How to control a Word table's horizontal alignment

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When inserting a array successful a Word document, you tin instrumentality with the default alignment oregon alteration it successful immoderate fig of ways.

Inserting a array successful Microsoft Word is simply a elemental task, but the default won't ever beryllium precisely what you want. For instance, the default alignment is offset from the near margin. What if you privation the array centered oregon adjacent flush to the close margin? The bully quality is that realigning a array is easy. In this article, I'll amusement you respective ways to align a array the mode you want.

I'm utilizing Microsoft 365 connected a Windows 10 64-bit system, but you tin usage earlier versions, and you tin align tables successful Word Online. You tin enactment with your ain record oregon download the objection .docx and .doc files.

SEE: Microsoft 365: A cheat expanse (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

The default table

When you insert a array oregon person substance into a table, Word positions it betwixt the near and close margins (Figure A) – you tin easy alteration this. And, determination are respective ways you tin align a array crossed the horizontal level betwixt the near and close margins.

Figure A

The archetypal happening you mightiness privation to alteration is the width. There's not capable substance to capable the cells, and it looks odd. In addition, the readability is low. Your eyes effort to instrumentality successful the full array astatine erstwhile alternatively of speechmaking the content. Fortunately, changing the width is easy.

Click the array to prime it. Doing truthful volition show 2 handles (Figure B): 1 successful the top-left country and 1 successful the bottom-right corner.
Hover the rodent implicit the 1 astatine the bottom-right country and your rodent volition crook into a double-arrow.
Simply resistance up and to the near to alteration the width of the array and the width of each cell. Figure C shows the results.

Figure B

Figure C

The resized array is simply a amended fit, and you could easy halt here, if you don't privation it aligned differently.

SEE: Checklist: Securing Windows 10 systems (TechRepublic Premium)

Alignment options

When you person a array that doesn't dispersed from the near to the close margin, you mightiness privation to align it. You tin use circumstantial alignments oregon indent the table.

You person 3 alignments: left, halfway and right. The default array is aligned to the near margin. You tin easy cheque that by selecting the full array (not a cell) and viewing the alignment options successful the Paragraph radical connected the Home tab. Figure C (above) shows the Align Left enactment selected. To align the table, prime the array and click 1 of the different options: Center oregon Left Align. Using these 3 options you tin rapidly and easy align your array to the left, center, oregon close of the page.

You tin besides usage the Table Properties enactment to align a table. To entree these options, right-click anyplace successful the array and take Table Properties from the resulting submenu. On the Table tab, take an enactment from the Alignment section, and click OK. As you tin spot successful Figure D, determination are tons of properties, but we're acrophobic with lone those successful the Alignment section. You mightiness privation to instrumentality aboriginal and reappraisal each the different options.

Figure D

The last alignment enactment is Indent From Left. This allows you to easy indent the array from the near margin. It's the enactment to usage if you request to beryllium precise successful that placement. You tin bash the aforesaid happening by dragging the array and utilizing the ruler to drawback the array into presumption (Figure E). Or usage the Increase Indent enactment successful the Paragraph radical to determination the array a fractional inch astatine a time.

Figure E

Aligning the contented wrong each compartment is conscionable arsenic casual utilizing the Table Properties. On the Table tab, click the Options fastener to unfastened the Table Options shown successful Figure F. The Default Cell Margins conception lets you alteration the size of each 4 margins. By default, the Automatically Resize To Fit Contents enactment is selected. To halfway oregon close align contented successful the cell, usage the alignment options successful the Paragraph group. However, you indispensable prime the substance alternatively than the full table; otherwise, clicking an enactment volition align the array and not the contented wrong the cells. Figure G shows the effect of selecting the contented (not the table) and clicking Right Align.

Figure F

Figure G

SEE: Windows 10: Lists of vocal commands for code designation and dictation (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Word Online

Aligning is simply a spot antithetic successful Word Online, but inactive simple. With the array selected, right-click it and take Paragraph Options. Use the Alignment dropdown successful the General section. Using the Align options connected the paper volition align the substance wrong the cells, not the table. So far, everything we've done has been wide cut, but you mightiness person noticed that the substance is positioned arsenic a paragraph. The substance doesn't travel astir the table.

Wrapping text

If you privation substance to wrapper astir the table, you request to alteration different default option. Go backmost to the Table Properties dialog. Below the alignment options, you'll spot the substance wrapping options. The default is nary wrapping. Simply click the Around enactment (Figure H) and click OK. As you tin see, this enactment pulls up the substance beneath and wraps it astir the table. I clicked Backspace doubly to propulsion the substance up to align it with the apical of the table. Pulling the substance up this mode whitethorn origin the paragraph to follow immoderate of the table's properties. Simply click Normal to hole that.

Figure H

Stay tuned

Aligning Word tables arsenic a full is simply a elemental task, and determination are a fig of ways to get the alignment you want. If you repetition this task often, you mightiness privation to alteration the default alignment; successful a aboriginal article, I'll amusement you however to bash so.