How can I delete a table? Office Rules: Simple Solution to Complex Problems
If you have to work with tables in Word, then I think the question has come to you more than once: How to delete a row or column in a table? Let's look at two removal methods: manually and automatically.
We can manually delete any row or column in the table. You can also remove empty lines and columns in Word using a VBA script that will remove them yourself.
Manually delete a row or column
This method was tested in Word 2007, 2010, 2013.
Step 1.
Left-click on the row or column you want to delete. Move the cursor to the edge of the table so that the cursor changes its appearance. Look at the screenshot to see how to do this.
Step 2.
In the Ribbon, in the "Working with Tables" section, open the "Layout" tab. 
Step 3.
In the “Rows and Columns” section, find the “Delete” button, and select the action you need from the drop-down list. 
In Word 2010-2013, the pop-up window contains the same list for removing columns and rows from a table. 
Remove all empty rows and columns using VBA script
If you want to clear a table in Word of empty rows and columns, then the manual method can be quite tedious if, say, you have a large table. To do this you can resort to VBA help, which will do all this for you.
This method was tested in Word 2007, 2010, 2013
Copy this script and run it.
Sub DeleteEmptyTablerowsandcolumns()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim Tbl As Table, cel As Cell, i As Long, n As Long, fEmpty As Boolean
With ActiveDocument
For Each Tbl In .Tables
n = Tbl.Columns.Count
For i = n To 1 Step -1
fEmpty = True
For Each cel In Tbl.Columns(i).Cells
If Len(cel.Range.Text) > 2 Then
fEmpty = False
Exit For
End If
Next cel
If fEmpty = True Then Tbl.Columns(i).Delete
Next i
Next Tbl
End With
With ActiveDocument
For Each Tbl In .Tables
n = Tbl.Rows.Count
For i = n To 1 Step -1
fEmpty = True
For Each cel In Tbl.Rows(i).Cells
If Len(cel.Range.Text) > 2 Then
fEmpty = False
Exit For
End If
Next cel
If fEmpty = True Then Tbl.Rows(i).Delete
Next i
Next Tbl
End With
Set cel = Nothing: Set Tbl = Nothing
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
An Excel sheet is a template for creating tables (one or more). There are several ways to create tables, and tables created different ways, provide different possibilities for working with data. You can learn about this from this article.
Creating tables
First let's talk about creating spreadsheet in a broad sense. What do I need to do:
- on sheet Excel enter names of columns, rows, data values, insert formulas or functions if required by the task;
- highlight entire filled range;
- turn everything on borders.
From an Excel developer's perspective, what you've created is called range cells. You can perform various operations with this range: format, sort, filter (if you specify a header line and enable Filter on the tab Data) etc. But you must take care of all of the above yourself.
To create a table as Microsoft programmers understand it, you can choose two paths:
- convert an existing range into a table;
- insert a table using Excel.
Let's consider the conversion option using the example of the table shown in the figure above. Do the following:
- select cells tables;
- use the tab Insert and the team Table;
- In the dialog box, check that the desired range is highlighted and that the option is checked Table with headers.
The same result, but with a choice of style, could be obtained if, after selecting the range, we use the command Format as table available on the tab home.
What can you notice right away? The resulting table already has filters (each heading now has a selection icon from the list). A tab has appeared Constructor, whose commands allow you to manipulate the table. Other differences are not so obvious. Let's assume that in the initial version there were no totals under the data columns. Now on the tab Constructor you can enable total line, which will lead to the appearance new line with buttons for selecting a summary option.
Another advantage of the table is that the effect of filters applies only to its rows; data that can be placed in the same column, but outside the table area, is not subject to the filter. This could not be achieved if the filter were applied to what was designated as a range at the beginning of the article. A table has the option of publishing to SharePoint.
The table can be created immediately, bypassing filling the range. In this case, select a range of empty cells and use any of the table creation options discussed above. The headers of such a table are initially conditional, but they can be renamed.
Removing tables
Despite the obvious advantages of tables over ranges, sometimes it is necessary to avoid using them. Then on the tab Constructor select team Convert to Range(of course, at least one table cell must be selected).
If you need to clear the sheet of data, regardless of whether it was designed as a range or as a table, then select all cells with data and use the key DELETE or remove the corresponding columns.
The techniques for creating and deleting tables that you learned about in this article will be useful to you in Excel 2007, 2010 and older.
Office programs are good because they provide editing capabilities. There is no need to redo everything again, as in the case of manual execution of documents. If it happened that you inserted into the document Word table, but now you need to delete it, then, most likely, it will turn out that deleting just the table itself, without touching its other text or other contents, is not so simple. For some, this is a difficult task altogether.
Methods for deleting a table
There are several options for how to get rid of an unnecessary table in an electronic text document.
How many removal options are there?
There are 2 main ways to delete a table in a text editor. You need to choose a method for deleting a table based on the document formatting features.
