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: Centering a Table.

Centering a Table

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 14, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


4

By default, Word automatically left-justifies a table in your document. If you want to quickly center the table between the page margins, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click on the table. Word displays a Context menu.
  2. Choose Table Properties from the Context menu. Word displays the Table Properties dialog box.
  3. Make sure the Table tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Table tab of the Table Properties dialog box.

  5. Click on Center.
  6. Click on Close.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10076) 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: Centering a Table.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Hiding Formatting Changes in Track Changes

Word can easily (and handily) keep track of changes you make in your document. You may not want all your changes tracked, ...

Discover More

Counting Changed Words

Track Changes is a handy tool for those who need to see how a document changes over time. If you have a long document ...

Discover More

Running Macros Based on Keywords

Wouldn't it be great if Word could execute a macro every time someone typed in a particular keyword or phrase? Word may ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Resizing Very Large Tables

When pasting a table into your document, you might discover that it extends beyond the right margin of your page. Here ...

Discover More

Selecting a Table Row

If you need to select a single row in a table, Word provides several different ways that you can accomplish the task. ...

Discover More

Noting Table Rows Containing a Character

If you want to have Word highlight rows in a table that contain a certain character, you need to resort to using a macro. ...

Discover More
Subscribe

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.

What is 5 - 4?

2024-08-13 17:57:12

Buff Miner

Staight to the point. Thanks!


2023-09-28 09:35:13

Ly

great, this help a lot!


2021-08-18 02:51:45

DJ

Thank you. It works!

"5. Click on Close."

Should say "5. Click on OK."


2021-08-14 09:19:18

Miguel

Hi there. I`ve got a simple question: How to instruct Word to automatically center tables between the page margins by default? Thanks a lot for your attention!


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.

Videos
Subscribe

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

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.