Extra spaces between tables in Microsoft Word can be unsightly and disrupt the flow of your document. Fortunately, there are several simple methods to remove these unwanted gaps. Whether you’re working with a single table or multiple, these techniques will help you achieve a seamless and polished appearance.
One common reason for spaces between tables is inconsistent table formatting. To address this, select all the tables that you want to align and ensure that the cell heights and widths are uniform. You can do this by manually adjusting the dimensions of each table or by using the “Align” options in the Table Properties menu. Once the tables are aligned, the gaps should disappear.
Another potential cause of spacing issues is paragraph breaks. Word may automatically insert paragraph breaks before and after a table, which can create unwanted vertical gaps. To remove these breaks, place the cursor immediately before the table and press “Delete.” Repeat this process for the paragraph break after the table. Additionally, check the spacing options in the Table Properties menu and ensure that there is no additional spacing applied to the table.
Disable AutoFit Behavior
In Microsoft Word, AutoFit behavior is a setting that automatically adjusts the width of tables to fit the available space in the document. While this can be convenient in some cases, it can also lead to unwanted spacing between tables. If you want to remove the spaces between tables, you need to disable AutoFit behavior.
1.
Disable AutoFit for a Single Table
To disable AutoFit for a single table, right-click the table and select “Table Properties” from the menu. In the “Table Properties” dialog box, click the “Options” tab. Uncheck the “Automatically resize to fit contents” checkbox and click “OK.” This will disable AutoFit for the selected table.
When AutoFit is disabled, you will need to manually adjust the width of the table to fit your needs. To do this, drag the borders of the table until it reaches the desired width.
1.
Disable AutoFit for All Tables
If you want to disable AutoFit for all tables in your document, you can do so by modifying the Normal template. The Normal template is used as the basis for all new documents created in Word.
To modify the Normal template, click the “File” tab and select “Options.” In the “Word Options” dialog box, click the “Advanced” tab and scroll down to the “Layout Options” section. Uncheck the “Automatically resize to fit contents” checkbox and click “OK.”
This will disable AutoFit for all tables in new documents created using the Normal template. Note that this will not affect existing documents.
Adjust Table Cell Margins
Adjusting table cell margins is a simple way to control the spacing between cells and improve the overall appearance of your table. Here’s how to do it:
- Select the cell or cells that you want to adjust.
- Right-click and select “Table Properties.”
In the “Table Properties” dialog box, click on the “Cell” tab. In the “Margins” section, you can adjust the following settings:
- Left: The distance between the left edge of the cell and the text within the cell.
- Right: The distance between the right edge of the cell and the text within the cell.
- Top: The distance between the top edge of the cell and the text within the cell.
- Bottom: The distance between the bottom edge of the cell and the text within the cell.
You can specify the margins in inches, centimeters, or points. To make sure that all cells have the same margins, select “Same for all cells” in the “Apply to” drop-down list.
Click “OK” to save your changes and close the “Table Properties” dialog box.
Adjust Column Widths and Row Heights
Adjusting column widths and row heights is another way to control the spacing between cells. To do this:
- Select the column or row that you want to adjust.
- Hover your mouse over the border of the column or row until you see a double-headed arrow.
- Click and drag the arrow to the desired width or height.
You can also adjust column widths and row heights in the “Table Properties” dialog box. In the “Table” tab, you can specify the width and height of each column and row.
To ensure that all columns or rows have the same width or height, select “Same for all columns” or “Same for all rows” in the “Apply to” drop-down list.
Use Merge Cells Command
The Merge Cells command is a powerful tool that can be used to remove spaces between tables in Word. This command combines two or more selected cells into a single cell, effectively eliminating the space between them. Here’s how to use the Merge Cells command:
- Select the cells that you want to merge.
- Click on the “Layout” tab in the Word ribbon.
- In the “Table” section, click on the “Merge” button.
- Select the “Merge Cells” option from the drop-down menu.
Once you click on “Merge Cells,” the selected cells will be combined into a single cell. The cell contents will be centered within the merged cell. You can use the Merge Cells command to merge cells both vertically and horizontally, giving you complete control over the layout of your tables.
