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Working with Tables

OfficeDocs lets you use tables to organize information into rows and columns. This guide explains how to insert a table, manage its structure, format its appearance, and work with common table tools in the document editor. 

Inserting a table

You can insert a table directly from the Insert tab, then choose the number of rows and columns you need. In the document editor, tables can also be customized further after insertion using the table settings menu.

  1. Place the cursor where you want the table to appear.
  2. Open the Insert tab.
  3. Click Table.
  4. Select the number of rows and columns from the grid.
  5. Insert the table into the document. 

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Adding rows and columns

After inserting a table, you can expand it by adding rows or columns where needed. To do this, right-click inside the table to open the table options menu.

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  • Insert a row above or below the current row
  • Insert a column to the left or right of the current column
  • Add several rows or columns at once when needed 

Deleting rows and columns

You can remove individual parts of a table or delete the table entirely. 

  • Delete a selected row
  • Delete a selected column
  • Delete selected cells
  • Delete the entire table
Merging and splitting cells

OfficeDocs includes tools for combining cells or splitting them into smaller sections. 

Merge cells

  • Select two or more adjacent cells
  • Use Merge Cells to combine them into one cell 

Split cells

  • Select the cell you want to divide
  • Choose Split Cell 
  • Enter the number of rows and columns you want to create
Table formatting

You can change both the appearance of individual cells and the layout of the entire table.

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Cell properties

Available cell formatting options include:

  • Background color
  • Border style, width, and color
  • Vertical alignment
  • Text wrapping inside cells
  • Cell margins

Table properties

You can also adjust broader table settings such as:

  • Table width and height
  • Table alignment
  • Spacing between cells

Resizing tables

Tables can be resized manually to better fit your content.

  • Drag column borders to change column width
  • Drag row borders to change row height
  • Resize the full table from its handles
  • Distribute rows or columns evenly when needed 

Table styles

Predefined table styles help you create a cleaner and more consistent layout.

  • Apply built-in table templates
  • Highlight header rows or total rows
  • Emphasize the first or last column
  • Enable banded rows or banded columns for readability

Converting table content

OfficeDocs supports converting a table into plain text in the document editor.

Convert table to text

  • Select the table
  • Choose Convert Table to Text 
  • Select a delimiter such as tabs, paragraph marks, semicolons, or another separator
  • Confirm the conversion

Accessibility

You can also add alternative text to a table to make its contents easier to understand for users who rely on assistive technologies. 

Note

Table support also exists in the presentation editor, including insertion, formatting, row and column operations, merge and split actions, templates, and alternative text. However, some options are editor-specific, so this page is safest when used for the document editor workflow.

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