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: Headings On Your Printout.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 6, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Most tables have some sort of heading which indicates what is in each column of the table. This heading can be a row or two in size, and you typically apply some sort of special formatting to the heading row (or rows). When your table gets long enough, you may be wondering how you can get your special heading rows to appear at the top of the portion of the table that appears on each new page. You do this by following these steps:
What you see on the screen at this point depends on the view you are using. If you are using Normal view, you will notice no difference in the screen. If you are using Print Layout view, however, the headings will appear any time your table is split across pages.
It should be noted that this feature is intended to repeat a row or rows that appear at the beginning of your table. If the row or rows you select in step 1 are not the first rows of the table, then the Repeat Header Rows tool will not be available. Further, if you set up header rows and then add additional rows before the first row of the table, then Word gets rid of the header rows and you'll need to again specify which rows you want to be headers.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12737) 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: Headings On Your Printout.
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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:
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