How to Insert a Table in Microsoft Word 2013

Learn four ways to insert a table to organize your information

By
Rebecca Johnson
Rebecca Johnson
Freelance Contributor
Rebecca Johnson is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a Microsoft Office Certified Master Instructor who specializes in Microsoft Office products.
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Updated on June 29, 2022

What to Know

  • Select Insert > Table > move your mouse over the number of columns and rows. Click to insert the table.
  • Larger table: Select Insert > Table > Insert Table. Select columns and rows > Autofit to Windows > OK.
  • Draw a table: Insert > Table > Draw Table.

This article explains how to insert tables into Microsoft Word 2013 to organize your information, align text, create forms and calendars, and even do simple math. While this is written for Word 2013, the same or a very similar procedure is used in Word 2016 and Word 2019.

Insert a Small Table in Word

Screenshot of inserting a small table in word 2013

You can insert up to a 10 X 8 table with just a few mouse clicks. 10 X 8 means the table can contain up to 10 columns and 8 rows.

To insert the table:

  1. Select the Insert tab.
  2. Click the Table button.
  3. Move your mouse over the desired number of columns and rows.
  4. Click on the select cell.

Your table is inserted into your Word document with evenly spaces columns and rows.

Insert a Larger Table

You aren’t limited to inserting a 10 X 8 table. You can easily insert a larger table into your document.

To insert a large table:

  1. Select the Insert tab.
  2. Click on the Table button.
  3. Select Insert Table from the drop-down menu.
  4. Select the number of columns to insert in the Columns field.
  5. Select the number of rows to insert in the Rows field.
  6. Select the Autofit to Window radio button.
  7. Click OK.

These steps will insert a table with the desired columns and rows and automatically resize the table to fit your document.

Draw Your Own Table Using Your Mouse

Microsoft Word lets you draw your own table using your mouse or by tapping your screen.

  1. Select the Insert tab.
  2. Click the Table button.
  3. Select Draw Table from the drop-down menu.
  4. Draw a rectangle the size of the table you want to make the table’s borders. Then draw lines for columns and rows inside the rectangle.
  5. To erase a line that you accidentally drew, click the Table Tools Layout tab and click the Eraser button, and then click the line that you want to erase.

Insert a Table Using Your Keyboard

Here is a trick that not many people know about! You can insert a table into your Word document using your keyboard.

To insert a table using your keyboard:

  1. Click in your document where you want your table to start.
  2. Press the + on your keyboard.
  3. Press Tab or use your Spacebar to move the insertion point to where you want the column to end.
  4. Press the + on your keyboard. This will create 1 column.
  5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to create additional columns.
  6. Press Enter on your keyboard.

This creates a quick table with one row. To add more rows, simply press your Tab key when you are in the last cell of the column.

Give It a Try

Now that you have seen the easiest ways to insert a table, give one of these methods a try in your documents. You can insert a small, easy table or go for a larger, more complex table. Word also gives you the flexibility to draw your own table, and they even snuck in a keyboard shortcut for you to use!

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