Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Resizing Table Columns with the Mouse.
Word provides a variety of ways you can change the width of table columns using the mouse. The exact effect of each method depends on the version of Word you are using.
The simplest resizing you can do is to simply point to a column border with the mouse pointer and drag the border to a new location. Word adjusts the widths of the columns separated by the border.
If you hold down the Shift key as you drag a column border, the width of the column to the left of the border is changed, and the overall table width is adjusted accordingly. No other column widths are affected.
If you hold down the Ctrl key as you drag a column border, the width of the column to the left of the column border is adjusted, and the overall table width remains the same. All columns to the right of the table border are adjusted so they are wider or narrower in a proportional value.
If you hold down Shift+Ctrl as you drag a column border, the width of the column to the left is changed, the overall table width remains the same, and all column widths to the right are adjusted so they share equally in the remaining table width.
Holding down the Alt key as you drag a border adjusts columns the same as if you simply clicked and dragged a border. The only difference is that Word adds precise width notations in the Ruler area for each column. If you hold down Alt+Shift, you cannot drag any of the column borders. If you hold down Alt+Ctrl or Alt+Shift+Ctrl, the effect is the same as just holding down Ctrl (or Shift+Ctrl), with the addition of the precise measurements.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3581) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Resizing Table Columns with the Mouse.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
If you have a lot of tables in your documents, you might want to change the width of all of them. You can take forever ...
Discover MoreYou can enlarge a table by adding cells where they are needed. Just pick where you want the cells inserted, then use the ...
Discover MoreYou can modify the structure of a table by deleting cells. This tip shows just how easy it is to delete one (or more) ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
Comments