How to Insert, Edit and Calculate Values in Word Tables

To merge cells in a Word table, select the cells you want to combine, then go to the Table Layout tab (called Layout in some versions, including Word for Mac) and select Merge Cells. You can also right-click the selected cells and choose Merge Cells.

These steps come from Microsoft’s Merge or split cells in a table article, which covers the desktop versions of Word for Windows and Mac. Microsoft notes that some table features may not be available in Word for the web or the mobile apps.

In this article:

• Merge cells in Word for Windows
• Merge cells in Word for Mac
• Unmerge or split cells
• Split a table into two tables
• Tidy up after merging
• FAQs

How to Merge Cells in a Word Table

Merging is useful for a title row that spans the whole table, or a label that covers several rows. Microsoft says you can combine two or more cells in the same row or column into a single cell.

1. Click and drag to select the cells you want to merge. They must be next to each other.
2. Select the Table Layout tab. It only appears while your cursor is inside the table.
3. Select Merge Cells.

As a shortcut, right-click the selected cells and select Merge Cells from the menu.

If you don’t see Merge Cells, make sure you selected more than one cell and that the cells are touching. A single selected cell can’t be merged with anything.

Result: The selected cells become one larger cell that spans the same width or height.

How to Merge Cells in Word for Mac

Microsoft’s Mac steps are almost the same. The only difference is the tab name.

1. Select the cells you want to merge.
2. On the Layout tab next to the Table Design tab, select Merge Cells.

The same rule applies: if Merge Cells isn’t available, check that you selected multiple adjacent cells.

Result: Your cells merge just as they do in Word for Windows.

How to Unmerge or Split Cells

Microsoft gives two ways to reverse or divide a cell in Word for Windows.

Unmerge cells

Select the cells, then select Unmerge Cells. This is the quickest way to undo a merge you no longer want. Right after merging, you can also press Ctrl + Z to undo it.

Split cells

1. Select one or more cells to split.
2. Select Table Layout > Split Cells.
3. Enter the number of columns or rows you want, then select OK.

Split Cells works on any cell, not only merged ones. For example, you can split one cell into two columns to add a second value next to the first.

Result: The cell divides into the number of columns or rows you entered.

How to Split a Table Into Two Tables

Sometimes the better fix is two separate tables, so you can add text between them. Microsoft’s Split a table in Word article covers Word for Windows:

1. Put your cursor on the row that should become the first row of the second table.
2. On the Table Layout tab, in the Merge group, select Split Table.

You can keep splitting the table as long as it has more than one row. Microsoft notes that the steps may differ in Word for Mac, Word for the web and the mobile apps.

Result: The table splits into two separate tables.

How to Tidy Up a Table After Merging

Turn on gridlines

If your table has no borders, it can be hard to see which cells you merged. Click anywhere in the table and select View Gridlines on the Layout tab. The dotted gridlines only show on your screen, not when you print. To turn a table into printable lined paper, see how to create a lined document in Word.

Even out columns and rows

Merging and splitting can leave columns at odd widths. Microsoft’s resize a table guide says to select the columns or rows, then on the Table Layout tab, in the Cell Size group, select Distribute Columns or Distribute Rows. The AutoFit button in the same group sizes columns to fit their contents.

Check the text in merged cells

When you merge cells that already contain text, Word keeps all of it and places each cell’s text on its own line in the new cell. Delete or rearrange the text as needed.

Insert a Table Before Merging Its Cells

Place the cursor where the table belongs in Word and choose Insert > Table. Highlight the required rows and columns in the grid and click to insert, then type into the cells. In Word 2010, choose Insert > Table > Insert Table for explicit row and column counts, then OK. Newer versions may label that larger-table control Choose rows and columns. Microsoft’s table guide explains these layouts. Check the inserted dimensions before using the merge and split controls above.

Convert Existing Text to a Word Table

Save a copy first. Arrange the text with a consistent separator between columns, preferably tabs, and a paragraph break at the end of each intended row. Use Home > Show/Hide ¶ to inspect those separators. Tabs are useful when values already contain commas. Select only the text to convert, then choose Insert > Table > Convert Text to Table. This is also the route used in the archived Word 2013 instructions. Microsoft’s text/table conversion guide explains the separators and dialog.

In the dialog, check the detected number of columns and rows, choose the desired AutoFit behavior (fixed width, contents or window), and under Separate text at select Tabs, Commas or the actual separator you used. Click OK. Inspect each row and column for shifted or combined values. If the structure is wrong, press Ctrl+Z, correct inconsistent separators in the original text and convert again. Save only after checking. Inserting an empty table or merging existing cells does not perform this conversion.

