How to Get Columns of Equal Width in a Google Docs Table

Google Docs makes it easy to create tables and format them to suit your needs. One common formatting task is making all table columns the same width, which creates a clean, uniform look. Here are several methods to quickly and easily make columns equal width in Google Docs.

Use the “Distribute Columns” Option

The fastest way to make all columns the same width is using the “Distribute Columns” option:

1. Click anywhere in the table to select it
2. Right click and select Distribute columns from the context menu
3. All columns will instantly become the same width

This sets every column to an equal share of the total table width. If your table has 3 columns, each one will be 33.3% of the width. With 4 columns, each becomes 25% wide.

The Distribute columns option is the simplest method. However, you don’t have precise control over the final column width. For that, use one of the options below.

Set a Specific Width

To precisely set all columns to an exact width:

1. Right click the table and choose Table properties
2. Go to the Columns tab
3. Enter the desired width in inches (or cm if using metric units)
4. Click OK

All selected columns will now match that specific width, regardless of how many columns there are.

Tip: You can select specific columns first before adjusting the width. This lets you mix and match, with some columns wider or narrower than others.

Click and Drag Column Borders

For quick visual adjustments, click and drag the vertical borders between columns:

1. Hover over a vertical border line until the cursor changes to a double-sided arrow resizing icon
2. Click and drag the border right or left to adjust that column’s size
3. Repeat with other columns until all reach the desired width

This method provides complete control over each column’s width. It also lets you see width changes in real-time as you drag borders.

Auto-Fit Widest Column

Another option is having all columns match the width of the widest column:

1. Select the entire table
2. Go to Table > Autofit
3. Choose Autofit columns to contents
4. All columns will widen to the match that of the widest column

This ensures all cell contents are visible by making every column wide enough for its longest entry. But it can also result in very wide columns containing short text.

Start with Full-Page Width

When inserting a new table, begin with a single full-page-width column:

1. Place cursor where the table should be inserted
2. Go to Insert > Table
3. Specify 1 column but several rows
4. The new table will occupy the entire page width

Now you can insert additional columns and distribute the width evenly among them. This avoids issues with small default sizes when inserting new multi-column tables.

Conclusion

Adjusting column widths is a common task when working with tables in Google Docs. Thankfully, Docs provides several dedicated tools to distribute, set, and auto-fit column widths quickly and easily. Using the techniques outlined, you can precisely control column widths to create clean, professional tables optimized for your content.

The key options to remember are:

• Distribute columns – Instantly divide width evenly
• Table properties – Set precise measurements
• Click and drag borders – Visually adjust one or more columns
• Autofit to contents – Match all columns to the widest one
• Start big – Insert one full-width column then add more

With these helpful tips, your Google Docs tables will look their best in no time!