How to keep tables when converting Markdown tables to Word

Key points of this article

The Markdown table lacks separator lines or the number of rows and columns is inconsistent. It is easy to misalign after conversion. The source file should be corrected first.
Markdown syntax does not support merging cells, and you need to merge them manually in the editor or Word.
Border and table header styles are often lost during conversion, so check each table after exporting.
After adjusting the table in the UniDoc web editor and then exporting it to Word, the rows, columns and borders are easier to control.
When the table is too wide, shorten the cell text first or split it into two tables, which is more stable than pulling up the width afterwards.

Use Markdown to write technical notes, experimental records or first drafts of reports, and often end up submitting a Word file to colleagues or teachers. When converting Markdown to Word, the most troublesome thing is tables: rows and columns are misaligned, borders disappear, and table headers and body text are mixed together.

This article only talks about tables. After reading, you can determine why the Markdown table conversion error occurred, and preserve rows, columns, and borders before and after exporting to Word. The formulas, pictures and other contents in the document are outside the scope of this article.

How to preserve rows, columns and borders when converting Markdown to Word table? One sentence conclusion

First, correct the syntax of the Markdown table, then import, adjust and export Word in an editor that supports table editing, and finally use Word to open and check each table.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
The table structure is simple and there are no merged cells	Import into UniDoc web editor, export to Word and check the borders	Simple structure and low error probability
The table needs to merge cells	Manually merge in the editor and then export	Markdown syntax does not have a way to merge cells
The text in the cell is too long or needs to be wrapped.	Shorten text or split it into multiple lines before exporting	Long text will mess up column widths, and line break conversion is unstable.
Table is very wide and extends beyond the page	Split into two tables, or adjust the page orientation in Word and check	Exceeding the page width will be cropped or squeezed
After exporting, you have to hand it over to others for editing.	Export .docx and confirm in Word that tables can be individually selected and modified	Make sure it is still the real form when the other party opens it

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Is the table syntax complete: The second row of the Markdown table must be a delimited row, such as |---|---|. Without it, most renderers will not recognize the content as a table, and it will become a string of vertical text after conversion.
Is the number of rows and columns consistent?: The number of vertical lines in each row must be the same as the header. If a row is missing one column, the right side will be misaligned after conversion, and it is not easy to see at a glance.
Is there a vertical bar in the cell: Vertical bars in the text will be regarded as column separators. When vertical lines need to be displayed, write \|.
Do you need to merge cells: Markdown does not support merging across rows or columns. The areas that need to be merged need to be added before and after exporting, and you cannot expect the source files to express them.
End use of the file: If you are only showing it to others, you can focus on the layout; if the other party wants to edit it, make sure that the table is a Word table that can be modified cell by cell, rather than pictures or plain text.

Steps to convert and export Word in UniDoc web editor

Open app.unidoc.top and enter the UniDoc web editor.
Import the content of the Markdown source file into the editor, or paste it directly into the editor to view the rendering result first. If the table still displays vertical text, go back to the source file and correct the separated lines.
Check the number of rows and columns in the table one by one and compare it with the source file. When there are missing or multiple columns, add or delete rows and columns directly in the editor.
Select the cells that need to be merged in the editor and merge them manually.
Adjust column widths so long text can wrap instead of squeezing other columns. When the table exceeds the page width, shorten the text or split the table first.
Check the header and borders. The header row should be distinguished from the main text, and each cell should have a border.
Export to Word format (.docx). If you need to change the table structure after exporting, it is recommended to go back to the editor and re-export to avoid repeated modifications on both sides.
Use Word to open the exported file and check each table to make sure the number of rows, columns and borders are correct.

If you are used to working on the desktop, you can go to download.omnidoc.top to download the desktop client, which includes the UniDoc document editor and the processing ideas are the same as the web version.

You can also use the general method without using OmniDoc for the time being: first correct the table syntax of Markdown, then export it to Word using any editor or conversion tool that supports Markdown, and finally check it item by item according to the list below.

Check each item after completion

Check items	How to see	What to do if there is a problem
number of lines	Compared with the source file, the number of data rows and headers should be consistent.	When a line is missing, go back to the source file and check whether a newline is missing.
Number of columns	Whether the number of cells in each row is consistent with the header	Fill in or delete redundant columns when misaligned, and check for vertical lines
frame	Check to see if every cell has a line in Word	Add borders in the editor and re-export, or set them in Word
Header	Whether the first line is distinguished from the main text	Manually bold, or set to table header style
Merge cells	Table design comparing source files	Merge manually in Word
symbols and words	Are vertical lines, asterisks, and underlines displayed normally?	Check whether escaping is needed and re-export after correction.
table type	Can single-click cells be selected and edited individually?	If it is an image or plain text, go back to the editor and import it again.

Please refer to the source documents item by item for the numbers and technical terms in the table. The conversion is only responsible for changing the format, and the content still needs to be manually confirmed.

🎯 Which method is suitable for you?

Occasionally convert one or two simple tables: Just follow the above steps to import, export, and check. Usually no additional adjustments are needed.
There are many tables in the document and the structure is complex: First unify the writing method of the source file to ensure that each table has separate rows and the same number of columns, then process them one by one, and record the verification results of each table.
Documents requiring long-term maintenance: Tables can be written and adjusted directly in the UniDoc web editor to reduce misalignment caused by back-and-forth conversion.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why does the Markdown table become ordinary text after being converted to Word?

Usually the source file lacks delimiting lines, or there are no blank lines before and after the table. Add a delimited line similar to |---|---|, leave a blank line at the top and bottom of the table, and then convert again.

2. How to display the vertical lines in the table so that they will not be regarded as column separation?

Write \| in the cell text. After importing, check whether this position is displayed correctly and whether the number of columns is not excessive.

3. The table border in Word is missing, can it be replaced directly?

Can. Select the table in Word to add a border, or you can go back to the editor to adjust and re-export. If similar files need to be converted later, it is recommended to confirm the table structure during the source file processing stage.

4. What should I do if the table is very wide and is squeezed into a ball after exporting?

Shorten the text in the cell, or split the table into two. You can also adjust the page orientation in Word and then check the layout.

📝 Summary

Whether the Markdown to Word table can retain rows, columns and borders depends on the source file syntax, post-import editing and post-export verification. By following this article's checklist one by one, most misalignment and missing frames can be discovered and corrected before delivery.

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