Add a Column to an Existing Word Table

Click a cell next to where the new column belongs. Open Table Layout and choose Insert Left or Insert Right in the Rows and Columns group. Word 2010 labels the contextual tabs Table Tools > Layout. These tabs appear after clicking inside the table. Microsoft’s table insertion guide covers the column controls.

Check that the new column appears on the intended side and extends through the table. Type its heading and values, then adjust widths or use Distribute Columns if needed. For two new columns, select two existing columns before using the insertion control. Use Ctrl + Z immediately if you inserted in the wrong place. Inserting a whole column differs from splitting one cell, which can leave only that row with extra cells.

Add a Row Above or Below in a Word Table

Click a cell in the existing table next to where the new row belongs. Open Table Layout and select Insert Above or Insert Below in Rows and Columns. In Word 2010 and Word 2013, the contextual ribbon is labeled Table Tools > Layout. You can also right-click a cell and choose Insert > Insert Rows Above or Insert Rows Below when that menu is offered. Microsoft’s table insertion guide explains the ribbon controls; clicking inside the table makes them appear.

Check that the new row appears on the intended side and runs across the table, then enter its values. To add multiple rows, select the same number of existing rows before choosing the insertion control. Press Ctrl + Z immediately to undo an incorrect insertion. Pressing Enter inside a cell adds a paragraph to that cell, not a complete table row. Adding a row is also different from splitting one cell or creating a second table; use the matching controls above for those tasks.

Delete a Column From a Word Table

Save a copy if the table contains important information. Click a cell in the unwanted column, then choose Table Layout > Delete > Delete Columns. Word 2010 calls the contextual ribbon Table Tools > Layout; it appears while the cursor is inside the table. To delete several columns, first select the intended columns and check their contents. Current Word also offers right-clicking the intended table cell and choosing Delete > Delete Columns on the mini toolbar, as Microsoft’s table deletion guide explains. Check that the correct column and its contents disappeared, inspect remaining widths, and use Ctrl + Z immediately for an unwanted deletion. The Delete key alone clears selected contents without removing the table structure. Page-layout text columns use a different Columns control.

Move a Complete Table in Word

In desktop Word for Windows, use View > Print Layout. Point at the table until its small move handle at the upper-left appears, point at that handle until the four-headed arrow appears, then drag the table to its intended location. For a precise move elsewhere or into another document, click the handle to select the entire table, press Ctrl+X, place the cursor at the destination and press Ctrl+V. Use Ctrl+C instead of Ctrl+X if you want a copy with the original retained. Microsoft’s move/copy instructions describe both routes. Check that every row arrived and inspect the surrounding text, alignment and page breaks. Use Ctrl+Z immediately if the move is wrong, and save after checking. Dragging an ordinary cell boundary resizes a table; use the move handle for moving it.

Delete an Entire Table in Word

Save a copy if you may need the table later. In desktop Word, click inside the intended table, open Table Layout (or the older Table Tools Layout tab), and choose Delete > Delete Table. Another route is to click its four-arrow move handle at the upper-left corner to select the entire table, then press Backspace. Microsoft documents whole-table selection and Backspace and the Table Layout deletion control in Word for the web. Check that both the table and its contents are gone. Press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo an unintended deletion. Selecting cell contents and pressing Delete can clear their text while leaving the table in place; deleting only a row or column is also a different action.

Change Text Direction Inside Word Table Cells

In desktop Word, select the intended table cells, open Table Layout (Table Tools > Layout in older versions), and in Alignment choose Text Direction. Repeat to cycle through the available orientations until the cell text faces the intended direction. Adjust the alignment and column width or row height if needed, then check the page in print preview for clipped text. You can return to the same control to restore horizontal text, or immediately use Ctrl+Z. This rotates the text inside selected cells; it does not rotate the entire table, mirror its contents or exchange rows and columns. Microsoft identifies table text direction among the desktop features in its Word/browser feature comparison; use desktop Word if the browser editor does not offer this control. Merging or moving a table is a different action covered above.

Center the Whole Table on the Page

In desktop Word, including Word 2010, right-click inside the intended table and choose Table Properties. On the Table tab, under Alignment, choose Center, then OK. Microsoft’s table properties guide distinguishes whole-table alignment from row and cell settings. Check the table’s position between the page margins and inspect print preview. A table already spanning the full available width may look unchanged. If it overflows, review its preferred width and wrapping rather than repeatedly applying Center. To reverse the alignment, return to the same Table tab and choose Left or the previous setting. Home > Center affects paragraph text inside selected cells; it should not be presented as the reliable control for centering the entire table.

Sort Rows in a Word Table

Save a copy, then select the complete table so each row’s related values stay together. In desktop Word, choose Table Layout > Sort; Word 2010 calls the contextual ribbon Table Tools > Layout, with Sort in the Data group. In the dialog, specify Header row if the first row contains column labels. Choose the column under Sort by, set Type to Text, Number or Date, and choose Ascending or Descending. Use Then by for additional keys when needed, and click OK. Microsoft’s table-sorting guide explains the dialog and up to three sorting levels.

