Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Selecting a Column or Row in a Table.

Selecting a Column or Row in a Table

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 4, 2026)

There are two ways to select a column within a table:

Position the insertion point in any cell within the column, then choose the Select Column option from the Table menu.
Move the mouse cursor just above the column you want to select. It will turn into a downward pointing arrow. Click on the left mouse button.

The two ways to select a row within a table are very similar:

Position the insertion point in any cell within the row, then choose the Select Row option from the Table menu.
Move the mouse cursor just to the left of the row you want to select, and then click on the left mouse button.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (34) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Selecting a Column or Row in a Table.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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