What the Gutenberg table block is
The Gutenberg table block is the Table block included with WordPress. It saves a real HTML table in the post. No plugin is required. The Gutenberg blocks guide covers the other core blocks. This page stays on the table.
A table of contents list is a different block, and it is not the Table block. In the inserter, search Table.
- A cell can hold text, a link, and bold or italic. It cannot hold an Image block or a Button block.
- Header section, Footer section, stripes, and a caption are part of the block.
- Merged cells, visitor sorting, and a search box are not.
How to insert a Gutenberg table block
Open the post or page in the editor. The block sits in the Text group of the inserter.
- Click the plus button, or type /table on an empty paragraph and press Enter.
- Enter the column count and the row count, then press Create Table. Rows and columns can change later.
- Click a cell and type. Tab moves to the next cell. Select the table, open Edit table, and choose Insert row or Insert column when you need another.
- Press Publish or Update. Open the public URL in a private window. It worked when the cells match the editor.
If the screen is one large text box, deactivate the Classic Editor plugin and reload. The plus button comes back.
If you do not have WordPress yet, follow how to install WordPress, then come back to /table. WordPress hosting does not need a separate plan for the Table block.
How to style the Gutenberg table block
Select the whole table so the sidebar shows the Block tab. Styling a single word only changes that word.
Turn on Header section to make the first row real column headings. Turn on Footer section only when the last row is a total or a note. Under Styles, choose Stripes to tint every other row. Text and Background live under Color.
Fixed width table cells makes every column the same width. Leave it off when the first column is a long label and the rest are short numbers. Wide and full alignment show only when the theme allows them.
Border and padding appear when the theme has not hidden them. If those controls are absent, header, stripes, and fixed width are still available. Add a caption from the block toolbar: one sentence on what the rows compare.
How to paste a spreadsheet into the Gutenberg table block
Copy the range in Excel or Google Sheets. Click an empty paragraph in the editor and paste. Do not paste into a cell that already exists.
WordPress creates a Table block from the values. Colors and fonts stay in the sheet. A merged area in the sheet becomes separate cells. A formula arrives as the value that was visible, or as text, depending on the copy.
If the paste is one clump of text, undo and paste again on a blank paragraph. For a small grid, press Create Table and type the cells. This block has no PDF export. Printing is the browser, not a table setting.
How the Gutenberg table block behaves on a phone
The block does not restack rows into cards. A wide table stays wide. Preview at a phone width. Many themes already let the table slide sideways inside the content column.
If the page itself grows wider than the screen, select the table, open Advanced, and set Additional CSS class to scroll-table.
On a classic theme, add the rules under Appearance, then Customize, then Additional CSS. On a block theme, use Appearance, then Editor, then Styles, then Additional CSS.
.scroll-table { overflow-x: auto; } and .scroll-table table { min-width: 36rem; }
It worked when the column stays still and the table slides under a finger. If words are crushed, turn off Fixed width table cells.
When to leave the Gutenberg table block
Use the core block for a comparison you type once and never sort. Leave it when a visitor must sort or search, when a cell needs an image or a button, or when one table must feed several pages.
TablePress keeps the table on its own screen and inserts it with a block or a shortcode. Sorting and search are there only when the modules in that version include them. Check the plugin screen before you promise a search box. WebJi® is not TablePress, and this page does not sell that plugin.
| Need | Core Table block | Add a plugin |
|---|---|---|
| A comparison typed in one post | Yes | No |
| Header, footer, stripes, caption, colors | Yes | Often |
| Equal column widths | Fixed width table cells | Depends on the plugin |
| Merge two cells | No | Often |
| Image or button in a cell | No | Often |
| Sort or search for visitors | No | Only if that plugin includes it |
| Same table on many pages from one edit | Duplicate the block | Often one source |
A plugin is another thing to update. Skip it for a short table that will not change.
How to keep a Gutenberg table block accessible
Header section is what makes the first row a header. Bold text in a normal cell is not. Screen readers use those header cells to name the column as they move across a row.
Write a caption that states what the table lists. Do not build a page layout out of a table. Side-by-side text belongs in the Columns block.
Keep the words in HTML. A picture of a table gives a search engine nothing to quote. Put a heading above the table that asks the question the cells answer.
If the Table block is missing on a site we host, email support@webji.services and include the page URL. The mailbox is staffed 24/7 in Hindi and English. