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: Keeping Tables on One Page.

Keeping Tables on One Page

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 10, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

As you develop more complex Word documents, it is inevitable that you will add tables. Most tables are relatively short and can easily fit on a page. Because of this, it can be disconcerting to have a page break occur in the middle of a table. Here's an approach that has always worked for me:

Select all the rows in the table.
Choose Format | Paragraph. Word displays the Paragraph dialog box.
Make sure the Line and Page Breaks tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Line and Page Breaks tab of the Paragraph dialog box.

Make sure the Keep Lines Together check box is selected.
Click on OK.

Now you need to repeat the same steps, with two minor variations. First, in step 1 select all the rows except the last one. Then, in step 4, make sure the Keep With Next check box is selected. This is necessary (performing this step with the last row not selected) so that the table stays together as a unit, rather than the table staying with the paragraph that follows it.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (864) 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: Keeping Tables on One Page.

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...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Inserting Page Number Cross-References

Want to insert a dynamic cross-reference to a particular page number? It's easy to do following the steps in this tip.

Discover More

Setting User Information

Need to change the information that Word stores about you? Here's how to find the info.

Discover More

Copying Headers and Footers

Need to copy headers and footers from one worksheet to another? How about from one workbook to another? Here are some ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Adding Gridlines to a Table

You can easily add borders to your table cells. This tip shows you how.

Discover More

Setting a Default Table Border Width

When you insert a table into your document, it uses a standard-weight line around each cell in the table. If you want to ...

Discover More

Resizing Your Table

Need to make your table a different size? It's easy to do, using the same general technique you use when resizing a ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is seven more than 7?

2020-08-11 01:05:44

Jim Harris

I found that the "Keep with next" only works when the text wrapping around the table is set to above and below and not around.

2020-02-09 12:33:57

Willy P

It worked! Willy in PA, Feb 2020

2020-01-31 15:49:18

Isaac

Another day saved Sir Wyatt. Thank you.

2019-11-19 20:35:09

Seriously I've referred to this article at least three times. huge help!

2019-09-21 01:43:08

sumendra sahu

Ctrl+ A- iqjs ist dks ,d lkFk select djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ B- text dks bold djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ C- text dks copy djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ D -Default Fout Setting ds fy,
Ctrl+ E- Terxt dks lsUVj ds fy,
Ctrl+ F- Find djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ Gh – fl/ks fdlh page ;k line ij igwpus ds fy,
Ctrl+ I – Text Italic djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ J – Paragraph dks justify djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ K- Page ij hyper link yxkus ds fy,
Ctrl+ L- Align Text Left djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ M- Indent c<kus ds fy,
Ctrl+ N- New File cukus ds fy,
Ctrl+ O- File Open djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ P – Print fudkyus ds fy,
Ctrl+ Q- Indent lekIr djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ R- Align Text Right djus ds fy,
Ctrl + S- File Save djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ T- Page ij Hanging Indent c<kus ds fy,
Ctrl+ U- Underling ds fy,
Ctrl + V- Text Paste djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ W- File Close djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ X- Text Close djus ds fy,
Ctrl+ Y- Redo/ Repeat c<kus ds fy,
Ctrl+ Z- Undo ds fy,
Ctrl+]-Font Size c<kus ds fy,
Ctrl+ [ - Font Size ‘/kVkus ds fy, a

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.