Most books present their content as a single column on their pages. You read one page and move on to the other. Many magazines and newspapers present their content in columns. Here, you read one column to the bottom of the page, then proceed to the top of the neighboring column on the same page.
Another use of pages with columnar text is when presenting a translation. One column represents the original language, while the neighboring column carries the translation.
The difference is after reading the first column, you proceed to the first column on the next page. Likewise, the second column on one page connects to the second column on the next page.
Sometimes, it is necessary to leave a part of the page blank for others to add notes or place comments. A page with two columns helps.
Word allows making two or more columns on a page in a document. You can use three different methods for making columns in a Word document. They satisfy all the requirements above. We will show you how to make the columns by 3 mehods.
3 ways to Make two columns in Word
- Inserting a table
- Inserting linked text boxes
- Inserting columns
Let us start.
Method #1: Make two columns by inserting a table.
Step #1: Open a new document
Open a new Word document.
Click on the Insert tab on the top menu bar to change the ribbon.
Step #2: Insert a table
In the Tables section, click on the Table icon to open the Insert Table dialog.
Hover the mouse cursor over the second square in the Table dialog.
A table with two cells will appear on the page.
Click the second square to fix the 2×1 table on the page.
Step #3: Change table properties
Hover the mouse pointer near the top to the left side of the table.
Click on the cross icon that appears. This will select the entire table.
Right click to open a menu. Click on Table Properties.
This opens the Table Properties dialog.
In Table Properties, click on Row. This opens the Row dialog.
Under Size, click on Specify height to ensure there is no tick-mark inside the square next to it.
Under Options, click on Allow row to break across pages to ensure a tick-mark appears within the square next to it.
Click on Ok to apply the choices you made.
Step #4: Adjust column width
Hover the mouse pointer over the divider between the two columns in the table.
The cursor changes into a double arrow.
Hold the left mouse button down and drag the divider to the approximate center of the table.
Step #5: Fix the column width
Select the table. Right click to open a menu.
Click on Auto Fit. This will open three choices. Click on Fixed Column Width.
You can now enter text in the two columns.
Method #2: Make two columns by inserting linked text boxes.
Step #1: Open a new document
Open a new Word document.
Click on the Insert tab on the top menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the Pages section, click on Blank Page to insert a new page.
Return to the first page.
Step #2: Draw a text box
Under Insert, and in the Text section, click on the Text Box icon.
This will open the Built-in selection for various types of text boxes.
Click on Draw Text Box.
The cursor will change to a large cross.
Place the cross on the top left side of the page.
Keep the left mouse button pressed down and drag the cross diagonally to the middle of the page.
Word will draw a box on the page.
Step #3: Draw the second text box
Repeat Step #2 and draw a second text box next to the first.
Step #4: Insert a new page
Follow Step #1 to insert another new page. Now we have three pages with the first one containing two text boxes. This step allows you to enter new pages without cutting the link between text boxes.
Step #5: Draw two boxes on page #2
Follow Step #2 and Step #3 to draw two additional text boxes on page #2. Now we have three pages with two empty text boxes each in page #1 and in page #2.
For reference, we will name the two text boxes on page #1 as A1 and A2, and the two text boxes on page #2 as B1 and B2.
Step #6: Create link between boxes on the left side
Select text box A1 on page #1.
Click on the Format tab on the top menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Text, Click on Create Link. The cursor changes to resemble a coffee mug.
Place the coffee mug cursor inside text box B1 on page #2 and click. This will link text box A1 to B1.
Step #7: Create link between boxes on the right side
Follow Step #6 to create link between text boxes A2 and B2.
Now, you can enter text into the text boxes. Once A1 fills up, text will overflow into B1. Likewise, overflowing text from A2 will appear in B2.
Step #8: Remove outline from text boxes (optional)
Select a text box from which you want to remove the outline.
Right click to open some choices.
Click on Outline to open some more choices.
Click on No Outline. Click anywhere outside the text box to remove the outline.
Repeat Step #8 to remove outline from other text boxes of your choice.
Method #3: Make two columns by inserting columns
Step #1: Open a new document
Open a new Word document.
Click on the Layout tab on the top menu bar to change the ribbon.
Step #2: Create Columns
In the Page Setup section, click on Columns.
This will open the Columns selection.
Click on Two to create two columns. The horizontal scale splits to accommodate the two columns.
Now, whatever you type in the page will first fill the left column and then fill the second column. Then the text will overflow to the next page, following the same two column patterns in the previous page.
Note: Method #3 applies to existing Word documents also for changing it to columnar text.
Conclusion
Change your document to a columnar layout. Follow our step-by-step approach to make columns in your Word document.
Learn how to create two columns in Google Docs.