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: Merging Table Cells.

Merging Table Cells

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated December 2, 2021)

Word contains a handy table editor that allows you to create complex tables. One of the features of the table editor is that you can merge adjacent cells together. Merging cells simply means that the adjacent cells are thereafter treated as a single cell, even though they are not really a single cell. If the cells are on the same row, you can merge them together by following these steps:

Select two or more adjacent cells, on the same row or same column, that you want to merge.
Choose Merge Cells from the Table menu.

You can also easily perform cell merging by using the Tables and Borders toolbar:

Choose the Toolbars option from the View menu, and then make sure Tables and Borders is selected from the resulting submenu.
Move the toolbar or adjust your document so you can see both your table and the toolbar.
Click on the Eraser tool on the toolbar. This is the one just to the right of the tool that looks like a pencil.
Click and drag to select the dividing lines between different cells. When you release the mouse button, the cells are merged.
Use the Eraser tool to merge any other cells desired.
Click on the Eraser tool again (on the toolbar) or press the Esc key. This turns off the Eraser tool.
Close the Tables and Borders toolbar when finished.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1141) 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: Merging Table Cells.

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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