click the Insert dropdown list in the Mini toolbar:

  

• On the Table Layout tab, in the Rows & Columns group:

  

  • Click the Insert Above button to insert a row above the row with the cursor,
  • Click the Insert Below button to insert a row below the row with the cursor,
  • Click the Insert Left button to insert a column left to the column with the cursor,
  • Click the Insert Right button to insert a column right to the column with the cursor.
• Right-click and select the Insert list:

  

Notes:

1. To insert rows or columns, move the mouse over the table or left of the table until you see the Insertion indicator, then click the icon:

     and  
   

2. You can choose the option Insert -> Insert Cells… from the popup menu; Word opens the Insert Cells dialog box:

   

   After selecting the option and clicking the OK button, Word adds an entire row or column, not a cell. Word just moves cells according to the selection.

Delete a table element

To delete a table element, do the following:

   1.   Select the cell, multiple cells, the entire column or multiple columns, the entire row, or multiple rows.

   2.   Do one of the following:

• Click the Delete dropdown list in the Mini toolbar:

  

• On the Table Layout tab, in the Rows & Columns group, click the Delete dropdown list, then select one of the options:

  

   3.   Select one of the proposed options:

Note: You can select the element you want to delete, right-click on the selection and select the appropriate item in the popup menu. For example, if the entire table is selected or the column is selected:

  and  

Convert a table into text

To convert a table into text in Word, follow the next steps:

   1.   Click anywhere in the table.

   2.   On the Layout tab, in the Format group, click the Convert to Text button:

   3.   In the Convert Table to Text dialog box, select the charter to separate cells data in the text:

   4.   Click OK.

Creating tables is usually reserved for Microsoft Excel, but you can work with tables in Word as well. You can also create tables and copy and paste them to a Word document, but most of the formatting must be done in Excel. Some elements that copy over from Excel don’t format well in Word, so it can be more convenient and easier to create simple tables directly in Word and then format them using Word controls. 

Table Basics

Before you create a table, you should understand properties of tables which are universal across all applications. Tables are made up of rows and columns. If you look at an Excel spreadsheet, you see that columns run vertical with letters for labels. Rows run horizontally and have numerical labels. Excel’s spreadsheet layout is the same as the way Word lays out its tables.

The intercept between a row and a column is called a «field» or a «cell.» This is where your data is entered. You can have as many rows and columns as you need, but one limitation of Word is that a table is limited to the height and width of the document. With Excel, you can span several columns and rows, and you can just scroll through them to view data. Rows that span more than one Word document can span multiple pages, but you are limited to the number of columns by the width of the document. Any additional columns will either get cut off or shown on a new page, which makes the document hard to read. Therefore, if you have large tables, it might be better to use Microsoft Excel instead.

Inserting a Table

The table controls in Word are found in the «Insert» ribbon tab.

(The «Insert» tab and «Table» button)

Initially, you need to insert a table with default formatting and then you can format table cells with the colors, fonts and borders that match the aesthetics of your document content.

To insert a new table, click the «Table» button and look at the dropdown options.

(Table dropdown options)

Notice the squares in the dropdown menu. The squares indicate the number of fields that you want to add to the table. You can always add more fields after you’ve inserted a table, but inserting the number of rows, columns and fields from this menu make it easier to get started when you know the number of cells that you need. In the menu, click the cells that you want to add to the table and Word creates them on the document.

In this example, a table with four columns and three rows is created. Word automatically sets the table’s width to the margins on the page and evenly distributes the width and height of cells. You can format these cells after it’s inserted including width and height of cells.

(Word’s automatic table formatting default settings)

After you create table cells, you can add content to them. In this example, a list of customers is created. The first row is typically used to create headers, so they have special formatting to indicate to readers that the information stored in these cells aren’t data but headings.

(Table with data filled out)

In the above example, notice that there are handles on the upper-left and lower-right corners. These handles can be used to move the table or resize the entire table size. Note that using the handles on the corners resizes the entire table’s width and height, not individual cells. To resize individual columns and rows, hover your mouse over the borders shown around each cell. The cursor changes and prompts you to resize columns (if you hover the mouse over vertical borders) or resize rows (if you hover the mouse over a horizontal line).

We want to format the content in the header row, and you can do this by clicking the cell and using the automatic context window that opens when a cell is highlighted and you hover the mouse over the content.

(Format context window for a table cell)

In the context window, you’ll notice that most of the options are the same «Font» controls and options covered in previous chapters. On the right side of the context window is the functions that allow you to insert a new row or column or delete the current cell. First, click the «B» button to make text in the «First Name» header cell set to bold formatting. You don’t have to format cells one-by-one. You can also highlight multiple cells and click formatting controls to make changes to several cells at once.

After you change the text in each cell, you have the option to format other table properties including boarders and backgrounds. Word has several border options including styles and colors. You can find these styles by clicking the upper-left corner hand and selecting border styles.

(Table border styles)

Notice that you have several color options with line thickness and double-lined borders as well. If you click the «Border Styles» option, a menu opens at the top of your Word window that displays several preset styles.

(Border styles menu)

Notice that the styles show a preview including header styles that make the first row stand out, and then preset colored borders. You can use the right side of the menu to choose your own border shading and colors, and you can adjust the thickness of the lines that surround each cell. For this example, a preset is chosen and all cells in the table are formatted.

(Purple formatted preset for a table)

After you enter data, you might decide that you need to add a new row or column to your table. When you add a new element, the new row or column takes the same styles, colors, fonts and borders as the current table, so you won’t need to re-style these new cells. 

You find the context menu to add new rows and columns by right clicking the upper-left handle again. 

(Insert table options)

Notice that you can specify the position where the new row or table will display. For instance, if you want to insert a row below the current ones, choose «Insert Rows Below.» Because three rows are highlighted in the example image, three new rows are created in the table. You’ll notice that these new rows have the same color borders, and when you type any content into the cells, the same format will be applied as the previous cells.

You can use the same method to delete rows, and you’ll notice that the context menu also has the option to delete the entire table. Should you delete the table and change your mind, remember that you can use the «Undo» button at the top-left of the main Word window. This will return the table to the document along with its formatting and content.

Many of the table properties available in the context menu are also available from the «Table Properties» window. Right click the table and choose «Table Properties.»

(Table properties window) 

You can set the size of the table and many of the properties for rows, columns and cells in this window. The alignment option determines the way a table is formatted within a paragraph. This property is similar to the way text wraps around an image illustrated in the last chapter. You can also set alternative text that displays should the user be unable to view your table. This is done in the «Alt Text» tab.

If you find working with tables in Word too difficult, remember that you can always use Microsoft Excel and copy and paste the table to your document. Word’s table controls are useful for small simple tables, but anything that requires formulas and complex calculations should be done in Excel.

Drawing a Table

If you know your table is not going to be uniform (regularly sized columns and rows), you can «draw» a table. This is particularly helpful when using tables to create complex page layouts.

To do this, click the Table button and select Draw Table. Your mouse pointer will transform into a pencil tool and you’ll be able to draw individual cells anywhere in your document. You can even draw cells within cells.

Click and hold the left mouse button, drag the cell into the desired size and shape, and then release. It’s that simple.

Selecting parts of tables

To select part of a table, simply click inside the upper left cell that represents the first cell you want to select. Hold the left mouse button down and drag across the remaining cells you want to select.

Adding Text to a Table

Adding text to a table is as easy as clicking into a cell and then typing. You will be able to change any attributes of that text, too, and even apply a Quick Style.

Position Text within a Cell

Just like in an ordinary document, you can choose whether to center text within a cell, or whether to align it right or left, or toward the top or the bottom. Go to the Alignment group under the Table Layout tab. 

To reach the Table Layout tab, click the box above the left top corner of the table. This selects the table.

The Alignment group is pictured below.

Using the graphics on the left as guides, select how you want text positioned within cell in your table. 

NOTE: You can format the text position for just one cell, multiple cells (by selecting the cells), or the entire table (by selecting the table).

Converting Text into a Table

You can convert text into a table. This is especially handy if you’ve already written information that you think would be more effectively conveyed in a table.

To do this, you’ll have to carve up the text into columns and rows using commas and new paragraphs. That’s how you tell Word to separate the text into individual cells. Simply place a comma between the text you want to put into a column and place a paragraph where you want to begin a new row. An example of the text might look like this:

Now select the text, click the Tables button under the Insert tab. From the dropdown menu, choose «Convert Text To Table.»

