Delete Rows and Columns: MS Word

You may think you can delete a row or column by selecting it and pressing Delete. But what that does is remove the text, leaving empty cells behind. To remove a row or column completely, you must select it and then choose a menu selection.

• Choose Table | Delete, and then specify Table, Columns, Rows, or certain cells.
   
• Right-click and choose Delete from the shortcut menu. If you have a row selected, the shortcut menu will say Delete Row; if you have a column selected, it will say Delete Column.

When a column is deleted, the column widths may adjust themselves.

The easiest way to delete an entire table is to select the table plus one more blank line in a document and press Delete. The shortcut key to select an entire table is Alt + 5 on the numeric keypad with the Num Lock key off.

Even Up Rows and Columns

After you've added, deleted or changed column widths or row heights, you may want to make them all the same size.

1. Select the columns or rows.
    
2. Choose Table | AutoFit and then choose either Distribute Rows Evenly or Distribute Columns Evenly.

The column widths (or row heights) all become the same size.

You can also use two buttons on the Tables and Borders toolbar to distribute columns and rows evenly, which I'll explain in another article.

Coming soon: I'll show you how to draw tables and create complex tables.

Visit Carol's web site to learn more tips like this one!