How to delete a table in Google Docs

Google Docs allows you to conveniently create, edit and delete tables. In this article, we will be talking about how to delete tables. 

Deleting a table is just one way to remove a table in your Google Docs document. Another way of removing a table is by cutting it. When you cut a table, it is removed from your document. You can then paste the table in another location in your document or in another document altogether. We will be talking about both of these ways of removing a table from your Google Docs document. 

In Google Docs, there are multiple ways of doing the same thing.

5 ways of deleting a table in Google Docs:

  • Right clicking and selecting Delete table
  • Going to the Format tab and selecting Delete table
  • Selecting the entire table and pressing the Backspace or Delete key
  • Right clicking and selecting Cut
  • Going to the Edit tab and selecting Cut 

With that introduction, let’s learn the five methods. 


Method 1: Right clicking and selecting Delete table 

In this section, we will be talking about one method of deleting a table in your Google Docs document. When you delete a table, it is removed from your document. The benefit of this method is that it is convenient. 

However, you cannot paste it in another location or document. This is the downside of this method. 

You can retrieve a deleted table by using the undo command or by going to a different version of the document. We will be covering how to retrieve a deleted table as well. 

Step 1: Open your Google Docs document. 

(Optional) Step 2: Insert a table. 

This step is optional. You can skip this step if you already have a table in your document. 

Check this post on How to add a table in Google Docs.

Step 3: Right click on your table. 

Go to your table and right click on it. This will open a long drop down menu. 

Step 4: Select Delete table. 

Click on the Delete table option from the drop down menu. This will remove the table from your document. 

(Optional) Step 5: Retrieve a deleted table. 

This step is optional. You can follow it if you would like to retrieve a deleted table. 

You can use the undo option to retrieve a deleted table. Press Control (or Command, if you are using a Mac) and Z to undo the deletion. Another way of using the undo option is by going to the Edit tab. Click on the Edit tab at the top right corner of the screen to open the Edit menu. The first option in the menu is Undo. Select this option to get the table back. 

You can also go back to a previous version of the document. Click on this option at the top of the screen: 

This will take you to a page where you can browse previous versions of the document. You can restore one of them if you want. 


Method 2: Going to the Format tab and selecting Delete table 

This method is similar to the previous one. The only difference between this method and the previous method is that in this method, we will be using the Format tab to delete the table whereas in the previous method we right clicked on the table. 

This method is useful if you want to delete a table in your document but don’t want to paste it elsewhere. 

Step 1: Click on the Format tab at the top left corner of the screen. 

The Format tab is located at the top left corner of the screen (next to the Insert tab). Click on it to open the Format menu. First, make sure to click on your tabel.

Step 2: Click on or hover over the Table option. 

Towards the bottom of the Format tab, you should find the Table option. Click on or hover over it to open another smaller drop down menu. 

Step 3: Select the Delete table option. 

From the new drop down menu, select the Delete table option. 


Method 3: Selecting the entire table and pressing the Backspace or Delete key 

This is another convenient method of deleting a table in Google Docs. You can just select the entire table and press the Backspace/Delete key. This method may take more time and effort than the previous methods.

Step 1: Select the entire table. 

First, select the entire table by dragging your cursor across the screen. Make sure that all the rows and columns of the table are selected. 

Step 2: Press the Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard. 

Next, press the Backspace key (or the Delete key, if you are using a Mac) on your keyboard. This will remove the table from the document. 


Method 4: Right clicking and selecting Cut 

Another way of removing a table from your document is by cutting it. The benefit of cutting a table instead of just deleting it is that it allows you to change the location of the table. For example, you can paste the table in a different position in the document or in a different document. This makes it easier to retrieve the table. 

Step 1: Select the entire table. 

First, select the entire table by dragging your cursor across the screen. Make sure that all the rows and columns of the table are selected. 

Step 2: Right click on your table. 

Go to your table and right click on it. This will open a long drop down menu. 

Step 3: Click on the Cut option. 

Next, select the Cut option from the drop down menu. 

You can also use the keyboard shortcut for cutting, which is Control (or Command) and X. 

To paste the table elsewhere, you can press Control (or Command) and V. You can also go to the Edit menu and click on Paste. 


Method 5: Going to the Edit tab and selecting Cut 

This method is similar to the previous one. The only difference is that in this method, we will use the Cut option by going to the Edit tab. 

Here are the steps for this method. 

Step 1: Select the entire table. 

First, select the entire table by dragging your cursor across the screen. Make sure that all the rows and columns of the table are selected. 

Step 2: Click on the Edit tab. 

The Edit tab is located at the top left corner of the screen. Click on it to open the Edit menu. 

Step 3: Click on the Cut option. 

From the Edit drop down menu, click on the Cut option. This will remove the table from the document. You can paste it elsewhere if you wish. 


Conclusion 

This brings us to the end of the article. Thank you for reading! 

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