Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word

This tutorial shows three ways to insert tables in Microsoft Word so you can choose the method that is most appropriate for your content:

Create a table from the Table menu (best for general use)
Create a table from the Table dialog box (offers the most sizing options)
Insert a Quick Table (fastest setup)

Note that you can also draw a custom table and create a table by importing a spreadsheet from Excel. We will cover those advanced topics in separate tutorials.

Don’t miss the five tips for working with tables at the bottom of this tutorial:

How to delete a table
How to resize an entire table
How to resize individual rows and columns
How to add rows and columns
How to add color to a table

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 200 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365.The steps are the same in Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 and similar for Word 2013 and Word 2010. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

This method is appropriate for most users who want to create a basic table for general use.

Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.
Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

Insert tab in Word 365 — Figure 1. Insert tab

Select the Table button in the Tables group.

Table option in the Tables group of Word 365 — Figure 2. Table button

Move your pointer across and down the grid to select the number of cells (organized as rows and columns) needed in your table.

The selected cells will turn orange.

Table grid in Word 365 — Figure 3. Table grid

Click the selected (orange) part of the grid or press Enter on your keyboard to insert the table.

Method 2: Create a Table from the Table Dialog Box

This method provides advanced sizing options.

Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.
Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
Select the Table button in the Tables group (see figure 2).
Select Insert Table from the drop-down menu.

Insert Table option in Word 365 — Figure 4. Insert Table option

Enter the number of rows and columns in the Insert Table dialog box.

Number of columns and rows in the Insert Table dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 5. Number of columns and rows

Select an AutoFit behavior:

- Fixed column width can be set to Auto or a specific width between 1/100 inch and twenty-two inches using the increment arrows.
- AutoFit to contents adjusts cell sizes to the content.
- AutoFit to Window adjusts the width of the table to the viewer’s Word window or browser window.

AutoFit behaviors in the Insert Table dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 6. AutoFit behaviors

(Optional Step) Check Remember dimensions for new tables if you want to create the same size table in the future.

"Remember dimensions for new tables" in the Insert Table dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 7. “Remember dimensions for new tables” option

Select the OK button to close the Insert Table dialog box and insert your new table.

OK button in the Insert Table dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 8. OK button

Method 3: Insert a Quick Table

Quick Tables are prebuilt tables and calendars you can modify for your own use.

Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.
Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
Select the Table button in the Tables group (see figure 2).
Select Quick Tables from the drop-down menu.

Quick Tables option in Word 365 — Figure 9. Quick Tables option

Select a table from the gallery.

Quick Tables gallery in Word 365 — Figure 10. Quick Tables gallery

Add your own content by typing over or deleting the table’s example text.

Now let’s look at some tips for working with tables.

Five Tips for Working with Tables in Word

The following tips cover the basics of working with tables. We will dive into this topic in much greater detail in a separate tutorial.

Tip 1: How to Delete a Table

Select the table selector, which looks like crossed arrows, to select the entire table. You may have to hover your pointer over the table to reveal the table selector.

Table selector in Word 365 — Figure 11. Table selector

Right-click the table.
Select Delete Table from the shortcut menu.

Delete Table option in Word 2019 — Figure 12. Delete Table option

Tip 2: How to Resize an Entire Table

Click and hold the resizing handle in the bottom right of the table. You may need to hover your pointer over the table to reveal the handle.

Table resizing handle in Word 365 — Figure 13. Resizing handle

Drag the table to the size you want and then release the handle.

Tip 3: How to Resize Individual Rows and Columns

Hover your pointer over a row or column border until your pointer becomes two lines with two arrows.

Note that the pointer in figure 14 is enlarged to make it easier to see. Your pointer will be smaller.

Table resizing pointer in Word 365 — Figure 14. Resizing pointer

Click and hold as you drag the border to resize the row or column.

Tip 4: How to Add Rows and Columns

Right-click inside a cell.
Select Insert from the shortcut menu.

Table Insert shortcut option in Word 365 — Figure 15. Insert option

Select the location of your new row or column:

- Insert Columns to the Left
- Insert Columns to the Right
- Insert Rows Above
- Insert Rows Below
- Insert Cells

Insert columns and rows menu in Word 365 — Figure 16. Insert columns and rows menu

If you select Insert Cells, a dialog box will appear asking where you want to insert your new cells. Note that regardless of your answer, you will be inserting an entire row or column, not an individual cell.

Insert Cells dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 17. Insert Cells dialog box

Tip 5: How to Add Color to a Table

Select the table selector, which looks like crossed arrows, to select the entire table (see figure 11). You may need to hover your pointer over the table to reveal the table selector.
Select the Table Design tab in the ribbon. (Note that this tab only appears in the ribbon when a table is selected.)

Table Design tab in Word 365 — Figure 18. Table Design tab

Select the down arrow in the Table Styles group.

Table Styles menu arrow in Word 365 — Figure 19. Table Style down arrow

Select one of the styles from the gallery.

Table Styles gallery in Word 365 — Figure 20. Table Styles gallery

Alternatively, you can use the shading menu to add custom colors to individual rows and columns.

Table Shading in Word 365 — Figure 21. Shading menu

Pro Tip: For even more customization, add a background image to your table. Then, save your customized table as a template for reuse in future documents, as shown in “How to Save Tables as Templates in Microsoft Word.”