Inspect the first and last data rows and several complete records afterward. Check that the header stayed at the top and that names, dates and amounts still belong together. Numeric values sorted as Text can appear in an unexpected order. Use Ctrl+Z immediately for an unsuitable result, fix the type or selection, and try again in the copy. Merged cells and irregular structures may prevent a useful sort. Browser Word uses its own Table Layout/Table sorting controls rather than the same desktop dialog.

Change the Font Color Throughout a Word Table

To recolor the text in a desktop Word table, including Word 2013, click inside it and choose Table Layout > Select > Select Table; the older ribbon calls this Table Tools > Layout. Alternatively, click the table’s four-arrow selection handle. With the intended table selected, choose Home > Font Color and pick a readable color. Microsoft describes the Font Color control. Click outside and check text in several cells, then save. Select just particular cells or words to limit the change. Font Color changes letters and numbers; the border and shading controls below change lines and cell backgrounds. Use Undo if you selected more than intended.

Change Table Border Color or Cell Shading

For the whole table in desktop Word, select its upper-left move handle, right-click and choose Table Properties. On the Table tab choose Borders and Shading. In Borders, choose the line style, Color and width, then use the desired setting or Preview edges; select All when you want every table border. Check Apply to: Table, choose OK, then OK again. This matches the older Word 2013 properties route. Microsoft’s table-properties guide identifies Borders and Shading as the table line-color control. Selecting only certain cells instead changes the intended scope.

For a background color, use the dialog’s Shading tab and Fill, checking the Table or Cell scope before confirming. Border color, background fill and text font color are separate choices. In newer ribbons, Table Design provides border and shading controls too; choosing a pen color alone does not apply every border. Inspect the table and print preview to confirm the intended lines or cells changed and text remains readable. Use Ctrl+Z immediately to reverse an unwanted change, or reopen the dialog to restore the recorded colors. Display-only gridlines do not become printed borders.

Add a Numbered Caption to a Word Table

In desktop Word, select the intended table using its move handle, then choose References > Insert Caption in the Captions group. Word 2013 can also offer Insert Caption when you right-click the selected table. Set Label to Table, choose the Position above or below the selected item, and type your description after Word’s generated label and number. Use Numbering if you need a different number format; for chapter numbers, first apply a unique chapter-heading style with a chapter-numbering multilevel list, then choose Numbering > Include chapter number, its heading style and separator. Microsoft provides the chapter-caption setup. Click OK. Microsoft’s caption guide explains numbered labels and fields.

Check that the caption describes the correct table, sits on the intended side and has the expected label and number. Exclude label from caption changes the displayed label; it does not turn the number into ordinary typed text. For consistent formatting, modify the Caption style through Home’s Styles gallery. After moving or deleting captions, use Ctrl+A, then F9 to update fields and inspect the sequence. If field codes appear, Alt+F9 switches their display. Use Ctrl+Z immediately to undo an unwanted insertion. A table caption is different from a table-of-contents heading or a repeating header row.

Add Up Numbers in a Word Table

In desktop Word, click an empty cell where the total belongs. Choose Table Layout > Formula; Word 2010 uses Table Tools > Layout > Formula in the Data group. Enter =SUM(ABOVE) to add the numeric cells above that result, choose a suitable Number format and click OK. For numbers 10, 20 and 30 immediately above the total, check that it shows 60. Use =SUM(LEFT) for numbers to the left. Microsoft’s table sum instructions explain those directions.

For a specific range, Word also accepts cell references such as =SUM(A1:A3): count columns as letters and rows as numbers, and keep the result outside its own input range. Microsoft’s formula guide recommends zero in empty cells included in positional calculations. After changing an input, select the total and press F9 to update it; this is a Word field, rather than an Excel worksheet that recalculates after every edit. Check the new result and save the document. Word for the web retains existing formulas but does not provide the same formula-creation dialog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I merge cells that aren’t next to each other?

No. Microsoft says the cells must be adjacent, in the same row or column. Merge the cells in smaller groups if you need a larger block.

Will merged cells cause problems with a header row?

Merging cells in the header row is fine. If your table runs onto more than one page, see how to repeat a header row on each page in Word.

How do I select cells quickly before merging?

Microsoft’s resize guide explains the selection shortcuts: to select a column, click its top gridline or border, and to select a cell, click its edge. To select the entire table, rest the pointer over it until the table move handle appears, then click the handle. If you plan to move the data into a spreadsheet later, see how to convert a Word table to Excel.

For more help, browse our Microsoft Word guides or learn how to insert a table of contents in Word.

Want a border around the whole page instead of a table? See how to add, change, or remove page borders in Word.