How to copy and paste a cell in a table in Word without losing the formatting?

Question

I have a table in a document, in Word 2010.

How can I copy and paste a cell? The whole cell, not its content.

I copy a cell, it has a grey background with hatching ("shading"). Then I paste it over some other cell in my table. Word stupidly loses the formatting. The destination cell is still white.

I have tried the various "paste options" that are proposed at right click. To no avail.

Is there a solution?

Thank you.

[Edited: link to image.]

Solution

You need to copy the content of the cell not the cell itself. This takes a bit of practice and is mightily annoying!

If you see the grey, you've selected too much. The easiest way is to click in the cell and press ctrl-a then copy. If the paste doesn't do what you expect, check what you've set the default paste to. You can, of course, control the paste type after you paste or you can do a paste special.

UPDATE: Oops! Never noticed that ctrl-a selects everything and I've been using Word for decades!

As an alternative. Click at the start of the cell, then shift-end. Then still holding down shift, use the back arrow to go back one. That last part is important as it changes from selecting the cell to selecting the content. I actually tried it this time so hopefully no more embarrassments.

UPDATE 2: Now that we know you want to copy the format and not the content, we can focus on the best way to do that. Which is to create a style and apply the style to all the cells you want to have the same style. You can also assign a keyboard shortcut to a style to make things even easier.

UPDATE 3: Just to be absolutely clear. The format for a paragraph is contained in the (normally hidden) end paragraph mark. It is this that is selected when you do shift-end, turn on visible paragraph marks to see this more clearly. In a table, this changes to a cell marker rather than a paragraph on. To copy the formatting for a paragraph (or cell), you have to include that mark in your selection.

To Turn a formatted cell into a style, show the style panel, select the cell, click on the "New Style" button. The resulting new style dialogue should already be formatted as per the cell. Give this a name and set the shortcut. Save the style to normal.dot if you want it always available otherwise save it to the document. Now in any cell, simply select your style (no need to select the cell) and the cell will be formatted accordingly.

The "extra thought" is a one-off and need never be repeated if you save the style in normal.dot (the default Word template).

Comments

[Nicolas Barbulesco]

2) I click in the cell. I press Ctrl A. This selects my whole Word document, that is the whole table and more.

[Julian Knight]

Why are you copying an empty cell? The rest I've updated.

[Nicolas Barbulesco]

Julian, regarding your variant : 1) The last part is important indeed, it changes from selecting the cell to selecting nothing ; I get back the blinking cursor. 2) After I write some text in the cell, your technique copies the content, but then pasting pastes only the content, not the cell, so I don't get the format of the cell.

[Nicolas Barbulesco]

I copy an empty cell because I want to paste this empty cell. With its format. My cell has a grey background with hatching ("shading").

[Julian Knight]

If you want the format, that is totally different to the content. See my second update now you've shared this critical piece of the jigsaw.

[Nicolas Barbulesco]

I want to copy the cell. That includes its format. Regarding a style, now: I have my cell. Let's say I want to save its format as a style and then to apply the style to another cell. How can I do that? That needs more thought than copy and paste, but that may help.

[Julian Knight]

Please see the next update

[Nicolas Barbulesco]

For the styles: This does not work for me. Where do I find the style panel? I don't have a "New Style" button. However, I select my cell and I "save selection as a new quick style". Then I apply my new style to another cell. The other cell is still white.

[Julian Knight]

Can I respectfully suggest some exploration is called for. I don't have Word 2010 in front of me right now, only 2013. From HOME, click on the small arrow symbol bottom right of the styles list. Then look at the bottom left of the resulting panel. I tried the instructions I gave and it worked.

[Piecevcake]

None of these work in Word 2007 either. Save style only saves the text style not the cell style. Styles does not have an option for cell formats: only whole table, character, paras or list numbering. If 2010 is the same, this answer should be downvoted.

[Piecevcake]

In word 2007 that option is not in paste special?