Why columns in word

Essential to formatting many documents, columns help break up the layout of a page full of text. You can set columns just about any way you like with the ability to specify the number, size, and borders. The following articles explain how to do that and more with columns in a Word document.

As discussed in the previous chapter, a table is a structure of vertical columns and horizontal rows with a cell at every intersection. A Word table can contain as many as 63 columns but the number of rows is unlimited. This chapter will teach you how to add and delete rows and columns in a table.

What is a column in text?

In typography, a column is one or more vertical blocks of content positioned on a page, separated by gutters (vertical whitespace) or rules (thin lines, in this case vertical). Columns are most commonly used to break up large bodies of text that cannot fit in a single block of text on a page.

Can you make columns in Word?

To create columns in Word, place your cursor where you want the columns to start. Alternatively, you can select the text to separate into columns. Then click the “Layout” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Columns” drop-down button.

How do I make columns rows in a Word document?

Add a row or column

1. Click where you want in your table to add a row or column and then click the Layout tab (this is the tab next to the Table Design tab on the ribbon).
2. To add rows, click Insert Above or Insert Below and to add columns, click Insert Left or Insert Right.

How do I show columns and rows in Word?

Make sure the Layout tab of the ribbon is displayed. In the Rows & Columns group, choose one of the Columns or Rows options, depending exactly where you want the column or row inserted. (If you’re using Word 2013 or a later version, a dialog box will automatically pop up after selecting the row or column.

What is a column break word?

A column break places a hard break, much like a page break or section break, in the inserted location and forces the rest of the text to appear in the next column.The best place for a column break is typically between paragraphs or other major sections of text.

What is column in design?

column, in architecture, a vertical element, usually a rounded shaft with a capital and a base, which in most cases serves as a support. A column may also be nonstructural, used for a decorative purpose or as a freestanding monument.

How do I set Columns?

Traditional columns

1. Highlight the text you want to format; if you do not highlight any text, Word will format the entire document.
2. Click the Page Layout tab, and then select Columns….
3. Choose the format of your columns.
4. Click OK.

How do I make Columns even in word?

Make multiple columns or rows the same size

1. Select the columns or rows you want to make the same size. You can press CTRL while you select to choose several sections that are not next to each other.
2. On the Layout tab, in the Cell Size group, click Distribute Columns. or Distribute Rows .

How do I create two Columns in a Word document?

At first, click “Page Setup” tab and then click “Columns”. Next choose “Two” to set the document in 2 columns.

Where are columns most commonly used?

Columns are frequently used to support beams or arches on which the upper parts of walls or ceilings rest. In architecture, “column” refers to such a structural element that also has certain proportional and decorative features.

How do you add a column to a table?

To insert a column, pick any cell in the table and right-click. Point to Insert, and pick Table Rows Above to insert a new row, or Table Columns to the Left to insert a new column.

Where is column in Word 2019?

On the Page Layout tab, click Columns, then click More Columns. Click Selected text from the Apply to box.

How do you do Columns in Word Online?

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

1. To insert a row, click Insert Above or Insert Below.
2. To insert a column, click Insert Left or Insert Right.

Why is column not showing in Word?

If, for instance, you are viewing the document in Draft view, then the columns won’t show on the screen—everything will show as a single column. So, use the View tab of the ribbon and check in the Document Views group to see what view is being used. If it is Draft view, switch to a different view.

Where is the column command in Word?

To add columns to a document:
Select the Layout tab, then click the Columns command. A drop-down menu will appear. Select the number of columns you want to create. The text will format into columns.

What is cell in MS Word?

1. Microsoft Word: Working with Tables. A table is made up of rows and columns. The intersection of a row and column is called a cell.

How do you make columns in docs?

Make text into columns

1. Open a document in Google Docs.
2. Select the text you want to put into columns.
3. Click Format. Columns.
4. Select the number of columns you want.

How do you create sections in Word?

Add a section break

1. Select where you want a new section to begin.
2. Go to Layout > Breaks.
3. Choose the type of section break you want: Next Page Section break starts the new section on the following page. Continuous Section break starts the new section on the same page.

How do you start a column?

Tips on column writing

1. Write the way you talk.
2. Try to uncover a “lead” or opening that will catch the interest of your readers.
3. Use a variety of material, not just one subject.
4. Write about people.
5. Write simply.
6. Don’t weigh your column down with too much detail.

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!