Here’s a table summarizing the steps involved in using the Merge Cells command:
| Steps | Description |
|---|---|
| Select the cells | Select the cells that you want to merge. |
| Click on the “Layout” tab | Click on the “Layout” tab in the Word ribbon. |
| In the “Table” section, click on the “Merge” button | In the “Table” section, click on the “Merge” button. |
| Select the “Merge Cells” option from the drop-down menu | Select the “Merge Cells” option from the drop-down menu. |
Convert Table to Image
In this method, we convert the table into an image to eliminate the spaces between them. By doing so, the table will behave as a single object and the spaces will no longer be visible. Here’s how to do it:
- Select the table.
- Right-click and select “Copy.” Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + C” (Windows) or “Command + C” (Mac).
- Open a new Word document or navigate to the location where you want to insert the image.
- Right-click and select “Paste Special.”
In the “Paste Special” dialog box, select “Enhanced Metafile (EMF)” or “Picture (Enhanced Metafile).” This will insert the table as an image into the document.
Resize and position the image as desired.Converting the table to an image has several advantages:
- It eliminates the spaces between the tables.
- It allows you to easily move and resize the table as a single object.
- It maintains the formatting and content of the original table.
- It can be saved as a separate image file for future use.
Insert Empty Rows or Columns
Remove spaces between tables by inserting empty rows or columns.
Empty Rows:
- Place the cursor on the table row above or below where you want to add a row.
- Go to the "Table Tools" tab in the Ribbon and click on the "Insert" button.
- Select "Rows Above" or "Rows Below" to insert an empty row.
Empty Columns:
- Place the cursor in the table column to the left or right of where you want to add a column.
- Go to the "Table Tools" tab and click on the "Insert" button.
- Select "Columns to the Left" or "Columns to the Right" to insert an empty column.
Fine-tuning:
- Insert Multiple Rows/Columns: Select the number of rows or columns you want to insert from the drop-down menu in the "Insert" button.
- Adjust Row/Column Spacing: Right-click on the row or column and select "Table Properties" > "Row" or "Column". Adjust the "Height" or "Width" values to change the spacing.
- Merge Cells: Select the cells you want to merge and go to the "Table Tools" > "Layout" tab. Click on "Merge Cells" and choose an option to merge the cells vertically or horizontally.
Hide or Delete Gridlines
Gridlines are the thin lines that separate cells in a table. They can be helpful for keeping track of your data, but they can also make your table look cluttered or busy. If you want to hide or delete gridlines, follow these steps:
Hide Gridlines
To hide gridlines, select the table and then click the “Gridlines” button in the “Table Tools” tab. In the drop-down menu, select “Hide Gridlines.”
Delete Gridlines
To delete gridlines, select the table and then click the “Gridlines” button in the “Table Tools” tab. In the drop-down menu, select “Delete Gridlines.”
Additional Options
You can also use the “Table Options” dialog box to hide or delete gridlines. To access the dialog box, select the table and then click the “Table Tools” tab. In the “Table” group, click the “Options” button.
In the “Table Options” dialog box, select the “Gridlines” tab. You can then choose to hide or delete gridlines, as well as specify the color and width of the gridlines.
Option Description Hide Gridlines Hides the gridlines from view. Delete Gridlines Deletes the gridlines from the table. Gridline Color Specifies the color of the gridlines. Gridline Width Specifies the width of the gridlines. Modify Paragraph Indents
Paragraph indents control the amount of white space before the first line of a paragraph. Adjusting these indents can help create a more visually appealing and organized document.
Before Indent
The “Before” indent sets the distance between the left margin and the start of the first line of a paragraph.
- Place the cursor at the beginning of the paragraph you want to modify.
- On the Home tab, click the “Paragraph” dialog launcher button in the Paragraph group.
- In the “Indentation” section, adjust the “Before” value to the desired amount.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
First Line Indent
The “First Line” indent moves the first line of a paragraph a specific distance from the start of the paragraph.
- Follow steps 1-2 from the “Before Indent” instructions.
- In the “Indentation” section, choose the “First line” option from the dropdown menu.
- Enter the desired distance in the “By” field.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
Left Indent
The “Left” indent moves the entire paragraph a specific distance from the left margin.
- Follow steps 1-2 from the “Before Indent” instructions.
- In the “Indentation” section, select the “Left” option from the dropdown menu.
- Enter the desired distance in the “By” field.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
Adjust Page Margins
Follow these steps to adjust page margins and remove excess spacing between tables:
- Go to the “Layout” tab in Word.
