How to Format Tables in Word for Mac

Edited 4 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Microsoft Word for Mac is a powerful tool that lets you create documents with a variety of elements, including tables. Formatting tables can significantly enhance the readability and beauty of your document. In this guide, we will learn the steps required to format tables in Word for Mac. We will discuss how to insert tables, adjust their size, apply styles, and customize the layout.

Inserting a table

To begin creating a table in Word for Mac, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word on your Mac.
2. Start a new document or open an existing document where you want to insert the table.
3. Click the Insert tab in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
4. Select Table from the dropdown menu. A grid will appear, allowing you to choose the number of rows and columns.
5. Click and drag on the grid to select the desired number of rows and columns for your table. Release the mouse button to insert the table into your document.

Adjusting the table size

Once you insert the table, you may need to adjust its size according to your content. Here's how you can resize a table in Word for Mac:

1. Click on the table to select it. You'll see small handles around its perimeter.
2. To resize the table, drag the handles on the edge of the table. Dragging will maintain the table's proportions.
3. To adjust the width of a specific column, hover over the column border in the table header until a double-headed arrow appears, then click and drag to resize.
4. Similarly, to adjust the height of a row, hover the mouse over the row border on the left side of the table and drag the double-headed arrow to achieve the desired height.

Applying table styles

Table styles can give your table a consistent and professional look. Word for Mac includes several built-in styles that you can apply to your table:

1. Select the table by clicking on it.
2. Go to the Table Design tab that appears when you click on the table.
3. Scroll through the style options in the Table Styles group. You can hover over each style to see a live preview of it applied to your table.
4. Click a style to apply it to your table. You can also customize the applied style by modifying individual elements, such as borders, shading, and banded rows, in the Table Design tab.

Customizing table borders

Customizing the border can help your table stand out or integrate it seamlessly with the rest of your document.

1. Select the table or specific cell you want to customize.
2. Go to the Table Design tab.
3. In the Borders section, you can choose specific border options such as Outer Border, All Borders, Inner Border, etc.
4. To change the border style or color, use the pen color and line style options before applying the border.

Example of customizing borders

For example, if you have a table displaying monthly sales data and you want to make the top row more prominent, you can apply a thicker border to the top row and apply a different color to differentiate it.

Modify the table layout

Apart from the appearance, the structure of your table is equally important. Here's how you can modify the layout:

1. Click inside the table to activate it.
2. Go to the Layout tab that appears in the menu bar when the table is active.
3. You can insert or delete rows and columns with the Insert Above, Insert Below, Insert Left, and Insert Right commands.
4. To merge cells, select the cells you want to combine, and click Merge Cells in the Merge group.
5. If you need to split a cell, select the cell and use the Split Cells option to specify how you want to split it.

Example of modifying a layout

Imagine you are preparing a report with a summary table at the end. You may want to merge the cells of the bottom row to create a "Total" row that spans the full width of the table. You can do this by selecting all the cells in the row and choosing "Merge Cells."

Sorting and filtering table data

Sorting and filtering can help you present data in a meaningful way by allowing you to focus on certain aspects:

1. Click any cell in the column you want to sort.
2. Go to the Layout tab.
3. In the Data group, click Sort and specify your sorting criteria.
4. If you need to filter data (although this is more common in Excel), consider arranging the table so that you can see the desired rows more effectively.

Aligning text in table cells

Proper text alignment in table cells is important for readability. To align text, you should:

1. Select the cell or cells whose contents you want to align.
2. Go to the Layout tab.
3. Use the Alignment tools in the Alignment group to set the desired horizontal and vertical alignment.

Example of text alignment

If your table header contains text that should be centered for better emphasis, select the header row and set the alignment to center using the alignment options.

Adjusting cell spacing and margins

Adjusting the space between cells is another technique to improve the look of your table:

1. Select the entire table or specific cells.
2. Go to the Layout tab.
3. In the Cell Size group, use the Cell Margins option to adjust the cell margins. This increases or decreases the space between the table text and the cell border.

Saving your formatted table

After you've formatted your table as desired, be sure to save your work:

1. Click on File in the top menu bar.
2. Select Save or Save As if you want to create a new version of the document.

Conclusion

Tables are an essential part of many documents, and learning how to format them correctly can enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your work. Word for Mac offers a variety of tools and options to make your tables look attractive and professional. Whether you're adding borders, setting styles, or aligning text, these steps can guide you in customizing tables to suit your document's needs. By exploring these features, you can make tables a powerful component of your word processing skills.

With practice and experimentation, you'll find that formatting tables in Word for Mac can be intuitive and rich, allowing you to present data clearly and effectively.

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