To center text in a Word table both horizontally and vertically, select the cells, click the table’s Layout tab (next to Table Design), and click Align Center, the middle button in the Alignment group’s grid of nine buttons. The Center button on the Home tab only centers text left to right, so if your text still sits at the top of the cell, use Align Center instead.
Here’s how to center text in cells, fix text that won’t center, and center the whole table on the page.
How to center text in table cells
- Select the cells you want to center. To select the whole table, hover over it and click the four-way arrow handle at the top-left corner.
- Click the Layout tab that appears on the ribbon. (It’s the table Layout tab, to the right of Table Design, not the page Layout tab.)
- In the Alignment group, click Align Center, the button in the middle of the 3×3 grid.
The other eight buttons combine top, middle, or bottom with left, center, or right. For example, Align Center Left keeps text left-aligned but centered vertically.
Other ways to do it
- Right-click menu: Select the cells, right-click, choose Cell Alignment, and pick the center option.
- Table Properties: Right-click and choose Table Properties > Cell tab > Vertical alignment > Center. Then press Ctrl + E to center horizontally.
- Keyboard: Ctrl + E centers text horizontally in the selected cells.
Text still not centered vertically?
Usually, extra paragraph spacing pushes the text up. Here’s how to fix it:
- Select the cells.
- On the Home tab, click the Paragraph dialog launcher (the small arrow).
- Set Spacing Before and After to 0 pt, and Line spacing to Single. Click OK.
Also check for an empty line in the cell. Turn on Show/Hide ¶ (Ctrl + Shift + 8) and delete extra paragraph marks. Uneven cell margins can also shift text, so check Layout > Cell Margins.
How to center the whole table on the page
- Click anywhere in the table.
- Right-click and choose Table Properties, or click Layout > Properties.
- On the Table tab, under Alignment, click Center. Make sure Indent from left is 0.
- Click OK.
If the table is inside a text box or has text wrapping set to Around, you may need to set wrapping to None first.
Center text in Word for Mac and Word for the web
- Mac: Select the cells, click the Table Layout tab, and click Align Center in the Alignment group.
- Web: Select the cells, click the Table Layout tab (or the Table tab), click Alignment, and choose Align Center.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t I see the table Layout tab?
It only appears when your cursor is inside a table. Click any cell, and it shows up at the right end of the ribbon.
How do I center just one column?
Hover over the top of the column until the cursor becomes a black down arrow, click to select the column, then click Align Center.
Can I make centered text the default for new tables?
Yes. Modify a table style: on Table Design, right-click a style, choose Modify Table Style, click Format > Table Properties, set Vertical alignment to Center, and choose center alignment for the paragraphs.
How do I center text in a Google Docs table?
Select the cells, click Center align in the toolbar, then right-click and choose Table properties > Cell > Cell vertical alignment > Middle.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.