Make rows and columns in word

To make room for more information in a table, you can add rows and columns without leaving Word for the web.

1. First, if you’re in Reading View, click Edit Document > Edit in Word for the web.

   

2. Click anywhere in the table that you want to change. You’ll see Table Tools appear above the ribbon.

   

3. Under Table Tools, click Layout. This opens options for inserting rows and columns, plus other table options.

   

4. Put your cursor wherever in the table you want to add a column or row.

   • To insert a row, click Insert Above or Insert Below.

   • To insert a column, click Insert Left or Insert Right.

Tip: If you also want to change the look of your table, check out the options on the Table Tools > Design tab.

In this chapter, we’ll talk about How to add rows and columns in MS Word. As we talked about in the last chapter, a table is made up of columns on the left and rows on the right, with a cell at each intersection. This chapter will show you how to add and remove rows and columns from a table.

What is row and column in MS Word?

A Word table can have up to 63 columns in a Word document. This is the maximum number of columns that can be in a Word document. In addition, you can have as many rows as you want. Word Document, specifically, allows you to put 32, 767 rows in one table.

Add Table Rows Using Tab

Adding rows to your table is easiest if you put your cursor in the cell in the bottom-right corner of your table and then press Tab on your keyboard.

This will add a new row. When you want to add a row, you can choose the cell at the bottom right and press Tab again. If you choose another cell and press Tab, the cursor will move to the next cell. A new row is only automatically added to the last cell.

Add a column to the table

Adding more columns to a Word document is not hard for you to do. To add a column to the table, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Place the cursor where you want to add a column to the table.

Step 2: Right-click on the table, a list of options will show up. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Insert icon.

• Click on the Insert Columns to the Left to add the column left side of the table.
• Click on the Insert Column to the Right to add the column right side of the table.

• Step 3: The screenshot below shows that column is added to the table.

Use the Ribbon Menu to Add Rows or Columns

If you have a table in a Word document, you can use the ribbon menu to see more ways to add rows and columns.

Use the Layout tab in the top ribbon menu to get to these options. The only thing that’s not clear is why there are two tabs called Layout in the menu bar. You need to click the “Layout” tab, which is next to “Table Design” on the right.

When you choose this, you’ll see a list of table-related options here. Since our goal is to add rows and columns, we’ll pay attention to the “Rows & Columns” command group.

If you want to add a row above the cell you’ve chosen in your Microsoft Word table, click “Insert Above.” To add a row below the cell you’ve chosen, click “Insert Below.” Here, we will add a row to the bottom of the cell.

You can also quickly add columns with the buttons here. If you click “Insert Right,” a column will be added to the right of the cell. In the same way, “Insert Left” will add a column to the left of the cell that is currently selected. In our example, we are going to add a column to the right.

You can also click the arrow icon that’s to the right of the “Rows & Columns” command group to reveal a few more options.

Here, you can add rows or columns by clicking “Insert entire row” or “Insert entire column.”

Use Delete Key to Remove Rows and Columns

The following steps are using Delete key to remove rows and columns in word document.

Summary

In the end, we’ve learned how to add rows and columns to a table in MS Word and what those terms mean. We also know that there are different ways to add rows and columns to a table, which we can use in our document to make it look more professional and presentable.

Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about working on tables, see the previous tutorial on how to create tables in Microsoft Word. In our format text and pages tutorial, you’ll also learn how to change page orientation and cover page etc. You can browse those guides if you are having a hard time formatting your documents.

We hope this tutorial helps you as you format your documents in MS Word.

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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

Do you want to learn more about Microsoft Word? Check out our virtual classroom or in-person classroom Word courses >

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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More resources

4 Ways to Delete a Table in Word

How to Make Columns in Word (Newspaper-style)

How to Insert Formulas and Functions in Word Tables

How to Keep a Microsoft Word Table Together on One Page

How to Delete a Page in Word (Remove Blank or Extra Pages)

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For customization, you can add rows and columns to a Microsoft Word document. To do so, follow these instructions to add tablets.

Microsoft Word probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you need to work with a spreadsheet. For that, you’d turn to Microsoft Excel. And yet, you can still add columns and rows to a table in a  Word document. Here’s how to do it.

The first step in adding rows and columns in a Word document is to create a table. To get started:

1. Start Microsoft Word.
2. Bring up the document you want to use.
3. Put your pointer in the location where you want to add a table.
4. Choose Insert > Table on the Word ribbon.
5. Use the chart in the pull-down menu to add rows and columns.