Asked by: Aditya Nolan

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Essential to formatting many documents, columns help break up the layout of a page full of text. You can set columns just about any way you like with the ability to specify the number, size, and borders.

How do you use columns in Microsoft Word?

On the Layout tab, click Columns, then click the layout you want.

What does the columns button do in Word?

Columns are a document-level format. Choosing a column format from the Columns button menu affects the entire document, reformatting every page to the number of columns specified. If you need to set different column formats on different pages, split the document into sections.

What are rows and columns in MS Word?

As discussed in the previous chapter, a table is a structure of vertical columns and horizontal rows with a cell at every intersection. A Word table can contain as many as 63 columns but the number of rows is unlimited. This chapter will teach you how to add and delete rows and columns in a table.

What is column example?

5. The definition of a column is a vertical arrangement of something, a regular article in a paper, magazine or website, or a structure that holds something up. An example of column is an Excel list of budget items. An example of column is a weekly recipe article.

38 related questions found

Word 2013

You can format your document in a newspaper-style column layout by adding columns. On the Page Layout tab, click Columns, then click the layout you want.

1. To apply columns to only part of your document, with your cursor, select the text that you want to format.

2. On the Page Layout tab, click Columns, then click More Columns.

3. Click Selected text from the Apply to box.

Word 2016

You can format your document in a newspaper-style column layout by adding columns. On the Layout tab, click Columns, then click the layout you want.

1. To apply columns to only part of your document, with your cursor, select the text that you want to format.

2. On the Layout tab, click Columns, then click More Columns.

3. Click Selected text from the Apply to box.

You don’t need to create tables to structure text into columns. Tables are useful for displaying translated versions of the legal document side-by-side, but table cells break the text flow and are not recommended for multi-column layouts. It is more convenient to use columns for text formatting in most other cases. Word also allows you to adjust your columns by adding column breaks.

Format text in columns

To format a text into columns, do the following:

   1.   Do one of the following:

• To use the same number of columns for an entire document, click anywhere in the document (empty or with content).

  If you choose to format text in columns, Word fills the first column with text on the page and then moves to the beginning of the next column. When all columns on one page are filled, the text moves to the next page.

• To format only a part of the document, select the paragraphs that you want to wrap in columns.

  If you select a part of the text and wrap it in columns, Word inserts section breaks at the beginning and end of the selected text to delineate the area where the column layout is applied:

  

  See more about breaks and how to display them.

To manually specify where the text in each column should end, you can use a column break.

   2.   On the Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click the Columns button:

   3.   In the Columns dropdown list, select one of the options:

• One (used by default),
• Two, Three to create two or three columns of equal width,
• Left, Right to create two columns of unequal width,
• More Columns… to specify more options in the Columns dialog box:

  

  • In the Presets section, you can choose the same options as in the Columns dropdown list – One, Two, Three, Left, or Right.
  • If you need more columns, type or select the number of columns you need in the Number of columns field. The maximum number of columns may vary depending on the font, font size, margins, etc. E.g., 13.
  • The Line between checkbox inserts a vertical line between columns. This line clearly defines column borders, especially if you want to fit as much content on the page as possible (very handy for cheat sheets).
    See more options below.

Format columns

   I.   It is recommended to justify the paragraphs in columns to give the page a clean and organized appearance. To justify the column text, select it and do one of the following:

• On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the Justify button:

  

• Press Ctrl+J.

   II.   To change the width of columns or the space between them, do the following:

   1.   Click anywhere in the columnar text.

   2.   Do one of the following:

• On the Layout tab, in the Page Layout group, click the Columns button, then choose More Columns…

  In the Columns dialog box, in the Width and spacing section:

  

  In the Width box for any columns, enter or select a new width.

  The Width measurements for the other columns change to match, and the width of all the columns changes.

  See how the columns will be displayed in the Preview section.

• On the horizontal ruler, drag the margins to change the width of the columns:

  

   III.   To reduce white space on text lines, you can set up Word to hyphenate the text and break long words into syllables. See how to hyphenate automatically and manually for more details.

Remove columns

To remove column layout for the selected text or entire document, do the following:

   1.   Click anywhere in the columnar text.

   2.   On the Layout tab, in the Page Layout group, click the Columns button, then choose One.

Insert a column break

In the Word document, you can manually break columns. When you break a column, the text after the break moves to the top of the next column:

You can display column breaks as regular nonprintable symbols. Word displays them as .

