Add or delete table rows, columns, or cells

In addition to adding a row or column to your table, you can also combine two or more table cells in the same row or column into a single cell or divide a table cell into more cells.What do you want to do?

Add a row

Add a column

Merge table cells

Split table cells

Delete a column or row

Delete the contents of a table cell

Add a row

1. Click a table cell in the row above or below where you want the new row to appear.
2. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Table group, click Select, and then click Select Row.

   

3. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Rows and Columns group, do one of the following:

   

   • To add a row above the selected row, click Insert Above.
   • To add a row below the selected row, click Insert Below.

   To add multiple rows at once, select the number of rows that you want to add, and then click Insert Above or Insert Below.

Tip To add a row at the end of a table, click the last cell of the last row, and then press TAB.

Add a column

1. Click a table cell in the column to the left or the right of where you want the new column to appear.
2. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Table group, click Select, and then click Select Column.

   

3. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Rows and Columns group, do one of the following:

   

   • To add a column to the left of the selected column, click Insert Left.
   • To add a column to the right of the selected column, click Insert Right.

   To add multiple columns at once, select the number of columns that you want to add, and then click Insert Left or Insert Right.

Merge table cells

1. Select the table cells that you want to combine.

   It is not possible to select multiple, noncontiguous cells.

2. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Merge group, click Merge Cells

   .

Tip You can also erase cell borders to merge table cells. Under Table Tools, on the Design tab, in the Draw Borders group, click Eraser, and then click the cell borders that you want to erase. When you finish, press ESC.

Split table cells

1. Click the table cell that you want to split.
2. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Merge group, click Split Cells, and then do one or both of the following:

   

   • To divide a cell vertically, in the Number of columns box, enter the number of new cells that you want.
   • To divide a cell horizontally, in the Number of rows box, enter the number of new cells that you want.
   • To divide a cell both horizontally and vertically, in the Number of columns box, enter the number of new columns that you want, and then in the the Number of rows box, enter the number of new rows that you want.

Delete a column or row

1. Click a table cell in the column or row that you want to delete.
2. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Table group, click Select, and then click Select Column or Select Row.

   

3. Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Rows & Columns group, click the arrow under Delete.

   

4. Do one of the following:
   • To delete a column, click Delete Columns or press BACKSPACE.
   • To delete a row, click Delete Rows or press BACKSPACE.

Delete the contents of a table cell

• Select the cell contents that you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

• Note When you delete the contents of a cell, you do not delete the cell. To delete the cell, you must merge the cell with another or delete the column or row.

See also:

• Change the look of a table
• Move or resize a table