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Centering data within a table cell or cells in Google Docs is straightforward and easy (i.e., highlight and center).

How would I center an entire table?

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6 Answers 6

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I'm honestly not sure when this was updated, but centering a table directly appears to be possible now.

Simply right-click on the table and go to "Table Properties", "Table Alignment", "Center". Click OK.

enter image description here

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    Well spotted !!
    – Jacob Jan
    Commented Dec 5, 2013 at 13:16
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I just checked and currently it is not possible to do that, on the table itself. There's however a "hack" option available: add a table in a table, see screenshot.

Screenshot

enter image description here

Example

See example doc I've created: table in a table

Note

If you set the color of the grid lines to be white, than it will fade away. It will also give you flexibility to position the table off-center. Also pay attention to the comment made by @MaxMackie.

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    Instead of making the border white, you could just set the size of the border to 0 (making it truly disappear).
    – nopcorn
    Commented Feb 10, 2013 at 21:16
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Finally figured it out after spending a lot of time on the problem. Create a table that suits your needs. It will automatically default to the left side. Highlight the entire table by using the left mouse button. Then go up to alignment tab and hit center or left justification. Simply but hard to figure out.

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Another hack option which I do sometimes is take a screenshot of the table, paste it into paint, cut off the parts captured in the screenshot not belonging to the table, and then save it as a PNG. I then upload the PNG file to the google doc since it allows for the centering of images.

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Highlight the table you want to center. Press the button in-between left and right align. The center button has a long line, then a short line, then a long line, then a short line, then a long line, and finally, a short line.

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    My dear sir. I enjoyed your description of the center button and went to look at it while reading your answer. To my horror - it's wrong. The center button only has a long line, followed by a short line, then a long line, and finally a short line. Please correct this serious mistake.
    – a20
    Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 9:28
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This is not possible in Google Docs at the moment.

A nifty workaround (suggested by Google) is to create a table in your document with three columns. Space the side columns so that the centre column is large enough to contain the table which you wish to have in the centre of your document. Set the border width to 0 (in right click -> table properties) and then insert your table in the centre column of the larger, now invisible table.

For right aligning, do the same as above but make the big table have only two columns, and then space the left column so that you have enough space in the right column to contain your table.

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    Thx for the suggestion Adrian, but it appears your solution has already been suggested by @Jacob above.
    – samthebrand
    Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 18:51

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