You can now specify the number of columns, as well as how to separate text. You can separate text into cells by paragraphs, commas, tabs, etc.

We chose two columns and to separate text at commas.

Look at the example below to see the final result.

Word comes with a group of table templates for you to use and quickly customize to fit your needs. You can access them by clicking the Tables tool and choosing Quick Tables. Scroll through the templates and choose the one that best suits your needs. As with other kinds of tables, Word automatically inserts Quick Tables wherever the cursor is positioned in the document.

Once the Quick Table has been created, click the template text and start typing to replace it… You can also create your own Quick Tables by selecting a table that you’ve created and clicking the Save to Quick Table Gallery button at the bottom of the Quick Table menu.

Formatting Tables with the Table Tools

Whenever you create or select a table, the Table Tools will open automatically over the Design and Layout tabs in the tool bar. It allows you to easily apply table styles, borders, and shading attributes and more. Below is an example of the Design and Layout tools available for tables.

The Design tab (shown above) lets you customize the look and appearance of your table.

Let’s look at the Table Style Options group. But first, look at our table below:

In the Table Style Options group, we see that Header Row, First Column, and Banded Rows are checked.

Let’s learn what all these options mean so you can decide what you want checked – and what you don’t.

• A Header Row is the first row in a table that contains headings (labels) for all the columns, as shown our table above.

• When First Column is checked, it means the first column is also headers or labels. Same goes for the Last Column.

• You can also choose to have banded rows or columns. Banded Rows formats even and odd rows differently so they are easier to read. If you choose Banded Columns, it formats even and odd columns differently.

• Total Row means to create a row for mathematical totals.

In the Table Styles group, you can pick a new table style or apply shading to your table by clicking the Shading button.

In the Borders group, you can use Border Styles add borders to rows and columns to customize the look of your table.

Now, let’s click the Layout tab.

The Layout tab, when associated with the Table Tools, allows you to easily insert rows and columns, and format text and objects within cells. You can also create new margins for your cells. We’ll learn all about margins in just a few lessons.

Selecting Cells, Rows, and Columns

Selecting cells, rows, and columns in Word is easy.

To select a cell, click within the cell so the mouse cursor is blinking. 

Go to the table Format tab, then the Table group. Click Select>Select Cell

To select a row, click in the first cell in a row go to Select>Select Row.

To select a column, click the first cell in a column, then go to Select>Select Column.

The Border Painter Tool

The Border Painter tool was a feature added in Word 2013. It makes applying different widths and borders to your table easier than ever before. To find the tool, select your table and go to the Table Tools Design tab. 

To use the border painter, first apply formatting to some borders in your table, then click the Border Painter button. Click on any border to apply the formatting. You can also click and drag the mouse to apply it to a whole line.

Border Sampler

The Border Sampler works with the Border Painter tool. The Border Sampler is located at the bottom of the Border Styles Gallery. To access it, click the Border Styles button in the Borders group under the Table Tools Design tab. 

Simply click on Boarder Sampler. An eyedropper will appear. Click on a table border that you want to sample. Word then switches to the Border Sampler. You can apply the same formatting somewhere else in the table.

Adjusting the Width of Individual Columns

There are several ways to adjust the width of individual columns:

1.  Position your mouse pointer over the edge of the column and then drag it to the desired width.

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Working With Tables in Microsoft Word

Use tables to align columns and rows of text

Updated on October 31, 2019

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.

1. Open a Word document and select the location where you want to place the table.

2. Go to the Insert tab.

3. In the Tables group, select Table.

4. 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.

5. In the Insert Table dialog box, enter the number of columns and rows you want in the table.

6. 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.

7. Select OK. The blank table appears in the document.

8. To add or delete rows or columns, select Insert > Table.

9. 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.

1. With a Word document open, go to the Insert tab.

2. Select Table.

3. Select Draw Table. The cursor turns into a pencil.

4. Drag down and across the document to draw a box for the table. The dimensions can be modified later if needed.

5. 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.

6. 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.

