Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. 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: Selecting Individual Cells in a Table.
There are times when you will want to apply formatting to individual cells in a table, or you may need to perform some other action that requires selecting cells first. There are a few ways you can select a cell. If you are using the mouse, you can select a cell by moving the mouse pointer just to the left of the cell itself. The mouse pointer should point up and to the right. When you click on the mouse button, the entire cell should be selected.
A second way to select cells is to simply select the end-of-cell marker at the end of any text in the cell. This is especially easy if you are using the keyboard. All you need to do is make sure the insertion pointer is at the very end of your text (in the cell), and then press Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow keys. The result is that the entire cell is selected.
Another keyboard method to select cells is to place the insertion pointer anywhere in the cell, and then hold down the Shift key as you press the end key. If the cell has multiple lines, then place the insertion pointer on the last line and then hold down the Shift key as you press the end key. The result is that the entire cell is selected.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11791) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Selecting Individual Cells in a Table.
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2015-04-10 18:09:28
Adam Watts
The first paragraph method does not work in 2013. I've been using that method for years and was extremely annoyed to find it inoperable in 2013. It would be nice if it could be turned on in some setting, that's what I was looking for when I cam across this article.
2015-01-02 13:50:08
Shah
But selection of multiple rows or a whole column disappear when commenting using review tab.
2013-09-23 12:06:43
Richard
Another way to select a table cell is to place the cursor anywhere in the cell and type Shift+End. If the cell has multiple lines, then place on the last line.
2013-09-23 08:28:09
Jaker
Sharon, I use your tip when I am using the macro recorder to select specific cells in a table. But Alan's method is the quickest for document creation or editing.
2013-09-21 07:01:14
Sharon Dahl
Another way is to put your cursor anywhere in the cell and in the Table Tools | Layout tab, under the tool group "Table" click "Select". From there you can select the Cell, Column, Row or Table. Another useful tool for this function.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. 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: 
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