Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, 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: Deleting a Table.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 23, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021
If you create a table in a Word document and later want to delete, the way in which you do so depends largely on the version of Word you are using. To delete an entire table regardless of the version you are using, follow these steps:
You can also use the Cut option from the Clipboard group on the Home tab of the ribbon to remove the table. Pressing Del will have no effect, however, other than to clear the contents of the cells in the table. (You should note that pressing Del actually deletes a table if you select at least one paragraph in addition to the table.)
You can also delete a table by hovering the mouse pointer over the table so that the table's handle (a small box with a four-headed arrow in it) appears at the upper-left corner of the table. Click on this handle to select the entire table, and then press the Backspace key.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11624) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Deleting a Table.
Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!
When adding borders and shading to a document's elements, Word allows you to quickly add drop shadows to paragraphs, text ...
Discover MoreWord lets you add automatic numbering to different elements of your document. It does not, however, allow much ...
Discover MoreWhen you work with tables in your document, you may want to hide some of rows in those tables so that they don't print ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-12-26 10:22:02
Andrew
With reference to "Del will have no effect, however, other than to clear the contents of the cells in the table."
Can I say that maybe the BEST tip I ever got here was that while Del deletes contents of cells, Backspace deletes the spells themselves!
Andy.
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, 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:
Comments