Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 15, 2016)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016
Word allows you to independently adjust the height of every row in a table. For many table uses, you can rely on Word to select an automatic row height. There may be other times when you want to take charge and specify your own row height. You can do so by following these steps:
Figure 1. The Row tab of the Table Properties dialog box.
You can also adjust row height by using the mouse, as described in other issues of WordTips.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5981) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Adjusting Table Row Height.
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2019-11-15 16:27:35
Kathy
@Pat Hughes:
I find there are usually extra line (or paragraph) breaks hiding somewhere in the row that won't go any smaller.
The easiest way to check is to click on the Pilcrow symbol "¶" [located on the Home tab, in the upper right corner of the "Paragraph" section]
Once you can see all the formatting marks, you'll spot the culprit(s).
Delete any extra line or paragraph breaks and the row's height will automatically shrink to whatever you've set it to.
2019-09-09 15:03:19
Pat Hughes
This did not work. For some reason I can change the column size but not the row size. I'm able to change the cell margins also. I just can't change the rows. The rows are not all the same size. I thought maybe the person in made the table used a style to make all rows the same so I can't change them. But they are all different.
2017-01-11 10:15:09
I have followed your tips for resizing the height of cells in a table in Word 2016. However, I want to make my cells smaller, and it seems that it will only allow them to be made bigger. Is there a way to make them smaller? Auto-height doesn't work either. I'm trying to fit lots of cells on one sheet of paper, so I need them tighter/smaller.
Thanks!!!
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