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How to Create and Format Tables in Microsoft Word
Introduction
Tables in Microsoft Word are one of the best ways to organise information. They help you line up text and numbers neatly, create simple layouts, and present data so people can read it quickly. Tables are used everywhere: price lists, schedules, meeting notes, comparison charts, risk logs, training plans, and more.
But many people struggle with tables in Word. Columns jump around, text won’t align, rows split across pages, and the whole thing can feel “fiddly”. The good news is that Word has strong table tools, and once you know where they are, tables become much easier to control.
In this guide you will learn how to:
- Insert tables in different ways
- Add and remove rows and columns
- Resize columns and rows properly
- Format tables using styles, shading, borders, and alignment
- Repeat header rows on each page
- Stop rows splitting across pages
- Sort and do simple calculations in tables
- Convert text to a table (and back again)
- Copy tables to and from Excel
- Use tables for layout without making documents messy
Everything is explained in simple steps, with tips that help in real work documents.
1) Different ways to create a table
Method A: Insert a basic table
- Go to Insert on the ribbon.
- Click Table.
- Drag across the grid to choose the number of columns and rows.
- Click to insert.
This is the quickest way for small tables.
Method B: Insert Table (choose exact size)
- Insert > Table > Insert Table.
- Type the number of columns and rows.
- Choose an AutoFit option:
- Fixed column width: you control widths
- AutoFit to contents: columns expand to fit text
- AutoFit to window: table fits the page width
- Click OK.
“AutoFit to window” is a good starting point for many documents.
Method C: Draw Table (when you need a custom layout)
- Insert > Table > Draw Table.
- Use your mouse to draw the outside border.
- Draw lines inside for rows and columns.
This is useful for forms, where you want different cell sizes.
Method D: Convert text into a table
If you already have a list like this:
Name Department Extension
Aisha HR 214
Tom IT 118
You can convert it:
- Select the text.
- Insert > Table > Convert Text to Table.
- Choose how Word should separate columns (Tabs, Commas, etc.).
- Click OK.
This is brilliant when someone sends you “table-looking text” that isn’t a real table yet.
2) Understanding the Table Design and Layout tabs
When you click inside a table, two extra tabs appear:
- Table Design: styles, borders, shading
- Layout: rows/columns, cell size, alignment, sorting, formulas
If you can’t find a table setting, it’s usually on one of these tabs.
3) Add, delete, and move rows and columns
Add rows or columns quickly
- Click inside the table.
- Go to Layout (Table Tools).
- Use:
- Insert Above / Insert Below
- Insert Left / Insert Right
Delete rows, columns, or the whole table
- Select the row/column (or click inside the table).
- Layout > Delete
- Choose:
- Delete Cells
- Delete Columns
- Delete Rows
- Delete Table
Move a row or column
The simplest method:
- Select the row, then cut (Ctrl + X), click where you want it, and paste (Ctrl + V).
You can also drag and drop, but cut and paste is usually more accurate.
4) Resize columns and rows without fighting Word
Tables can feel awkward if you drag borders randomly. Here’s the clean way.
Set column widths
- Click in a column.
- Go to Layout > Cell Size.
- Enter a specific Width.
AutoFit options
On Layout, click AutoFit:
- AutoFit Contents: fit to text
- AutoFit Window: fit to the page width
- Fixed Column Width: stop Word changing widths
If Word keeps changing your column widths, choose Fixed Column Width.
Distribute rows/columns evenly
- Select the table (click the small handle at the top-left of the table)
- Layout > Distribute Columns
- Layout > Distribute Rows
This makes things look neat fast.
5) Align text inside cells properly
Horizontal alignment
Select cells, then use Layout > Alignment icons to align:
- Left / Centre / Right
Vertical alignment
In the same Alignment group, you can align:
- Top / Middle / Bottom
A common professional look is:
- Headers: centred, middle aligned
- Text columns: left aligned
- Number columns: right aligned
Cell margins (space inside cells)
If the table looks cramped:
- Click in the table.
- Layout > Cell Margins
- Increase left/right/top/bottom margins slightly.
This often makes a table look instantly more readable.
6) Format the table with styles, borders, and shading
Use a built-in Table Style
- Click in the table.
- Go to Table Design.
- Choose a style from Table Styles.
You can also tick options like:
- Header Row
- First Column
- Banded Rows (alternating shading)
- Banded Columns
Banded rows are great for wide tables because they help the eye track across the page.
Add shading (background colour) to cells
- Select the cells.
- Table Design > Shading.
- Pick a colour.
Add or change borders
- Select the table or cells.
- Table Design > Borders.