To insert a column break, position the cursor at the beginning of the line you want to start in the new column, and then do any of the following:

• On the Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click the Breaks button, and then click Column to insert a column break:

  

• Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

The column break is inserted, and the cursor moves to the beginning of the next column.

Remove a column break

To remove a column break, click at the left end of the break or select the break and press the Delete key.

Sometimes, you need more space on a single page. In Word documents, the best way to do that is to learn how to make columns in Microsoft Word. These give you more space and improve readability.

There are many options for creating columns in Word. Maybe you want two, three, or even more column Word options. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a column in Word and explore all the options.

Why You Should Add Columns in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word columns are a popular and stylish way to format text. You’ll often see them in printed form, and they’re very easy to create for yourself. I like to add columns in Word to help lay out my documents in an elegant way. 

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create columns in Word. Like I said, it’s a fast and easy process. Once you learn how, you’ll be creating columns in Word often. 

But before we get started, it pays to ask: why learn how to make columns in Microsoft Word? The advantages are many, so let’s explore them.

By adding column Word designs, you can fit more content onto a page. With columns, you can visually define different sections of your document. Learning how to create columns in Word gives you new options for positioning your content.

Imagine for a moment the front page of your favorite newspaper. Think of how many different topics — in the form of sections and articles — can fit on a single page! Yet, these layouts accomplish this without appearing messy or cluttered. At a glance, you can distinguish unique sections. 

This isn’t the only benefit. When you’re creating columns in Word, you’ll also enjoy:

• More readable designs. Vast sections of text clustered in paragraphs aren’t visually inviting. With columns, your document layouts are cleaner and easier to read.
• Foldable layouts. With text in columns, you can fold pages once you print them, to create sleek newsletters and more. 
• Paper savings. By packing more content onto each page, you’ll create shorter documents. This is especially valuable if you’re planning to print copies. 

As you can see, the benefits of Microsoft Word columns are many. And in moments, you’ll know how to make them for yourself.

The best way to start is with a premium Microsoft Word template from Envato Elements. These expertly-built designs help you build stylish documents in seconds. 

In this tutorial, we’ll be working with the Newsletter | MS Word & InDesign template from Envato Elements. Download it today to follow along.

Now, let’s get started!

How to Add Multiple Columns in Word

With the Newsletter template downloaded and open in Microsoft Word, let’s get to work. It’s time to learn how to create columns in Word. We’ll get started by working on a blank page inside the template. Think of this page as a clean slate. On it, you want to feature text in a column layout.

We’ll start by constructing a basic two-column layout in MS Word. Place your cursor on the blank page. This tells Word that you’re ready to edit and add style elements to the selected page. 

Now, you’ll want to find the Layout tab in Word. This sits on the ribbon. If you’re unfamiliar, the ribbon is the row of menus that sits on the upper left side of your Word screen. Find it by looking for the buttons labeled Home, Insert, Draw and more.

Here, click on Layout. The Layout tab is really the hub for your Word document’s visual format. It controls how and where text and content fits onto the page.

With the Layout tab open, you’ll see an array of options available to you. In this case, Columns is the button that you need. Click on it, and a popup menu appears.

On this menu, you’ll have several choices for multi-column layouts in Word. Remember, here we want to add a simple two-column layout. Click on Two. Word instantly adds two columns to the selected page and all subsequent pages in your Word doc. 

Keep in mind, on a blank page you won’t see anything happen. But once you start typing, you’ll see that Word splits the text you type into a two-column layout. 

As you imagine how to use Microsoft Word columns, remember that you’re not limited to only two columns. In fact, Word offers you wide flexibility as you create your own column layouts. 

The best way to explore these features is to again start by working with a blank page in your Word document. Return to the Layout > Columns button and click on it. But this time, choose More Columns from the list of options displayed to you. 

When you click, Word opens the Columns menu. On it, you’ve got a full suite of customization options. 

At the top, you’ll see Presets. These are defined layouts that you can apply with a single click. There are options for one, two, and three columns per page. 

Also, you can add left and right columns. As shown in the previews, these are two-column layouts with unique widths. The Left option adds a narrow left column and a wide right column. Choosing Right delivers the opposite result. 

Below, in the Manual group, you’ll find that Word gives you full control over column layouts. Here, it’s possible to set a custom number of columns to display on each page. For example, you can type 4 into the box, and Word adds four columns. The Line Between checkbox helps you add a visual delineation between each of the new columns. 

