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Delete a table or clear its contents
 

You can delete an entire table (table: One or more rows of cells commonly used to display numbers and other items for quick reference and analysis. Items in a table are organized into rows and columns.). You can also clear the contents of cells (cell: A box formed by the intersection of a row and column in a worksheet or a table, in which you enter information.) without deleting the cells themselves.

Delete a table and its contents

  1. Click the table.
  2. On the Table menu, point to Delete, and then click Table.

Clear the contents of a table

  1. Select the items you want to clear.

    ShowHow?

    Some parts of a table (table: One or more rows of cells commonly used to display numbers and other items for quick reference and analysis. Items in a table are organized into rows and columns.) can only be seen if you display all formatting marks by clicking Show/Hide Paragraph mark Button image on the Standard toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.).

    To select:

    A cell

    Click the left edge of the cell (cell: A box formed by the intersection of a row and column in a worksheet or a table, in which you enter information.).
    Select table cell

    A row

    Click to the left of the row.

    Select table row

    A column

    Click the column's top gridline or border.

    Select table column

    Multiple cells, rows, or columns

    Drag across the cell, row, or column.
    Or select multiple items that are not necessarily in order. Click the first cell, row, or column you want, press CTRL, and then click the next cells, rows, or columns you want.

    Text in the next cell

    Press TAB.

    Text in the previous cell

    Press SHIFT+TAB

    The entire table

    In print layout view (print layout view: A view of a document or other object as it will appear when you print it. For example, items such as headers, footnotes, columns, and text boxes appear in their actual positions.), click the table move handle Four-headed arrow handle, or drag over the entire table.

    Note  You can also select rows, columns, or the entire table by clicking in the table and then using the Select commands on the Table menu, or by using keyboard shortcuts.

  2. Press DELETE.
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