Tables are one of the easiest ways to organize information neatly in a Word document, whether you are building a schedule, a comparison list, or a data summary. This guide explains how to insert and format tables in Word using three different methods, how to delete, resize, and format tables, how to add rows and columns, and how the OnStyle add-in can keep every table in a long Word document consistent.

How to Insert a Table in Word #

Word gives you numerous ways to insert a table. Which one to use depends on how much control you need over the table’s size and design. In every method, start by clicking in the document where the table should appear.

Method 1: Insert a Table from the Grid

This is the fastest method for a simple table.

Step 1: Click where the table should appear. Position your cursor at the location in the document where you want the table.

Step 2: Open the table grid. Go to the Insert tab and select Table.

Step 3: Choose the size. Move across the grid to choose the number of columns, and move down to choose the number of rows.

Step 4: Insert the table. Click once, and Word inserts the table at your cursor.

Method 2: Insert a Table Using the Insert Table Dialog Box

Use this method when you need more control over the table’s size or column width.

Step 1: Place the cursor. Click where the table should go.

Step 2: Open Insert Table. Go to Insert, then Table, and choose Insert Table.

Step 3: Set columns and rows. In the Insert Table dialog box, enter the number of columns and rows.

Step 4: Choose how the table should fit. Choose an AutoFit behavior. Fixed column width keeps the columns at a set size. AutoFit to Contents makes the columns adjust to the text inside them. AutoFit to Window stretches the table across the page width.

Step 5: Remember the size for next time (optional). If you want Word to use the same table size the next time you insert a table, turn on the option to remember the dimensions for new tables.

Step 6: Select OK. Select OK to insert the table.

This method is best when you already know the exact table size you need or want better control over column width.

Method 3: Insert a Quick Table

Quick Tables are ready-made table designs.

Step 1: Click where the table should appear.

Step 2: Open Quick Tables. Go to Insert, then Table, then Quick Tables.

Step 3: Choose a design. Choose a design from the gallery.

Step 4: Add your content. Replace the existing placeholder text with your own content.

This method is useful when you want a fast layout, such as a calendar, a form, or a pre-built table style.

How to Delete a Table in Word #

To delete an entire table, hover over the table until the small table selector appears in the top-left corner. Right-click the table selector, then choose Delete Table.

To delete only part of a table, click inside the cell, row, or column you want to remove. Right-click, choose Delete Cells, and then choose what you want Word to delete.

• To remove only the selected cells, choose whether the remaining cells should shift left or shift up.
• To remove a full row, choose Delete Entire Row.
• To remove a full column, choose Delete Entire Column.

How to Resize a Table in Word #

To resize the entire table: Hover over the table so the resize handle appears in the bottom-right corner. Click and drag the handle until the table is the size you want.

To resize one row or column: Move the pointer over the row or column border until it changes to a resize pointer, then click and drag the border to the new size.

How to Add Rows or Columns to a Table in Word #

Step 1: Right-click inside a cell. Click inside the table cell that is next to where you want the new row or column.

Step 2: Choose Insert. Choose Insert from the right-click menu.

Step 3: Choose the placement. Choose whether to insert a row above, a row below, a column to the left, or a column to the right.

This is much faster than deleting the table and starting again.

How to Add Table Color or Style in Word #

Step 1: Click inside the table. Word displays the Table Design tab on the ribbon.

Step 2: Open the Table Styles gallery. On the Table Design tab, open the Table Styles gallery and choose a style.

Step 3: Apply a custom color (optional). For a custom color, use the Shading option.

Table Layout Tab: Advanced Table Settings #

The Table Layout tab gives you access to many of the settings already covered in this article, plus several more advanced options.

• Table Properties. On the left side of the tab, open the Table Properties window, which houses many advanced table features.
• Toward the middle of the tab, you can add more rows and columns to the table.
• Merge. In the Merge group, you can merge cells within the table.
• AutoFit. You can set the AutoFit settings here, which can fix strange-looking tables.
• Further along the tab, you can change the alignment of data within the cells.
• At the far right, you can set the header row to repeat if the table breaks across two pages.

How OnStyle Helps with Tables in Word #

Microsoft Word makes it easy to create tables, but keeping every table consistent throughout a long document can take extra work. This is where the OnStyle Word add-in can help.

Creating Standardized Tables with OnStyle

First, make sure the correct DocConfig is assigned. The DocConfig defines the standardized table formats and formatting settings for the document.

Step 1: Open Create Table. Instead of inserting a table and formatting it manually, open the Tables menu on the OnStyle ribbon and select Create Table.

Step 2: Set the table structure. Choose the number of rows and columns, the number of header rows, and the required table format. Depending on the configuration, you can also add a table title or footer.

OnStyle inserts a table that already follows the configured structure and formatting. This helps new tables stay consistent from the moment they are created.

Standardizing Existing Tables with OnStyle

If you want to standardize a table that is already in the document, select the table and choose Apply Table Style. Some documents allow more than one approved table format, so select the required table format and adjust the available settings as needed.

If the table contains direct formatting that should be preserved, use Keep Formatting to retain selected elements, such as bold, italic, font size, and more.

In the OnStyle preferences, you can change the default values, so every time you open this tool, your preferences are already in place.

Once you select OK, OnStyle applies the selected formatting to that table according to the assigned DocConfig, so there is no need to recreate the required fonts, borders, spacing, and other formatting manually. This helps tables remain consistent while still allowing the appropriate approved format to be selected for each one.

Use Apply Default Table Style when you want to apply the predefined standard settings without opening the dialog box. For a single table, select the table and choose Apply Default Table Style. This tool is especially useful when multiple tables need the same formatting: select the relevant part of the document, or the whole document using Ctrl + A, then choose Apply Default Table Style. OnStyle applies the default table style to every table in the selection, so you do not have to update them one by one. This is a useful time saver when several tables need to follow the same standard.

Pasting Excel Data as an Instantly Formatted Table

With OnStyle, you do not have to format copied tables at all. Select the data in Excel and copy it, then switch to Word. In OnStyle, choose Paste, then select Paste Smart Merging. OnStyle inserts the copied data as a standardized, pre-formatted table.

Beyond tables, OnStyle can also help with related document quality issues such as cross-referencing, linking, instructional or hidden text, and heading numbering, which is useful for keeping longer or more regulated documents consistent from creation through final review.

Summary: How to Insert and Format Tables in Word #

Learning how to insert a table in Word comes down to choosing the right method for the job: the grid for a quick simple table, the Insert Table dialog box for precise control over size and column width, and Quick Tables for a ready-made layout. From there, you can delete, resize, add rows or columns, and format tables using the Table Design and Table Layout tabs.

For documents that need consistent tables throughout, OnStyle adds a faster way to create standardized tables from the start, tools to apply an approved table style to existing tables, and a smart paste option that formats data pasted in from Excel automatically.