Once the table is created, you can add data.

Adding Rows

After you’ve created a table in a Word document, you may have to add a new row. You can do this by putting your cursor into the last cell in the table, then click Tab on your keyboard. To add more rows, repeat.

Deleting Rows

You can also delete rows and columns in your table by pressing the Delete key. To do so, select a row or column in the table, then use the Delete key. You can also choose the Delete button in the options box, then select Delete Row. You can also select Delete Cell, Delete Column, and Delete Table using the same button.

Deleting Columns

It’s also possible to delete columns similarly. First, select the entire column you wish to delete, then hit the Delete key on your keyboard.

Other Options

With your cursor in the table, you can perform additional steps using the Word ribbon menu. First, be sure to select the second Layout option on the menu. From there, choose Rows & Columns and select from the following options.

With Insert Above, a row above the current cell gets created, just as Insert Below adds a new row immediately after the active cell. Insert Right makes a new column to the right of the cell, while Insert Left does the opposite.

More With Microsoft Word

Not surprisingly, there’s a lot more you can do with Word, even with tables, including changing the formatting. You can also use an Outline View when you’re working with large documents and insert animated GIFs, among other tasks.

You can find Microsoft Word inside the Microsoft 365 suite. For home use, the Microsoft 365 suite (formerly O365) is currently available in three varieties, including a Family, Personal, and Home & Student plan. Price-wise, the first is $100 per year (or $10/month) and includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook for Mac. Membership covers up to six users. The Personal version is for one individual and is $70/year or $6.99 per month. Finally, the student plan is a one-time purchase of $150 and includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Business users can select from Basic, Standard, and Premium plans, starting at $5 per user/month.

In this article, we would like to introduce you with 4 ways to quickly add multiple rows or columns to an existing Word table.

Every so often, we would find additional rows or columns are needed for an existing table. Certainly, there are a number of methods to realize it. And we here provide you 4 quick ways to do that.

Method 1: Add Multiple Rows with “Tab” Key

1. Firstly, put your cursor outside the end of the last row of a table.
2. Then press “Tab” key to get as many rows as you need.

Method 2: Add Multiple Rows or Columns with Contextual Menu

1. At first, select a number of rows or columns.
2. Next right click and choose “Insert”.
3. Then choose the right command as you need. The number of rows or columns is as the same as that of the rows or columns you selected at the very first.

Besides, there are also the shortcuts for inserting columns. Press “Alt”, “J”, “L”, and “L” can insert columns to the left of the selection. And press “Alt”, “J”, “L”, and “R” can insert columns to the right of the selection.

Method 3: Add Multiple Rows with “Insert Table” Option

1. To begin with, click “Layout” and check the column width in “Cell Size” group. And put cursor right at the head of the line below the last row of table.
2. Secondly, click “Insert” tab.
3. Then click “Table” icon.
4. Next, choose “Insert Table” option on the drop-down menu.
5. In “Insert Table” dialog box, enter the number of columns and rows. Remember the number of columns as the same as the existing table.
6. Then input the column width you get in step 1.
7. Click “OK”.

You will find 2 tables automatically merge into one.

Method 4: Add Multiple Rows or Columns with Macro

1. First off, select a row then press “Alt+ F11” to trigger the VBA editor.
2. Click “Normal” then “Insert”.
3. Next choose “Module”.
4. Double click on the new module to open the editing area.
5. Then paste the following codes:

Sub AddRowsAbove()
  Dim nNumber As Long
 
  If Selection.Information(wdWithInTable) = True Then
    nNumber = InputBox("Input the number of rows you want to add:", "Add Rows to the selection")
    Selection.InsertRowsAbove NumRows:=nNumber
  End If
End Sub

1. Hit “Run”.
2. In the input box, enter the number of rows you want and click “OK”.

Now there will be 2 blank rows above the first row in the table. And if you want to add rows below a selected one, simply change the “InsertRowsAbove” to “InsertRowsbelow”.

Additionally, here is the macro to add columns:

Sub AddColumnsToLeft()
  Dim nNumber As Long 

  If Selection.Information(wdWithInTable) = True Then 
    Selection.InsertColumns
  End If
End Sub

You should first select a number of columns then run the macro with the steps above. You can then get new columns. The above macro adds columns to the left of the selection. To add columns to the right selection, you need to replace “InsertColumns” with “InseertColumnsRight”.

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