Add and rearrange rows and columns

There are three types of rows and columns in a table:

  • Header rows and columns are optional and are used for labels identifying what each row and column contains. Data in header cells isn’t used in formulas. A table can have up to five header rows and five header columns.

  • Body rows and columns contain table data. A table must contain at least one body row and column.

  • Footer rows appear at the bottom of a table.

Add or remove columns and rows

Click the table, then do any of the following:

  • Add or remove columns on the right side of the table: Click Column handle, then click an arrow to increase or decrease the number of columns.

  • Add rows to the bottom of the table: Click Row handle, then click an arrow to increase or decrease the number of rows.

  • Add a column or row anywhere in the table: Control-click a cell, then choose where you want to add the row or column (above, below, before, or after the selected cell).

    You can also move the pointer over the numbered or lettered bar for the row or column next to where you want to add, click the down arrow, then choose where to place the row or column.

  • Delete a column anywhere in the table: Click the lettered bar for the column you want to delete, click the down arrow, then choose Delete Column.

    You can also move the pointer over the numbered or lettered bar for the row or column you want to delete, click the down arrow, then choose Delete Row or Delete Column.

Select rows and columns

  1. Click the table.

    Lettered bars appear above the columns and numbered bars appear to the left of the rows.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Select a single row or column: Click the bar for the row or column you want to select.

    • Select multiple rows or columns: Click the bar for a row or column, then drag a selection handle (a white dot) to encompass the rows or columns you want.

      Command-click row or column bars to select discontiguous rows or columns.

Move rows and columns within a table

  • Select one or more rows or columns, then do one of the following:

    • Move rows: Click and hold the numbered bars for the rows so they appear to lift off the table, then drag above or below another row.

    • Move columns: Click and hold the lettered bars for the columns so they appear to lift off the table, then drag to the right or left of another column.

If you drag rows or columns outside of an existing table, you create a new table.

Resize rows and columns

You can change the width of specific columns and the height of specific rows in a table.

  1. Click the table.

  2. Do any of the following:

    • Manually resize: Move your pointer over to the right edge of the lettered bar for the column you want to resize, or over the bottom of the numbered bar for the row, until you see Resize column handle, then drag to resize.

      Multiple columns and rows are resize proportionally to each other. To resize the rows or columns to be the same size, select them first Option-drag.

      If the visible tables on the page are set to Stay on Page (in the Arrange tab at the top of the sidebar on the right), alignment guides appear when the tables’ rows or columns align.

    • Resize precisely: Click a cell in the row or column you want to change. In the sidebar on the right, click the Table tab, then click the disclosure triangle next to Row & Column Size. Click the arrows to specify the size you want.

      The entire row or column is resized. Selecting cells from more than one row or column resizes all of the rows or columns included in the selection.

    • Shrink a column or row to fit its contents: Control-click the row number or column letter, then choose Fit Height to Content or Fit Width to Content.

      You can also click Fit in the Table tab of the Format sidebar, in the Row & Column Size section.

    • Make all rows the same height or all columns the same width: Select the table, then choose Format > Table > Distribute Rows Evenly or Table > Distribute Columns Evenly (from the Format menu at the top of your screen).

    • Make several rows the same height or several columns the same width: Select a row or column, then Command-click the other rows or columns. Choose Format > Table > Distribute Rows Evenly or Table > Distribute Columns Evenly (from the Format menu at the top of your screen).

To resize all rows or columns in a table, select the table, then drag a selection handle (a white square).

Add or remove header rows and columns

Adding header rows, header columns, and footer rows converts existing rows or columns to headers or footers. For example, if you have data in the first row of a table and you add a header row, the first row is converted to a header using the same data. Data in header cells isn’t included in charts or formulas.

  1. Click the table.

  2. Click the Table tab at the top of the sidebar on the right.

    If you don’t see a sidebar, or the sidebar doesn’t have a Table tab, click Format button in the toolbar.

  3. Click the Headers & Footers pop-up menus and choose the number of header rows or header columns you want.