How to Reduce Extra Space in Word Table Rows
Question details
The user needs to remove excessive vertical space within table cells after downloading a document from Google Docs and opening it in Word.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Adjusting table layout and cell formatting in a downloaded Google Docs file opened in a desktop word processor.
- Observed behavior
- Extra space remains between the text and cell borders despite setting paragraph spacing and table margins to zero, and the row height cannot be further reduced.
Ensure that you have selected the specific cells with the extra space, rather than just clicking inside the table, so that cell-specific formatting can be properly applied.
Modify Cell-Level Margins Instead of Table Margins
Cell-level margins can override general table-level margins. You must adjust the specific Cell Options dialog box to remove the extra padding.
When documents are converted from Google Docs to Word format, individual cells often retain specific margin settings that ignore the overall table properties. The Table Properties dialog box provides access to both Table Options and Cell Options, but they function independently.
Highlight all the cells, rows, or columns in the table that have the excessive space.
Right-click on the selected cells and choose 'Table Properties' from the context menu.
Navigate to the 'Cell' tab at the top of the dialog box, then click the 'Options...' button at the bottom right.
In the Cell Options dialog, uncheck 'Same as the whole table' if it is selected. Set the Top and Bottom margins to 0 (or your required value) and click 'OK' twice to apply.
Check Paragraph and Line Spacing
If adjusting cell margins does not completely fix the issue, hidden paragraph spacing settings within the cells might be preventing the row height from reducing.
Easily Adjust Table Layouts with WPS Writer
WPS Writer offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface to precisely manage table margins, row heights, and cell padding. It provides seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word and Google Docs formats, ensuring your tables look exactly the way you want them to without hidden formatting conflicts.
- 1. Open the document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your downloaded document.
- 2. Select the table cells: Highlight the cells or rows that contain the unwanted extra space.
- 3. Open Table Properties: Right-click the selection, choose 'Table Properties', and click on the 'Cell' tab.
- 4. Adjust Cell Options: Click 'Options', clear the 'Same as the whole table' checkbox, set all margins to zero, and click 'OK'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my Word table row height reduce?
This usually happens because the row height is restricted by internal cell margins, paragraph spacing (like 'Spacing Before' or 'Spacing After'), or the 'Specify height' setting in Table Properties being set to 'At least' instead of 'Exactly'.
What is the difference between Table Options and Cell Options?
Table Options apply default margins and spacing to all cells within the entire table. Cell Options apply specific margins to individual selected cells, and these settings will override the default table settings.
How do I clear all formatting in a Word table?
Select the entire table and click the 'Clear All Formatting' button (usually an 'A' with a pink eraser) on the Home tab. Note that while this removes text formatting, you may still need to manually reset the cell margins in the Table Properties dialog box.