1. Open the Word document containing the text you want to convert into a table and select that text.

2. Go to the Insert tab.

3. Select Table.

4. Select Convert Text to Table.

5. In the Convert Text to Table dialog box, change the default settings if needed.

6. Select OK to create the table.

7. To revert the table to text, go to the Layout tab and select Convert to Text.

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Microsoft Word or MS-WORD is a graphical word processing program that users can type with. It allows the users to type and save documents very similar to other word processors. There are many versions of MS-word in market, which the user can install as per te. In this tutorial, we will learn about the tables in MS-Word. 

Tables in MS Word are made up of rows and columns with an organized arrangement of text. These tables can be used to align numbers in columns and then various operations can be performed on them. Tables can also be used to create page layouts. Rows in a table are series of data banks laid out horizontally in a table or spreadsheet. Columns are vertical series of cells in a chart, table, or spreadsheet.

How to Create a Table?

Tables in MS Word can be created in the following two ways:

1. Using the Grid

2. Using Table Dialogue Box

Using the Grid

Following are the steps of creating a table using the Grid provided in MS Word:

Step 1: Go to the Insert tab and click on the Table button.

Step 2: In the dropdown menu, select the number of rows and columns from the Grid.

Using Table Dialogue Box

Following are the steps of creating a table using Table Dialogue Box in MS Word:

Step 1: Go to the Insert tab and click on the Table button.

Step 2: Under the grid, you will see an Insert Table button. Click on it.

Step 3: In the Insert Table Dialogue box, mention the number of rows and number of columns as per the requirement and click on OK button.

How to Modify a Table?

We can also edit/modify a table to make it more creative. Multiple operations can be performed on a table like changing the layout, splitting of cells, merging the cells, applying borders, etc. Here, we will see some of the operations performed on a table in MS Word.

Changing Layout of a Table

Changing the layout of a table can be done with the help of the following steps: 

Step 1: Select the table for which the layout is to be changed. Go to the design tab.

Step 2: Click on the dropdown menu to get various different types of layouts for your table.

Step 3: Select any layout as per the need.

Splitting the Cell

Splitting of a cell can be done with the help of the following steps:

Step 1: Select the cell that you want to split into multiple cells. Then go to the Layout tab and click on the Split Cells button.

Step 2: In the dialogue box, mention the new dimensions as per the requirement. 

Step 3: Click on the Ok button.

Merging the Cells

Merging of various cells can be done by the following steps:

Step 1: Select all the cells that are to be merged into a single cell. Then go over the layout tab, and you will see a Merge Cell button.

Step 2: Now click on the Merge Cell button and the selected cells will be merged.

Applying Borders and Styles on a Table

Borders and styles can also be applied to a table in a similar way as the layout of a table is changed. Go through the following steps to do the same:

Step 1: Select the entire table and go over the design tab.

Step 2: Select the style that you want to apply to your table.

Converting Text to a Table

MS Word allows the conversion of existing text into a table with the help of the following steps:

Step 1: Select the text that is to be converted into the table. Now go to the Insert Tab and you will see a Table button.

Step 2: Click on the Insert Table button and in the drop-down menu, click on the Convert Text to Table button.

Step 3: In the dialogue box, mention the dimensions of the required table and other data that is required. 

Step 4: Click on the OK button and the selected text will be converted to a Table.

Inserting Images in a Table

MS Word allows adding images inside the table cells. To insert an image in a table, go through the following steps:

Step 1: Select the cell in which you want to add the Image. Go to the Insert tab and select the Pictures button.

Step 2: You can either choose a picture from your device or select one online.

Step 3: Choose a picture from the browser window and click on the Insert button.

Step 4: Selected Image will be added in the cell selected.

Performing Calculations in a Table

Mathematical calculations can also be performed on the values present in the table. Microsoft provides various formulas to perform these operations. By default, the sum of the values lying in the rows to the left or column lying above are calculated by Word. Following are the steps to do the same:

Step 1: Select the cell in which the result of the mathematical operations is required. 

Step 2: Now go to the Layout tab and select the formula button. 

Step 3: In the dialogue box, define the formula for the mathematical operation, the default formula is the sum of the values to the left or above.

Step 4: After defining the formula, click on the OK button to apply the formula on the cells given in the formula.

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