Alex Ruben
How To Display Two Tables Side By Side in Word
Getting two tables to sit nicely next to each other in Word isn’t exactly rocket science, but it can feel like one of those “why is this so complicated?” tasks. Sometimes, the formatting bugs out, borders show up where they shouldn’t, or the tables just refuse to align. If you’ve ever tried to make a report or a resume look professional, only to end up with weird gaps or uneven spacing, then this little walkthrough might save some frustration. After messing around with this a few times, it’s clear: creating a nested table structure inside an outer container really helps keep everything organized and neat, especially when you want that sleek side-by-side look.
This approach is especially handy when you want to compare two sets of info side by side — like product features vs. specs, or prices vs. descriptions. When done right, the two tables are separated cleanly, no overlapping borders, no weird spacing disruptions. Of course, it’s not perfect every time — sometimes you need to tweak the cell margins or remove some borders, but overall, it’s a pretty reliable method. Just take your time with the steps, and don’t be surprised if you have to redo a border or two. Word can be finicky.
How to Fix Side-by-Side Tables in Microsoft Word
Insert a container table first — that’s your outer frame
- Navigate to the Insert tab in the ribbon at the top.
- Select Table, then drag to make a table with one row and two columns. Yeah, just like that, you’re creating a container for your two tables.
This outer table acts like a placeholder — it keeps your side-by-side setup intact, even if small layout tweaks are needed later. You might wanna turn off the borders for a cleaner look, but more on that in a minute.
Drop the first table into the left cell
- Click inside the left cell of that new outer table.
- Head over to Insert > Table again, then choose your preferred size for the first table. Make sure it’s the same format or style you want.
This is where your content begins. Same deal for the second table, but in the right cell—just click that one, go to Insert > Table, pick the size you want.
Remove borders from the outer container to make everything look clean
- Select the outer table by clicking on it.
- Right-click, pick Borders and Shading.
- In the dialogue box, under Borders, select None.
- Click OK. Now, only your inner tables have borders — or, depending on what you want, none at all.
This step is what makes your tables look like they’re part of the same layout rather than a grid with visible lines everywhere. Sometimes, you’ll need to tweak the cell padding in table properties to prevent text from hugging the borders too tightly — especially if you’re trying to make things look professional.
Adjusting spacing and alignment
- If your tables aren’t lining up quite right, check the cell margins by right-clicking the inner tables, choosing Table Properties, then adjusting the Cell Margins.
- Want even spacing? Use the Layout tab to tweak how much space is inside each cell or between tables.
- For extra neatness, try applying the same Table Style in the Table Design tab for better uniformity.
This is more about playing with small settings, but it really helps the overall look stay consistent. Sometimes, it’s trial and error, but that’s the fun part, right?
Final touches and troubleshooting
Sometimes, borders or spacing issues pop up. If your outer table still shows lines, double-check borders are cleared. Also, if the tables are misaligned, try setting their Positioning in Table Properties—sometimes, tweaking the Relative Position helps. Word can be stubborn, so don’t be afraid to remove the outer table borders again or adjust cell padding to get that look just right.
Extra tips & common pitfalls
- Use consistent formatting for both tables if you want a uniform look — styles are your friends here.
- If your tables still look weird or aren’t aligning, check the paragraph spacing around the tables, not just the tables themselves.
- And yes, sometimes Word just decides to be annoying—restarting Word or copying your setup into a fresh document can fix weird glitches.
Wrap-up
This method, despite sounding a little roundabout, generally gives a clean, professional look in documents. It’s surprisingly reliable once you get the hang of layering tables inside a container table, and it keeps everything predictable when you need to make changes later. Not every version of Word handles this perfectly — some quirks might pop up depending on your setup — but overall, it’s a solid approach for organizing content side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add more than two tables in this setup?
Sure thing, just increase the number of columns in the outer container table. It can handle as many as you want, but keep it manageable — Word can get buggy if you dive into massive layouts.
What if I want to put some text or images between the tables?
Inserting empty rows or extra cells into the outer table can give you space. Or, just add some text in the outer table cells if you want labels or explanations right between the tables.
Does this work on all Word versions?
Most recent versions, yeah — Word 2016 onward, including Word 2019 and Office 365, should do just fine. The interface might be a tiny bit different, but the method’s the same.
Summary
- Create a 1×2 outer table.
- Insert your first and second tables into each cell.
- Remove the outer borders for a clean look.
- Adjust margins and spacing as needed.
Final thoughts
Hopefully, this helps avoid the frustrating guesswork when you’re trying to make neat, side-by-side tables in Word. It’s kinda weird how Word makes simple things complicated sometimes, but with these steps, it’s doable. Just keep fiddling with the borders and margins until it looks right — and if it doesn’t, maybe try rebuilding from scratch. Good luck!