Tables are the easiest way to line up information in Word — price lists, timetables, contact lists, comparison charts. Here’s how to create one, tweak it and make it look professional.
Quick reference
| What you want | How |
|---|---|
| Insert a table | Insert → Table, drag across the grid |
| Next cell | Tab |
| New row at the end | Tab in the last cell |
| Add a row or column anywhere | Hover at the edge, click + |
| Apply a style | Table Design tab |
1. Insert a table
- Click where you want the table.
- Go to Insert → Table.
- Drag across the grid to choose how many columns and rows you need.
- Click to insert it.
Need more than 10 columns? Choose Insert Table… and type the numbers.
2. Type into it
Click in the first cell and type. Press Tab to move to the next cell, and Shift + Tab to go back. When you press Tab in the very last cell, Word adds a new row for you.
3. Add or delete rows and columns
- Hover your mouse just outside the left edge (for rows) or top edge (for columns) and click the + that appears.
- Or right-click a cell → Insert → choose above, below, left or right.
- To delete, right-click → Delete Cells… → Delete entire row or column.
4. Make it look good
Click anywhere in the table and open the Table Design tab.
- Pick a style from the gallery. Hover to preview.
- Tick Header Row to make the top row stand out.
- Tick Banded Rows for alternating shading — easier to read across.
On the Layout tab, use AutoFit → AutoFit Contents to shrink columns to fit, or Distribute Columns to make them all the same width.
5. Repeat the header row on every page
For long tables, click in the top row and choose Layout → Repeat Header Rows. The headings now appear at the top of every page the table runs across.
6. Convert existing text into a table
Already typed your data separated by tabs or commas?
- Select it.
- Go to Insert → Table → Convert Text to Table…
- Choose what separates your text (tabs, commas) and click OK.
Troubleshooting
The table is wider than the page. Click in it and choose Layout → AutoFit → AutoFit Window.
A row splits across two pages. Right-click → Table Properties → Row → untick Allow row to break across pages.
I can’t type above a table at the top of the page. Click in the first cell and press Enter — Word adds a line above it.
Wrapping up
Insert → Table, Tab to move around, and a quick style from Table Design gets you a professional table in under a minute.
