Wrapping text around a table in Word allows you to integrate tables seamlessly into the flow of text in your document. This creates a more polished, professional look compared to having tables sit isolated from the text.
When to Wrap Text Around a Table
Wrapping text around a table is especially useful when you have a small table that takes up just a portion of the page width. For example, you may have a table with 3-4 columns that illustrates a key data point related to the surrounding text.
Rather than having the table awkwardly isolated on its own line, wrapping text around it helps incorporate it naturally.
Benefits of wrapping text around tables include:
- Creates a more integrated, flowing document design
- Allows readers to view the table data in the context of the surrounding discussion
- Maximizes space on the page by enabling text to fill gaps around the table
How to Wrap Text Around a Table
Wrapping text around a table only takes a few clicks in Word:
- Click anywhere in the table you want to wrap text around to select it
- Go to Table Design > Table Properties Or right-click the table and select Table Properties
- In the Table tab, under Text Wrapping, choose Around
- Click OK to apply the wrapping
Once you wrap text around a table, you’ll notice the text automatically starts to flow around the table object.
Customizing Text Wrapping
If the default wrapping doesn’t look quite right, you have a few formatting options:
- Reposition the table by clicking and dragging it to fine-tune placement
- Change spacing around the table using the Distance from Text settings in Table Properties > Positioning
- Align the table left/right/center relative to text using the Alignment settings
- Allow tables to overlap other tables/text under Table Properties > Positioning
Take a minute to tweak the settings to get your table integrated perfectly.
When Not to Wrap Text Around Tables
While wrapping text around small tables can look great, it’s not always the best option:
- For full-page width tables, allow them to sit on their own line to maximize horizontal space
- If tables contain long columns of data or text, wrapping can force awkward breaks between rows
- When you want a table to stand out fully from text without wrapped integration
Evaluate the size and contents of your tables to decide if wrapping text makes sense.
Troubleshooting Text Wrapping Issues
If you run into issues with text wrapping around tables, check these fixes:
- Make sure you clicked Around under Table Properties > Text Wrapping
- Tables need sufficient space between text to wrap cleanly; adjust Distance from Text
- The table’s outer borders can’t overlap directly on text or columns may disappear
- If text overlaps the table, check Allow Table Overlap under Table Positioning
- Delete and re-insert the table if wrapping seems permanently broken
With a bit of tweaking, you can troubleshoot most text wrapping problems in Word.
Customizing Table Styles and Borders
Once you’ve wrapped text around a table, take a minute to customize its:
Table Style – Choose from preset color schemes and border styles under Table Design
Borders – Further customize borders on the outer table, rows, columns, or cells
This allows you to tailor tables to match document colors and branding.
Converting Text to a Table
If you already have text formatted into columns (like a contact list), you can convert it into an auto-formatted table:
- Select the text columns
- Go to Insert > Table > Convert Text to Table
- Pick your auto-format under Convert Text to Table
Converting text into a table allows you to then leverage table styles/formatting.
Inserting Images and Links in Tables
To illustrate tables further, consider adding:
- Images – Right-click a cell > Insert > Pictures to add an image
- Links – Add hyperlinks to data, text, or images within table cells
When combined with wrapped text, embellished tables become an integrated, vital part of your documents.
Summary
Wrapping text around tables in Word helps incorporate them fluidly into surrounding content. Take a few minutes to apply text wrapping to small tables, tweak positioning, apply styles, and embellish with images or links.
The end result is professional, polished documents that use tables effectively. Over time, you’ll intuitively begin wrapping text around tables to maximize their visual appeal and integration.
