The fastest way to turn a table into plain text

To convert a table to text in Word, select the entire table, go to the Table menu, choose Convert, and then select Convert Table to Text. Word will ask you what character should separate the columns — choose a tab, comma, or paragraph mark depending on how you want the data arranged. The conversion happens when ready, and you can undo it if the result is not what you expected.

This is useful when you have inherited a document with a table but need the information as a straightforward list, or when you are moving data to a program that does not read tables well. The process works the same way in Word for Windows and Word for Mac, though the menu location differs slightly.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the entire table first — click inside it, then use Table menu > Select > Table, or click the table selector icon in the top-left corner.
  • The separator character (tab, comma, or paragraph mark) determines how columns appear in the converted text, so choose based on where your data needs to go next.
  • Word converts the table structure but does not preserve formatting like bold or cell colors — only the text itself moves over.
  • You can undo the conversion when ready if the result does not match what you need, so there is no risk in trying different separator options.

Selecting the table before conversion

Word will not convert a table unless you have selected the whole thing first. Click anywhere inside the table, then look at the top-left corner of the table — you should see a small four-arrow icon. Click that icon and the entire table will highlight in blue. Alternatively, go to the Table menu at the top, choose Select, and then choose Table.

If you only select part of the table, Word will either refuse to convert or will convert only the selected rows, leaving the rest as a table. So take the extra second to make sure the entire table is highlighted before moving to the next step.

Opening the Convert menu and choosing your separator

With the table selected, click the Table menu at the top of the screen. In the dropdown, look for an option called Convert (in Word for Windows) or look for a Table menu option that includes conversion (in Word for Mac, this is sometimes under Table > Convert Table to Text). Click it.

A dialog box will appear asking what character should separate your columns. You have four choices: Tab, Comma, Paragraph Mark, or Other. Tab is the most common choice because it keeps columns aligned and works well if you are pasting the data into a spreadsheet later. Comma is standard if you are creating a CSV file. Paragraph Mark puts each cell on its own line. Choose based on where the text is going next, then click OK.

What happens to formatting during conversion

Word converts only the text inside the cells, not the table structure or formatting. If a cell contains bold text, the text will remain bold. If a cell contains a hyperlink, the link will remain. But the cell borders, background colors, and alignment will disappear — you are left with plain text separated by your chosen character.

This is why it matters which separator you choose. If you pick Tab, the text will line up in columns when you paste it elsewhere. If you pick Paragraph Mark, each cell becomes its own line. If you pick Comma, you get a format that spreadsheet programs recognize as a data file.

Undoing the conversion if you need to

If the result is not what you expected, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) when ready to undo the conversion and get your table back. You can then select the table again and try a different separator character. There is no penalty for experimenting — Word keeps the undo history for several actions.

If you have already closed the document and reopened it, undo will not work. In that case, you would need to manually rebuild the table or go back to an earlier version if you saved one. So test the conversion while the document is still open.

When to convert a table to text instead of keeping it

Convert a table to text when you are moving the data to a program that does not handle tables — like a plain-text editor, a database import tool, or an older system that expects comma-separated values. Converting also makes sense if you have a table that is really just a list with unnecessary structure, and you want to simplify the document.

Do not convert if you need the table for layout, sorting, or calculations. If you need to keep both versions, copy the table to a new document first, convert it there, and save that as a separate file. That way you still have the original table in your main document.

Differences between Word for Windows and Word for Mac

The process is nearly identical, but the menu path differs slightly. In Word for Windows, click Table at the top, then look for Convert in the dropdown. In Word for Mac, the Convert option is also under the Table menu, but it may be labeled as "Convert Table to Text" directly. Both versions show the same separator dialog and produce the same result.

If you cannot find the Convert option in your version, check that you are using a recent version of Word. Very old versions may not have this feature, though it has been standard for many years. If you are using Word Online (the browser version), the feature works the same way — select the table, go to Table menu, and choose Convert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert only part of a table?

No — Word converts the entire table or nothing. If you need only some rows as text, select and copy those rows to a new table in a separate document, then convert that smaller table. Alternatively, you can convert the whole table and then delete the rows you do not need.

What separator should I use if I am pasting into Excel?

Tab is the best choice. When you paste tab-separated text into Excel, it automatically puts each column into its own cell. Comma also works if you save the text as a CSV file first, but tab is simpler for a direct paste.

Will the conversion preserve merged cells?

No. If your table has cells that span multiple columns or rows, the conversion treats them as single cells containing all the text. The merged structure is lost, and you get plain text in the order it appears.

Can I convert text back into a table?

Yes, but it requires a few extra steps. Select the text, go to the Table menu, choose Convert, and then select Convert Text to Table. Word will ask what character separates your columns — choose the same separator you used when converting from table to text. Word will recreate a table based on that separator.

What if my table contains numbers I need to calculate?

Converting to text removes the table structure, so you lose the ability to use Word's table formulas. If you need calculations, keep the table in Word or copy it to Excel instead. If you have already converted and need the numbers back in a table, undo the conversion or manually rebuild the table.