OmniDocHow to Convert a Word Table to Plain Text
Turn a Word table into plain text rows with a separator you choose, then check for merged cells, stray line breaks and encoding errors.
If you need the contents of a Word table in a plain text file, you may be pasting data into an email, a code comment, a log, or a system that accepts only text. A table with borders and columns doesn't survive that move on its own, and the result is often a jumble of cells. This guide shows you how to convert a Word table to text so each row lands on its own line and each cell is separated by a character you choose.
The method is the same whether your table is short or long. You select the table, run the table-to-text conversion in your word processor, save the output as a plain text file, and check the result. We also cover the copy-and-paste route for when you only need the text quickly, and a PDF route for tables that exist only inside a PDF.
This is different from exporting a table to a spreadsheet or Markdown. Those formats keep the grid structure. Converting to text removes the grid and keeps only the values, arranged in rows and separated by characters.
How do you convert a Word table to text? The short answer
Select the table, use your word processor's table-to-text conversion, pick a separator, and save the result as a .txt file. Each row becomes one line, and cells are separated by the character you chose.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need columns to stay aligned in a plain text file | Convert using tabs as the separator | Tabs line up in most editors and paste cleanly into spreadsheets |
| You are feeding the data to a script or a CSV-based import | Convert using commas as the separator, and quote any cell that contains a comma | Commas are the usual field separator for CSV-style input |
| You want each cell on its own line | Convert using paragraph marks as the separator | Every cell becomes one line, which suits simple lists |
| You only need the text once and don't need a saved file | Copy the table and paste it into a plain text editor | The editor drops formatting, and cells usually arrive separated by tabs |
| The table lives inside a PDF | Export the PDF to Word first, then convert | Text conversion works on Word tables, not on PDF page content |
Before you start
Check these things first. Each one prevents a common problem in the output.
- Confirm it is a real table. Click inside the table and see whether the table's row and column structure appears when you select it. A table made from tabs or spaces in ordinary paragraphs doesn't need conversion; you only need to save or copy the text.
- Look for merged cells. A cell that spans several columns or rows can shift every value after it onto the wrong line. Split or unmerge those cells before converting, and you'll get a clean grid.
- Find line breaks inside cells. If a cell has a hard line break, the text will spill onto an extra line in the output. Replace those breaks with a space if the cell should be one line.
- Decide on a separator. The separator is the character that marks where one cell ends and the next begins. Pick one that never appears in your data. If your values contain commas, don't use commas as the separator.
- Plan the file format. Plain text has no bold, color or borders, so save it as .txt. If the text contains accented letters, currency symbols or non-Latin scripts, plan to use UTF-8 encoding when you save.
Converting a Word table to text, step by step
- Open the document and find the table. Work on a copy so the original table stays intact. Click inside the table to confirm you have the right one.
- Fix merged cells and line breaks. Split any merged cells and replace stray line breaks inside cells with a space. This keeps each row to a single line in the output.
- Select the entire table. Use the table selection handle or drag across every cell. Partial selections convert only part of the table.
- Run the table-to-text conversion. Look for the conversion command in your word processor's table tools. It is usually grouped with the table layout options.
- Choose a separator and convert. Pick tabs, commas, paragraph marks or another character that doesn't occur in your data. The output shows one row per line, with cells joined by that separator.
- Review the converted text. Scan the first few rows and the last few rows. Make sure no cell has been split or merged into its neighbor.
- Save as a plain text file. Use the Save As option, choose a plain text format with a .txt extension, and select UTF-8 encoding if your data has accents or non-Latin characters.
- Open the .txt file in a plain text editor. Confirm the file opens with the same line and separator structure you saw in the word processor.
If the table is inside a PDF, use the PDF editor in the OmniDoc desktop client to export the file to Word. If the PDF is scanned, run OCR first so the text can be read, then export. After export, follow the steps above on the Word version.
Check the result
Compare the plain text file with the original table before you use it. These checks catch the problems that show up most often.
| Check | How to see it | If it's wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Row count | Count the rows in the original table and the number of lines in the .txt file | If lines are missing, look for hidden rows or merged cells, fix them, and convert again |
| Cell count per row | Count separators in a few lines and compare with the number of columns | If a row has extra or missing separators, a cell probably contains the separator character or a line break. Change the separator or remove the break |
| Line breaks inside cells | Look for lines that start with text that should belong to the previous row | Join the lines by hand, or replace the break with a space in the Word table and convert again |
| Accents and special characters | Open the .txt file and check names, currency symbols and accented words | Save again with UTF-8 encoding |
| Numbers, dates and dashes | Compare values with the original, paying attention to minus signs, dashes and decimal points | If a character changed, check whether automatic formatting altered it, then correct it in the Word table before converting |
If you are using the text for translation or for an automated import, check important values before you use them. Plain text removes context, so a value that is correct in the table can be easy to misread once the table structure is gone.
❓ FAQ
1. Can I convert a table to text without a word processor?
Yes. Copy the table from the document, paste it into a plain text editor, and the cells usually arrive separated by tabs. This is quick for a one-time copy, but it gives you less control over the separator than the word processor's conversion does.
2. What separator should I use for a spreadsheet import?
Tabs work well for pasting into a spreadsheet, because most spreadsheet programs split tab-separated text into columns automatically. For a CSV file, use commas and wrap any cell that contains a comma in double quotes.
3. Why did my cells end up on the wrong lines?
The usual cause is a merged cell or a hard line break inside a cell. Unmerge the cells, replace the breaks with spaces, and convert the table again.
4. Does the text keep the table's formatting?
No. Bold, colors, borders and column widths are removed. The text keeps only the values, arranged in rows and separated by the character you chose.
📝 Summary
To convert a Word table to text, select the whole table, choose a separator that doesn't appear in your data, and save the output as a UTF-8 .txt file. Fix merged cells and line breaks first, then compare row and cell counts with the original before you use the file.
