How to get Word 365 recognise table pasted from webpage? Otherwise how to realign jagged columns?

Hello Sunny PA Wong,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A.

I understand that you're having some confusions with Word.

Many sites (and your example) use Markdown-style tables (| pipes and a --- separator line). When copied, Word sees plain text, not an HTML table, so columns don’t align automatically.

If you’re copying an actual HTML table from the web, highlight just the table on the page and paste into Word using Keep Source Formatting or Merge Formatting. Word should create a table automatically.

If it still pastes as text, try to Convert the pasted Markdown text into a real Word table:

1. Paste into Word as plain text (Paste Options ► Keep Text Only).
2. Delete the Markdown separator row of dashes (the |---|---|...| line).
3. Select the remaining block of text.
4. Go to Insert > Table > Convert Text to Table Number of columns: 4 (for your example) Separate text at: Other: type a | (pipe) Check Treat consecutive delimiters as one AutoFit behavior: AutoFit to contents
5. Click OK 
6. Tidy up with Table Layout > AutoFit > AutoFit Contents, and Distribute Columns/Distribute Rows. If emoji (✅/❌/⚠️) make a column too wide, set a Preferred width in Table Properties > Column or replace emoji with “Yes/No/Maybe”.

Word on iOS may not include “Convert Text to Table”. Open the file in Word for Windows/Mac (preferred) or Word for the web on a desktop browser to run the conversion, then continue editing on iOS.

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Best regards,

Alex | Microsoft Q&A Support Specialist

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