Here are other settings that help you harness complete control of creating columns in Word:

• The Width and Spacing section controls the dimensions of each individual column.
• At first, this section is grayed out, as Equal Column Width is automatically checked. To work with this group, uncheck the Equal Column Width box.
• With the section active, you can adjust the dimensions and proportions of each column.
• The Width boxes control the specific columns. The Spacing boxes control how far apart columns are from each other.
• Finally, you’ve got the option to choose where to apply your column settings. Choose between the Whole Document and This Point Forward. The latter applies settings to your file only after the point where your cursor is placed. 

Once you’ve made your selections, click OK to apply the settings that you’ve chosen. Now, you’re ready to start working with Microsoft Word columns.

From here, you can add text and other content just like you normally do in Microsoft Word. Start by typing in your own words. As words flow, you’ll see that Word drops them neatly into place using the column layout that you’ve chosen. 

Similarly, other content that you add fits into the columns. For example, let’s add an image. Place your cursor in a column spot where you want to place a photo. Find the Insert tab, and then click Pictures > Picture From File. Select a photo on your computer, and then click Insert. 

Word inserts the photo, perfectly placed into your column. The width adjusts to fit neatly into the space that you’ve specified. This also works for charts, graphics, and more. When you design a column layout, Word’s features place and scale content in the columns.

As you can see, it’s easy to learn how to create a column in Word. With a few clicks, you can split the text into two or more columns on any page. From there, you can easily add text, photos, graphics, and more.

Word helps you size and scale all of your content into column format. This creates an attractive, engaging document for readers to enjoy. 

How to Add Columns from Existing Text in Word

We’ve learned how to create columns in Word. But as you saw in the above examples, we practiced using blank pages. What happens if you already have text on a page, and then decide that you want to put it in column format? 

Fortunately, Word has you covered. You can create column Word designs with text that you already have in place. There’s no need to delete or retype anything! Let’s learn how.

Imagine for a moment that you’ve got a page in your premium template with text on it. Now, you want to display the text in columns, rather than the single, full-page paragraphs that it’s in now. 

To place this text in Microsoft Word columns, you’ll first need to select the text. To do so, click and drag your cursor over the text that you want to move into columns. You’ll see Word select it, signified by pale blue shading.

Then, repeat the steps that we followed earlier to add columns. With the text still selected, find the Layout tab, and open the Columns drop-down. Choose the number of columns you want (or use the More Columns option, if you need to customize the design). 

Word adds the columns that you select. Your selected text will re-format, appearing in one or more of the new columns, depending on length. From here, you can make the same adjustments to column width and more, using the More Columns feature in MS Word. 

The Best Microsoft Word Templates for Column Designs (With Unlimited Downloads) 

You’ve learned how to create columns in Word. And you know that premium templates are the best way to get started. The best source for these is Envato Elements. 

Elements is a creative powerhouse with a winning offer: unlimited downloads. For a low, flat rate, you can download as many stunning premium MS Word templates as you want. With your membership, you also have access to fonts, stock photos, and so much more. 

Explore Microsoft Word Templates

When you choose a premium MS Word template from Envato Elements, you’ll enjoy these key benefits:

• Studio-quality layouts. Designs are built by creative experts. That means you’ll gain the advantage of styles that you can’t build by yourself. 
• Time savings. With layouts already built, you’re filling in the blanks. You get more time to focus on refining your written message. 
• Inspired designs. Pre-built layouts help guide your creative process. You’ll find plenty of inspiration on every page. 
• Full creative control. When we learned how to make columns in Microsoft Word, we added our own designs to a premium template. You benefit from the styles already built but can still add your own design flourishes.

The value is impossible to match. Sign up for Elements today!

Now You Know How to Make Columns in Microsoft Word

Just like that, you’ve learned how to create a column in Word. It’s a powerful stylistic tool that you can use in seconds! You can create more space for your content now that you know how to create a column in Word to do just that.

With multiple columns, you’ve got a new design dimension in Word documents. Try it out now to create a compelling, readable document. 

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I believe that life is too short to do just one thing. In college, I studied Accounting and Finance but continue to scratch my creative itch with my work for Envato Tuts+ and other clients. By day, I enjoy my career in corporate finance, using data and analysis to make decisions.

I cover a variety of topics for Tuts+, including photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom, PowerPoint, Keynote, and more. What I enjoy most is teaching people to use software to solve everyday problems, excel in their career, and complete work efficiently. Feel free to reach out to me on my website.