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: Selecting Individual Cells in a Table.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 9, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
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 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Selecting Individual Cells in a Table.
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!
Word allows you to insert simple formulas, using fields, in table cells. If you want to see these formulas in their ...
Discover MorePress the Tab key in a table, and Word dutifully moves to the next cell in that table. Press it in the last cell of a ...
Discover MoreFor those times when you remove the borders from your tables, Word provides a way that you can display non-printing ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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, 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