Office Settings & Configuration

How to Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to Add a Row Below in Word 365

John Wilson Oct 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to configure a custom keyboard shortcut for inserting a table row below the current selection in Microsoft Word 365.

How to Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to Add a Row Below in Word 365

Product: Microsoft Word 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing tables in a Word document and needing a faster way to frequently add rows below without relying on mouse clicks.
Observed behavior: The user needs to find the exact command name (InsertRowsBelow or TablesInsertRowBelow) in the customization settings and apply a custom key combination to it.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active Microsoft Word 365 document open with a table inserted, so you can immediately test the new keyboard shortcut once it is assigned.

Solution 1Recommended

Assign Shortcut via Customize Ribbon Settings

Use the built-in Customize Keyboard dialog in Word to bind a specific key combination to the Add Row Below command.

Microsoft Word contains thousands of commands, and some table insertion commands are named based on legacy pre-2007 menus. To create this shortcut, you will need to search for specific background command names like 'InsertRowsBelow' or 'TablesInsertRowBelow' rather than the standard display name.

Open Word Options

Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the Word ribbon, then click 'Options' at the very bottom of the left-hand menu.

Access Keyboard Shortcuts Customization

In the Word Options dialog, select 'Customize Ribbon' from the left sidebar. Next to the 'Keyboard shortcuts' label at the bottom of the window, click the 'Customize...' button.

Locate the Add Row Command

In the Customize Keyboard dialog, look under the 'Categories' list and select 'Table Layout' or 'All Commands'. In the 'Commands' list on the right, scroll down to find 'InsertRowsBelow' or 'TablesInsertRowBelow'.

Assign the Shortcut

Click inside the 'Press new shortcut key' text box. Press the exact key combination you want to use (e.g., Alt + N). Check that it is currently 'unassigned', then click the 'Assign' button. Finally, click 'Close' and 'OK'.

Assign Shortcut via Customize Ribbon Settings

Command Naming Variations: Depending on your exact update version of Word 365, the command might be categorized under 'Table Rows', 'Table Layout', or solely found in 'All Commands'.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I find the InsertRowsBelow command in Word 365?

Word 365 contains thousands of commands, and some still use legacy names. If you don't see it under the 'Table Layout' category, select 'All Commands' from the Categories list and carefully scroll down to 'TablesInsertRowBelow' or 'InsertRowsBelow'.

How do I remove a customized keyboard shortcut in Word?

Navigate back to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Customize Keyboard. Locate the 'InsertRowsBelow' command, select the currently assigned shortcut in the 'Current keys' box, and click the 'Remove' button.

Are there any default keyboard shortcuts to add a row in Word?

While there isn't a direct dedicated shortcut to add a row below, you can place your text cursor in the very last cell of the table (bottom-right) and simply press the 'Tab' key to instantly create a new row at the bottom.

Will my custom keyboard shortcuts save for all future documents?

Yes, by default, custom keyboard shortcuts are saved in the 'Normal.dotm' template in Word. This means your new Add Row Below shortcut will be available in all new documents you create.

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