Converting a table to text removes the grid structure and replaces it with plain paragraphs or separated values
When you convert a table in Microsoft Word to text, the program removes the cell borders and column alignment, leaving you with the content in a linear format. Word gives you three ways to do this: you can replace the cell dividers with a specific character (like a comma or tab), delete the table structure entirely and keep only the text, or copy the table into a plain text editor where the formatting strips away automatically.
The method you choose depends on what you want to do with the data afterward. If you need to move the information into a spreadsheet or database, you'll want delimiters (separators between values). If you just need the words without any structure, plain deletion works. If you're concerned about what metadata Word embeds in the file, copying into a text editor gives you the cleanest result.
Key Takeaways
- Word's "Convert" menu lets you replace table cells with tabs, commas, or other characters without losing the data itself.
- Deleting a table while keeping its text is a one-step process that leaves you with plain paragraphs instead of rows and columns.
- Copying a table into Notepad or another plain text editor automatically strips all formatting and table structure.
- The delimiter you choose (tab, comma, paragraph mark) affects how the data will look if you import it elsewhere later.
Using Word's Convert Table to Text feature
Open the document containing the table and click anywhere inside it. Go to the Table Design tab at the top of the ribbon (in newer versions of Word) or the Table menu (in older versions). Look for a button or option labeled Convert — in Word 2019 and later, this is under Table Design on the right side of the ribbon. In Word 2010 and 2016, it's under the Table menu.
Click Convert and then select Table to Text. A dialog box will appear asking what character you want to use to separate the cell contents. Your options are typically Paragraph marks (each cell becomes its own line), Tabs (cells are separated by tab spaces, useful for spreadsheets), Commas (standard for CSV files), or Other (where you can type a custom character). Choose the separator that matches what you'll do with the text next, then click OK.
Word will when ready convert the table. The rows become lines, and the columns are separated by whatever character you selected. If you chose tabs or commas, the data will paste cleanly into Excel or Google Sheets. If you chose paragraph marks, each cell's content starts on a new line.
Deleting the table while keeping the text
If you don't need any structure at all and just want the words without the grid, you can delete the table directly. Click anywhere in the table, then right-click and select Delete Table, or go to Table Design (or Table menu in older Word) and choose Delete > Delete Table.
Word will ask if you want to delete the table or just clear its contents. Select Delete Table. The grid disappears, but all the text remains in the document as regular paragraphs. The content from each cell flows into the body text in the order it appeared in the table (left to right, top to bottom). This method is fastest if you only care about preserving the words, not their original arrangement.
Copying the table into a plain text editor for the cleanest result
If you want to remove not just the table structure but also any hidden formatting Word might have embedded, copy the table into a plain text editor like Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac, set to plain text mode). Select the entire table by clicking the table selector icon (small square in the top-left corner of the table) or by clicking inside the table and pressing Ctrl+A twice. Then press Ctrl+C to copy.
Open Notepad or another plain text editor and paste with Ctrl+V. The table structure will convert to tab-separated text automatically — each row becomes a line, and columns are divided by tabs. This method strips away all Word formatting, styles, and metadata, leaving only the raw text. If you then save this file as .txt, you have a document with no hidden information that Word added.
After pasting into plain text, you can copy the result back into Word if you need to, or save it as a .txt file, or import it directly into a spreadsheet. The data is now completely separated from Word's formatting layer.
Choosing the right delimiter for your next step
Paragraph marks work best if you want each cell's content on its own line in a regular Word document. Use this if you're converting a table to a bulleted list or a series of separate paragraphs.
Tabs are the standard choice if you plan to move the data into Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet program. Spreadsheets recognize tab-separated values and automatically place each value in its own cell. This preserves the table's row-and-column structure in a new format.
Commas create a CSV (comma-separated values) file format, which is also spreadsheet-friendly and works well for databases and data analysis tools. Use commas if your data contains no commas itself — if your cells include commas, tabs are safer because they're less likely to appear in the actual content.
Custom characters are useful if you have a specific format in mind. For example, some systems use pipes (|) or semicolons (;) as delimiters. Check the documentation for whatever program you're importing into to see what it expects.
What happens to merged cells and complex table layouts
If your table has merged cells (cells that span multiple rows or columns), Word handles the conversion by treating the merged cell as a single unit. The content of the merged cell appears once in the converted text, aligned with the first row or column it occupied. The structure of the merge is lost, but the data itself remains intact.
Tables with nested tables (a table inside a table) convert less predictably. Word may flatten the structure or separate the nested content in ways that don't match your original layout. If you have a complex table, test the conversion on a copy first to see how Word handles it. If the result isn't what you need, you may need to manually reorganize the data after conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a table conversion if I change my mind?
Yes. Press Ctrl+Z when ready after converting to undo the change. Word keeps the undo action available for several steps back, so you can reverse the conversion as long as you haven't closed and reopened the document. If you've already closed the file, the conversion is permanent unless you saved a backup.
What if my table has data in different languages or special characters?
The conversion preserves all text, including special characters, accents, and non-Latin scripts. The delimiter you choose (tab, comma, etc.) remains the same regardless of the content. If you're moving the data to another program, make sure that program is set to read the same character encoding (usually UTF-8) to avoid garbled text.
Does converting a table to text remove any information?
The actual cell content stays intact, but formatting like bold, italics, colors, and cell shading is lost. The table's structure (which data was in which row and column) is replaced by the delimiter you chose. If you need to preserve formatting, keep a copy of the original table before converting.
Can I convert only part of a table, not the whole thing?
Word's Convert feature works on the entire table at once. If you need to convert only some rows or columns, select and copy just that portion into a new table, then convert the smaller table. Alternatively, delete the rows and columns you don't need before converting the whole table.
What's the difference between converting to text and just copying and pasting the table?
Copying and pasting a table into another Word document keeps the table structure and formatting. Converting to text removes the table grid and replaces cell dividers with your chosen delimiter. Use Convert when you want plain text; use copy-paste when you want to keep the table layout.