Removing a table in Google Docs should take one click, but the command is easy to miss because it isn't on the main toolbar. Google puts Delete table in a menu that opens from the table itself. Here's where to find it on a computer, on Android and on iPhone or iPad, plus what to check when the option won't appear.
Right-click the table in your browser
Open the document in Google Docs on your computer. Right-click any cell in the table you want to remove. Choose Delete table from the menu that pops up. The whole table disappears from the document, and you don't need to select the whole table first, because clicking in any single cell is enough.
Delete a table in the Android app
Use this method when you're editing in the Google Docs app on an Android phone or tablet. It works the same way on both.
Open the document in Google Docs and tap any cell in the table you want gone. In the menu that appears, tap More, then tap Delete table to remove it.
Remove a table on iPhone or iPad
These steps delete the full table in the Google Docs app for iPhone and iPad. Open the document in the Google Docs app. Tap the table once.
Tap the gray bar beside a row or column. Choose Delete table from the menu. If Delete table isn't visible, tap the right arrow in that menu to reveal more options.
Use the keyboard instead of the mouse
Google Docs has no dedicated delete-table shortcut, but you can open the table's menu from the keyboard.
- 1.Place your cursor in any cell of the table.
- 2.On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+X, Ctrl+Shift+\ or Shift+F10.
- 3.On a Mac, press Command+Shift+\ or Shift+F10. On a Chromebook, press Ctrl+Shift+X or Shift+F10.
- 4.Use the arrow keys to highlight Delete table, then press Enter.
Search the menus for Delete table
Google Docs has a built-in tool finder that finds commands by name. Put your cursor inside the table first so the table commands are available.
Click Search in the toolbar, or go to Help > Search the menus. Keyboard users can press Alt+/ on Windows or ChromeOS, or Option+/ on a Mac.
Type Delete table. If the command appears in the results, pick it to remove the table. If it doesn't, right-click a cell in the table and choose Delete table instead.
Fix a missing Delete table option
The usual reason is that you only have view or comment access, and deleting a table requires editing access. Check the sharing status of the file. If it's someone else's document, ask the owner to give you editor permission, then open the file again.
On desktop, make sure you right-clicked inside a table cell rather than on the text around it. The table commands appear when your click lands in the table.
On iPhone or iPad, the command is often scrolled out of view. Tap the right arrow in the menu to see the rest of the options.
Deleting individual rows or columns, hiding borders or clearing the text in each cell doesn't remove the table. Use Delete table to get rid of the whole thing in one go.
Say it with voice typing
This removes a table hands-free on a computer. Open the document in the latest version of Chrome, Edge or Safari, with both your Google Account language and the document language set to English. Check that your microphone works.
Click inside the table you want to remove. Go to Tools > Voice typing. Click the microphone.
Say "Delete table" or "Remove table." Click the microphone again to stop listening. If Voice typing is missing on a work or school account, switch to the right-click method, because administrators can turn voice typing off.
Automate table deletion with Apps Script or the Docs API
For a single table, the menu methods above are all you need. Automation makes sense when you're building a custom tool or cleaning up many documents.
In Google Apps Script, find the right table in the document tab's getTables() collection, then call removeFromParent() on that table object. The script needs authorization and editing access to the file.
With the Google Docs API, retrieve the document using documents.get with includeTabsContent=true and note the table's tab ID, start index and end index. Then send a documents.batchUpdate with a deleteContentRange request covering the whole table. Google's tables guide includes working request examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a keyboard shortcut that deletes a table in Google Docs in one step?
No. Google Docs has no dedicated delete-table shortcut. Press Shift+F10 (or Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows and ChromeOS, Command+Shift+\ on Mac) to open the table menu, then arrow down to Delete table and press Enter.
Why can't I delete a table in a shared Google Doc?
You need editing access. If the owner shared the document with you as a viewer or commenter, you can't delete the table until they change your permission to editor.
Does deleting all the rows or clearing the cells remove the table?
Clearing the cells doesn't. Clearing cell text or removing borders leaves the table in place. Google's Docs API documentation says deleting the last remaining row or column deletes the whole table. In the editor, use the Delete table command to remove the entire table at once.
Does the Delete table voice command work in other languages?
No. Google Docs voice commands work only when both your Google Account language and the document language are set to English.
Can Gemini delete a table in Google Docs for me?
Google documents Gemini for writing, editing and creating tables in Docs, but it doesn't describe a Gemini command for deleting an existing table. Use the right-click menu or the mobile app menu instead.