How to vertically split a table in MS Word

Using tables is an excellent way to add better structure and layout to your document. It’s a relatively easy task to create tables in MS Word. However, you may find yourself in a situation when you need to split tables vertically to better present the data in your document. Truth be told, MS Word only has a button to split a table horizontally. Thankfully, we’ve figured out a way to easily split a table vertically in Word. So, keep reading and we’ll show how to split a table vertically in three simple steps. 

Now, there’s only one way to split a table vertically in Word. 


Splitting a Table Vertically in Word

For this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps on how to split a table vertically by simply clicking and dragging your table columns. Yes, you read that right. You’ll only need your mouse or touchpad to get the job done. Furthermore, you can freely choose which columns in your table to split vertically. 

Here are the steps to split a table in MS Word vertically. 

Step 1: Open up a Word document. 

To get started, let’s open up an MS Word document. You can simply use the file that you are currently using. If you’re worried that you might accidentally delete parts of your document, you can just create a new file by pressing Ctrl + N on your keyboard. 

Step 2: Select the columns. 

On your table, select the columns that you want to separate. Take note that you can select any consecutive columns in your table that you want to part.

For this example, we’ll select the second and third columns. 

Step 3: Click and drag the selected columns. 

Click any part of the selected columns and drag it to where you want the new table to be placed in your document. 

As an example, we’ll drag the highlighted columns below the first column. Take note that you may have to redo some formatting on the newly created table. 

There you have it! This is how to vertically split tables in MS Word. 

Now, we have written a complete guide on splitting a table horizontally in MS Word. You can go through it here: How to Split a Table horizontally in Word.  

Merging Split Tables Vertically in Word

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to reattach two separate tables vertically, we’ve got you covered. Merging two tables in Word is as easy as splitting them. 

To merge split tables vertically, simply select the second table, click it then drag it to the right border of the top-right cell. 

Be careful not to drag the table by the Move table icon, as this will only move the second table next to the first table. Also, do note that dragging the second table to anywhere between any two columns of the first table will fit it to a cell. 


Conclusion 

Finally, you’ve reached the end of this guide. We hope we guided you well on how to split tables vertically in MS Word. Before you leave, here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve covered today. 

Learning to split a table vertically in Word proves to be an essential skill. While there’s no special button to quickly complete the task, the workaround we featured in this tutorial is comparatively easy to use. 

We hope you’ve found this article helpful! 

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