Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 23, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Debbie receives documents that routinely have multiple tables in them, and those tables are usually shaded with a background color. She has to remove the shading individually, for each table, so she can print the documents correctly. Debbie wonders if there is a way she can get rid of the background colors in one pass.
There are a couple of ways that you could try. First, you could define your own table styles that reflect how you want the tables to appear. Then all you'd need to do is select each table and apply the styles. This method would also have the benefit of being a solution that is "distributable" to others in your organization so that, perhaps, they would format the tables correctly in the first place.
Another way of handling the problem is to create a simple macro that steps through each table and reset the table's shading. Here's an example:
Sub ClearTableBGColor() Dim t As Table For Each t In ActiveDocument.Tables With t.Shading .Texture = wdTextureNone .ForegroundPatternColor = wdColorAutomatic .BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorAutomatic End With Next End Sub
You can run the macro at any time and all the tables in the document are affected. If you need to change the formatting for tables in lots of documents, you may want to assign the macro to a toolbar button or to a shortcut key.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11021) 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: Getting Rid of Background Color in All Tables.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
Need to make sure that your smaller tables stay on a single page? Here's a handy trick you can use to enforce this rule.
Discover MoreWord can adjust the height of individual rows in a table based on the information you put in each row. This may not ...
Discover MoreNeed to make your table a different size? It's easy to do, using the same general technique you use when resizing a ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-11-07 15:57:03
The macro works BUT...
Whoever shaded the cells also changed the font to white, so now the text and the background are the same color.
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments