Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Moving Table Rows Quickly.

Moving Table Rows Quickly

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 21, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

Word provides a handy shortcut that allows you to easily move rows around in a table. Simply follow these steps:

Position the insertion point in the row you want to move or select the rows you want to move.
While holding down the Shift and Alt keys, press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow to move the row.

It is interesting to note that when you are using this method, you can even move a row (or rows, since you can select more than one row in step 1) right out of the table. In other words, the moving doesn't stop when you reach the top or bottom of the table. As you continue pressing the Up Arrow or Down Arrow keys, the rows continue to move away from the table in the direction you choose.

This technique will not work to move columns, however. You should note that when you hold down the Shift and Alt keys and press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow, the heading level of the entire row is changed.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8999) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Moving Table Rows Quickly.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Stubborn Foreign Languages

Word is a program designed to work in and with multiple languages. This can lead to some problems, however, for those ...

Discover More

Changing Lock Screen Apps

The Lock Screen can show you much more than just a pretty picture. Here's how to display just the information you want on ...

Discover More

Easily Finding Superscripts

Word has a powerful Find and Replace capability, but sometimes it can be tricky to figure out exactly how to use it. Here ...

Discover More

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!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Pulling Tables Back Into View

If you make structural changes to your table by adding new columns here and there, you could easily end up with a table ...

Discover More

Inserting Cells in a Table

You can enlarge a table by adding cells where they are needed. Just pick where you want the cells inserted, then use the ...

Discover More

Deleting Cells

You can modify the structure of a table by deleting cells. This tip shows just how easy it is to delete one (or more) ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 4 - 3?

2022-12-28 11:27:37

thanks Allen - worked great

2022-07-29 10:16:34

This is really really helpful
thank you alot

2022-07-08 03:52:06

khadem

Thanks is work

2021-08-23 17:22:50

Susan Rogers

This is a life-changing tip! Especially with the addition of the other comments about other ways in which it works.

There is one exception to Austin's comment about moving whole paragraphs. This does NOT work (at least not for me) if the paragraph is within a table cell -- only when not in a table. But still, I wish I'd known this starting about 30 years ago.

Thanks so much.

2021-08-23 04:07:27

Mario

The equivalent of the Alt key on the Mac is Option, but for this trick the keys are Shift-Control. Control is right adjacent to the Shift key so this is actually sleeker!

2021-08-22 12:05:24

Austin

This same technique can be used to move whole paragraphs up or down. You don't even need to select the paragraph you want to move -- you only need to have your cursor anywhere within the paragraph.

2021-08-21 05:16:05

Andy

Also worth noting is this works just as well to move item(s) up and down in numbered lists and bulleted lists - and it also allows you to re-order paragraphs in a document. It's a really useful shortcut.

2021-08-21 04:23:23

David

Absolutely brilliant! So useful - I just wish I'd known about this before when reordering tables, it would have saved me so much time.
Thanks Allen.

This Site

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.