Selection
The first option for deleting a table involves selecting it. Moreover, not necessarily entirely. On the Ribbon, in the menu titled “Working with Tables” or “Table Tools,” click “Layout” or “Layout.” Then in the “Rows & Columns” or “Rows & Columns” section you need to click on the “Delete” button, that is, “Delete”, and then select the “Delete Table” menu, also called “Delete Table”. If the entire table is selected, then, as an option, you can delete it by clicking on “Delete Columns” or Delete Columns, or on “Delete Rows”, that is, “Delete Rows”.
Highlight and click
The second option would be to select the entire table and then click the “Home” menu items, then “Clipboard” and “Cut”. For the English version of Word it sounds like “Home > Clipboard > Cut”). About the same thing will happen if you press the key combination “Ctrl+X”.
Important points about deleting a table in Word
It is also worth noting the fact that pressing the “Delete” key itself will not delete the entire table you have selected, but only the contents of the cells will be deleted. But, if at least one of the paragraphs is selected together with the table, it does not matter whether it is located before or after the table, then by pressing the “Delete” key you will simply delete the selected text along with the table.
The simplest option for deleting a table
However, there is another, perhaps the simplest method for deleting a table or some part of it in text program Word. To do this, you need to select the entire table, or several of its rows, as well as columns with cells, and then simply use the “Backspace” key.
Conclusion:
Sometimes it happens that a table compiled in Word is no longer needed and simply needs to be deleted. In this case, there are several options for the development of events. There are three main ways to delete a table, the easiest of which is the "Backspace" key. Text electronic editor It’s good precisely because it allows you to edit text documents for as long as you like and modify them in every possible way. You can also save electronic document V different versions editing it at any stage of working with it.
How to delete a table in WORD
Very often, when working with documents, you can come across information presented in the form of a table. Yes, this way the data is easier and faster to understand, but such presentation of information is not always appropriate. For example, you initially had a large one, but over time there were a couple of lines left there. So why is it needed if everything can be beautifully formatted as text.
In this article, let's figure out how to delete a table in Word. This can be done in several ways, so let's talk about them.
Fully
If you need to completely remove it from the document, move the mouse cursor to its upper left edge. Arrows will appear pointing in four directions, click on them. After this, all cells will be selected entirely.
Now click right click mouse over any selected area and select from context menu"Delete..." item.
Our question can be solved in another way. Select it, go to the tab "Working with tables" and open the "Layout" tab. Here you will find the item “Delete”, click on it and select from the menu "Delete table".
Another way: first, select everything and on the “Home” tab, click on the “Cut” button. You can also press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+X. After that, it will disappear from the sheet.
Convert to text
If you want to convert it to text, that is, all borders will be removed, but the entered data will remain, select it entirely by clicking on the arrows in different sides in the left top corner. Then go to the tab "Working with tables" and open the "Layout" tab. Click the button here "Convert to text".
The following window will appear in which you need to select a separator. Select a character that you do not use in the text of the document. Click OK.
The table will be converted to text. Between words that were in different cells there will be the indicated sign. Empty cells are also taken into account. You see I have two plus signs at the end of the line - these are former empty cells.
Now let's replace the separator with spaces. To do this, press Ctrl+H. In the “Find” field put your sign, I have “+”, in the “Replace with” field put one space, of course you won’t see it. Click Replace All. The data will be separated by spaces, and a window will appear indicating that the replacement was successful.
Delete button
If you are used to using the Delete or Backspace buttons, then you can use them to delete a table. Select the whole thing with one paragraph before or after it, then press Delete or Backspace.
Please note that if you simply select the table and click “Delete”, only all content will be deleted - the borders will remain.
That's all. Now you know various ways, which will help you delete a table in Word.
Read other articles on the topic “Working with tables in Word”:
How to make a table in MS Word
How to delete a row, column or cell in a table in MS Word
How to merge or split tables in MS Word
If you have to work a lot with text documents, then you probably know how to delete a table in Word. But, for those users who deal with typing only from time to time, this simple procedure may cause some difficulties.
The problem is that the table is not deleted in the usual way using DELETE keys. If you select a table and click DELETE, Word will delete only the contents of the table. While the table itself will remain. If you encounter similar problem and cannot delete the table, we suggest you read this article. Here you can find several simple solutions this problem.
Deleting a table using the BACKSPACE key
Probably the easiest way to delete a table in Word is to use the BACKSPACE key. This key is located immediately above Enter key and usually has a long arrow to the left drawn on it. To use this method just select the entire table with the mouse and press the BACKSPACE key. This will instantly delete the entire table and solve your problem. Moreover, this method works equally well both in the old Word 2003 and in new Word 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016.
Removing a table using the Layout tab
You can also delete a table using the tools in the Layout tab. To do this, place the cursor inside the table you want to delete and go to the “Layout” tab. Here you need to click on the “Delete” button and select the “Delete table” option. This method removal will work in all versions text editor Word since 2007.
But, if you have Word 2013 or 2016, then you can delete the table more in a simple way. Just right-click on the table and select “Delete – Delete table” from the pop-up menu that appears.
How to delete a table in Word leaving the text
Text Word editor 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016 allows you to delete a table while leaving the text in the document. To use this function, place the cursor inside the table, go to the "Layout" tab and click on the "Convert to Text" button.