- Choose:
- All Borders
- Outside Borders
- Inside Borders
- No Border
- Custom borders (line style, thickness)
A simple approach looks professional:
- Thin inside borders
- Slightly thicker outside border
- Shaded header row
7) Make a header row repeat on every page
If your table runs across multiple pages, repeating headers makes it much easier to read.
- Select the header row (top row).
- Layout > Repeat Header Rows.
Now, when the table continues onto the next page, Word repeats the header automatically.
Tip: This works best when the header is a single row. If you need multiple header rows, you can select them and repeat them too.
8) Stop table rows splitting across pages
Sometimes Word splits a row so half of it is at the bottom of one page and the rest is on the next page. This can look messy, especially for forms.
To stop that:
- Select the table (or the rows you want).
- Right-click and choose Table Properties.
- Go to the Row tab.
- Untick Allow row to break across pages.
- Click OK.
This keeps each row together.
9) Merge and split cells (for headings and forms)
Merge cells
Use this for a table title row across the top, or a wide section heading.
- Select the cells.
- Layout > Merge Cells.
Split cells
Use this if you need to break one cell into more columns or rows.
- Click in the cell.
- Layout > Split Cells.
- Choose number of columns and rows.
10) Sort a table in Word
Yes, Word can sort tables (handy for simple lists).
- Click in the table.
- Layout > Sort.
- Choose the column to sort by.
- Choose Text, Number, or Date.
- Pick ascending or descending.
- If your table has a header row, tick Header row.
11) Do simple calculations in a table
Word tables can do basic formulas, like adding up a column.
- Click in the cell where you want the result.
- Layout > Formula.
- Common formulas:
=SUM(ABOVE)adds numbers above=SUM(LEFT)adds numbers to the left=AVERAGE(ABOVE)averages numbers above
- Choose a number format if needed and click OK.
This is useful for invoices or small totals, but for heavy calculations Excel is better.
12) Convert a table to text (and back)
Sometimes you need to paste the data into another system, or remove the table structure.
- Click in the table.
- Layout > Convert to Text.
- Choose separators (tabs, commas, paragraphs).
- Click OK.
You can later convert the text back to a table using the method earlier.
13) Copy tables between Word and Excel
From Excel to Word
- Copy in Excel (Ctrl + C)
- Paste in Word (Ctrl + V)
Then choose a paste option: - Keep Source Formatting
- Use Destination Styles
- Link & Keep Source Formatting (updates when Excel updates)
- Paste Special (for more control)
If you want the Word document to update when the Excel file changes, use a linked paste. If you want a static snapshot, use a normal paste.
From Word to Excel
Copy the Word table and paste into Excel. Excel usually places each cell into its own cell. If it pastes strangely, try Paste Special.
14) Use tables for layout (without making your document hard to edit)
Tables can be used to align items like:
- a logo next to text
- a two-column layout for a form
- a neat header area
But layout tables can cause problems if overused. Good practice:
- Use layout tables sparingly
- Keep them simple (2–3 columns)
- Hide borders if they are only for layout
- Don’t nest lots of tables inside each other unless you must
For a simple layout table:
- Insert a 2-column table.
- Put content in each side.
- Remove borders: Table Design > Borders > No Border.
15) Common table problems (and quick fixes)
“My table jumps across the page”
Fix:
- Click the table
- Layout > AutoFit > AutoFit Window
- Or set Fixed column width
“Text won’t wrap in a cell”
Fix:
- Check cell width is not too small
- Turn on wrapping: Home > Wrap Text doesn’t exist in Word, but text should wrap automatically
- If it’s not, check you haven’t inserted manual line breaks or the cell isn’t set to a fixed height with clipping
“I can’t line things up”
Fix:
- Use Layout > Distribute Columns
- Use Table Properties to set preferred widths
“There’s too much space in the rows”
Fix:
- Select rows
- Layout > Properties > Row
- Reduce row height, or set it to At least instead of Exactly
“My table breaks weirdly at the page boundary”
Fix:
- Repeat header rows
- Turn off “Allow row to break across pages”
- Consider adding a page break before the table if it starts too low on a page
Best practice checklist
- Use Table Styles for consistent formatting
- Set column widths using Layout > Cell Size
- Use Repeat Header Rows for multi-page tables
- Stop row splitting across pages for forms
- Use alignment icons for clean, consistent layout
- Use shading and borders lightly for readability
- Keep tables simple and consistent across the document
Conclusion
Tables are one of the most useful tools in Microsoft Word. Once you know how to insert them properly, control widths, align content, and apply styles, you can create documents that look professional and are easy to read. The biggest “wins” are using table styles, repeating header rows, and controlling page breaks so tables behave neatly across pages.
If you’d like hands-on guidance and shortcuts that save hours, explore our Word courses:
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