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You can insert a table in Word for Mac by choosing from a selection of preformatted tables or by selecting the number of rows and columns that you want.

In addition to a basic table, you can design your own table if you want more control over the shape of your table’s columns and rows.

Insert a table

To quickly insert a table, click Insert > Table and move the cursor over the grid until you highlight the number of columns and rows you want.

Select the number or rows and columns to quickly insert a table

Click and the table appears in the document. If you need to make adjustments, you can Add or delete rows or columns in a table in Word or PowerPoint for Mac or merge cells.

When you click in the table, the Table Design and Layout tabs appear.

Shows the Table Design and Layout tabs for managing tables

On the Table Design tab, choose different colors, table styles, add or remove borders from the table.

For larger tables and for more control over the columns, use the Insert Table command.

Insert Table is highlighted to create a custom table

This way you can create a table with more than ten columns and eight rows, as well as set the column width behavior.

  1. Click Insert > Table > Insert Table.

    Shows the settings for creating a custom table

  2. Under Table Size, select the number of columns and rows.

  3. In AutoFit Behavior, you have three options for setting how wide your columns are:

    • Initial column width: You can let Word automatically set the column width with Auto, or you can set a specific width for all of your columns.

    • AutoFit to contents: This will create very narrow columns that will expand as you add content.

    • AutoFit to window: This automatically changes the width of the entire table to fit the size of your document.

  4. If you want each table you create to look like the table you’re creating, check Set as default for new tables.

  5. Click OK and the new table appears in your document.

If you want more control over the shape of your table’s columns and rows, or you want to create a table using something other than a basic grid, the Draw Table tool helps you draw exactly what you want.

Draw Table is highlighted for creating a custom table

You can even draw diagonal lines and cells within cells.

  1. Click Insert > Table > Draw Table. The pointer changes to a pencil.

  2. Draw a rectangle to make the table’s borders, and then draw lines for columns and rows inside the rectangle.

    how to draw table

  3. To erase a line, click Layout > Eraser, and then click the line that you want to erase.

    On the Layout tab, next to the Table Design tab, Erase is highlighted

  1. Rest the pointer on the table until Table move handle appears on the upper-left corner of the table.

  2. Rest the pointer on the Table move handle until Mouse Pointer over four-headed arrow appears.

  3. Click and drag the table to the new location.

See also

Add a border to a table

Resize a table

Add or delete rows or columns in a table

Control text wrapping around objects

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