- Click the “Margins” drop-down menu.
- Select the “Custom Margins” option.
- In the “Margins” dialog box, enter the desired values for the top, bottom, left, and right margins.
- Make sure to keep the margins consistent on all sides to ensure proper alignment.
- Click “OK” to apply the changes.
- Go to the “File” tab.
- Select “Options” and then click “Advanced”.
- Scroll down to the “Show document content” section.
- Under “Spaces between paragraphs”, make sure that “Remove extra space between paragraphs of the same style” is checked.
- Click “OK” to apply the changes.
Here are some additional tips for adjusting page margins:
- Use the “Preview” button in the “Margins” dialog box to see how your changes will affect the document.
- If you want to adjust the margins for only a specific part of the document, select that text before opening the “Margins” dialog box.
- You can create your own custom margins by creating a new style in Word.
Use CSS or HTML Code
In addition to using the Table Properties dialog box, you can also remove the spaces between tables using CSS or HTML code. Here’s how:
CSS Code
You can use the following CSS code to remove the spaces between tables:
“`
table {
border-spacing: 0;
}
“`This will remove all the spaces between the cells in all the tables in your document.
HTML Code
You can also use the following HTML code to remove the spaces between tables:
“`
“`
This will remove the spaces between the cells in the specified table. You can use this code to remove the spaces between individual tables or between all the tables in your document.
Using CSS with HTML
You can also use CSS with HTML to remove the spaces between tables. For example, you can use the following code:
“`
“`
This will remove the spaces between the cells in the specified table and all the other tables in your document.
Using Macros or VBA
Step 1: Open the VBA Editor
Press “Alt + F11” to launch the Visual Basic Editor.
Step 2: Insert a New Module
Click “Insert” > “Module” to create a new code module.
Step 3: Paste the Code
Copy and paste the following code into the module:
“`vba
Sub RemoveSpacesBetweenTables()
Dim tbl As Table
For Each tbl In ActiveDocument.Tables
tbl.AllowOverlap = True
tbl.LeftPadding = 0
tbl.RightPadding = 0
Next tbl
End Sub
“`Step 4: Run the Macro
Select the macro from the “Macros” dropdown in the “Developer” tab and click “Run.”
Step 5: Adjust Table Properties (Optional)
If necessary, adjust the table properties, such as cell padding, margins, and alignment, to fine-tune the layout.
Step 6: Use a Table Style
Create a new table style with zero cell padding and apply it to the tables to maintain consistency.
Step 7: Additional VBA Enhancements
Step 8: Remove Indentation Above and Below Tables
Add the following code to the macro:
“`vba
tbl.TopPadding = 0
tbl.BottomPadding = 0
“`Step 9: Preserve Cell Borders
To preserve cell borders, add the following lines:
“`vba
tbl.Borders.InsideLineStyle = wdLineStyleSingle
tbl.Borders.OutsideLineStyle = wdLineStyleSingle
“`Step 10: Handle Overlapping Objects
To automatically adjust overlapping objects (such as images or text boxes), use the following code:
“`vba
Dim o As Shape
For Each o In ActiveDocument.Shapes
If o.HasTextFrame Then
o.TextFrame.TextRange.Paragraphs.Alignment = wdAlignParagraphCenter
End If
Next o
“`How To Remove Spaces Between Tables In Word
When you insert a table into Word, there is often a space between the table and the text above or below it. This space can be unsightly and make your document difficult to read. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to remove the space between tables in Word.
- Click on the table to select it.
- Click on the “Layout” tab in the Ribbon.
- In the “Table” group, click on the “Properties” button.
- In the “Table Properties” dialog box, click on the “Row” tab.
- In the “Spacing” section, set the “Before” and “After” values to 0.
- Click on the “OK” button to save your changes.
People Also Ask
How do I remove space between two tables in Word?
To remove the space between two tables in Word, follow the steps outlined above. Be sure to select both tables before clicking on the “Properties” button.
How do I remove space between table and text in Word?
To remove the space between a table and text in Word, follow the steps outlined above. Be sure to select the table and the text before clicking on the “Properties” button.
How do I remove space after table in Word?
To remove the space after a table in Word, follow the steps outlined above. Be sure to select the table and the text below it before clicking on the “Properties” button. Then, set the “After” value to 0 in the “Spacing” section.
