Weekly Computer Tip # 372
2 July 2012


Repeat a table heading on every page
(Word 2003-2010)

When you work with a very long table that spans several pages, you may find that headers become badly divided between the pages. For example, have you ever copied the header of the first row in the first row on the next page? Only to find that the next amendment you make results in this first row on the second page no longer being the first row and ends up at the bottom of page one? Well, Word has a great feature that will control this for you.

Here's how:

  • Select the row(s) you want to repeat as a heading on every page. (This must include the first row of the table.)
  • On the Table Tools Layout tab, click Repeat Header Rows.

(In Word 2003 the Heading Rows Repeat functionality can be found on the Table menu.)

The headings will not be repeated if you insert a manual page break within the table. So this week's bonus tip (with thanks to Ian for asking the question) is how to use page breaks in a table, yet still repeat a table heading on every page.

  • Move the insertion point to where you want to force a new page.
  • Click on the Paragraph dialog box launcher in the lower right corner of the Paragraph group on the Home tab.
  • Click on the Line and Page Breaks tab.
  • Click on Page break before.
  • Click on the OK button.

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