Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Rotate Tables in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

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This tutorial shows two ways to rotate tables in Microsoft Word. The first method uses a text box to rotate the table. This method allows you to edit the table data after the rotation. The second method rotates the table as an image. This method prevents you from editing the data after the rotation.

Both methods rotate the entire table, not just the text within the cells.

All the steps listed here are demonstrated in real-time on my YouTube channel:

Table of Contents:

These steps apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac (a.k.a., Word for Mac), Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. These steps don’t apply to Word for the web or Word for mobile.

Important Note: Both methods work best when the table appears with little to no other text or objects on the page.

Method 1: Rotate Tables with a Text Box

  1. Place your cursor in a blank space above or below the table.
  2. Select the Insert tab.
  3. Select Text Box in the Text group.
  4. Select Draw Text Box in the drop-down menu.
  5. Click, hold, and drag a text box that is the approximate size of the table.
  6. Select the table handle (small square containing crossed arrows at the top, left-hand corner of the table) to select the whole table.
  7. (Optional) If the table has a caption or title that you also want to rotate, press the Shift key on your keyboard as you select the caption.
  8. Press Ctrl + X (PC) or Command + X (Mac) to cut the table and caption.
  9. Insert your cursor in the text box and then press Ctrl + V (PC) or Command + V (Mac) to paste the table and caption into the text box.
  10. Use the text box resizing handles to adjust the size of the text box as necessary.
  11. Select the Shape Format tab.
  12. Select Rotate in the Arrange group. (Mac Users: Select Arrange and then select Rotate.)
  13. Choose Rotate Right 90° or Rotate Left 90° from the drop-down menu.

Alternative: The rotation handle at the top of the text box can also be used to rotate the table. However, that method can make precision rotation difficult.

  1. Click, hold, and drag the rotated table in the text box to a new position on the page, as necessary.

Pro Tip: How to Remove the Text Box’s Black Outline

  1. Select Shape Outline in the Shape Format tab.
  2. Select No Outline from the drop-down menu.

Method 2: Rotate Tables As an Image

  1. Select the table handle (small square containing crossed arrows at the top, left-hand corner of the table) to select the whole table.
  2. Press Ctrl + C (PC) or Command + C (Mac) to copy the table.
  3. Place your cursor in a blank space that does not directly touch the table.
  4. Select the Home tab.
  5. Select Paste in the Clipboard group.
  6. Select Picture (PC) or Paste as Picture (Mac) from the drop-down menu to paste the table into the document as a picture.
  7. Select the table handle in the original table to select the whole table and then right-click (PC) or Control-click (Mac) it and select Delete table from the shortcut menu.
  8. Select the table which is now a picture.
  9. Select the Picture Format tab.
  10. Select Rotate in the Arrange group.
  11. Choose Rotate Right 90° or Rotate Left 90° from the drop-down menu.

Alternative: The rotation handle at the top of the text box can also be used to rotate the table. However, that method can make precision rotation difficult.

  1. Select Wrap Text in the Arrange group.
  2. Select Square or Tight from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click, hold, and drag the table to a new location on the page.

How to Rotate Captions with Tables That Have Been Converted to a Picture

  1. Select the caption.
  2. Select the Insert tab.
  3. Select Text Box in the Text group.
  4. Select Draw Text Box from the drop-down menu. The caption should automatically appear in the text box.
  5. Select the Shape Format tab.
  6. Select Rotate in the Arrange group. (Mac Users: Select Arrange and then select Rotate.)
  7. Choose Rotate Right 90° or Rotate Left 90° from the drop-down menu.

Alternative: You can also use the rotation handle at the top of the text box to rotate the table. However, that method can make precision rotation difficult.

  1. Click, hold, and drag the rotated text box containing the caption to a new position on the page, as necessary.

Related Resources

How to Change Page Orientation in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Save Tables as Templates in Microsoft Word

How to Duplicate Table Headers Across Pages in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)