Stop fumbling with the mouse and let Word position your tables for you

You’ve just created a table at the end of the first page of your Word document, but would like the table to appear in the middle of your page instead. Your first instinct might be to click and drag the table into position, but no matter how many times you move the mouse to adjust the table’s position it never seems quite right — either the table is not exactly where you want it, or the text runs up against the table borders. If you try reformatting the text on the page, the table moves out of its central position.

Rather than use the mouse, just tell Word to position it for you. Follow these steps:

1. Select the table.
2. Right-click the table and select Table Properties.
3. In the Table tab, under Text Wrapping, click Around.
4. Click the Positioning button.
5. Under Horizontal, click the drop-down arrow in the Position box and select Center.
6. Click the drop-down arrow in the Relative To box and select Page.
7. Under Vertical, click the drop-down arrow in the Position box and select Center.
8. Click the drop-down arrow in the Relative To box and select Page.
9. Under Distance From Surrounding Text, click the up arrow once in the Top text box.
10. Click the up arrow once in the Bottom text box.
11. If necessary, clear the Move With Text check box, then click OK twice.

Word positions the table exactly in the middle of the page; the table will remain in place even if you later make formatting changes.

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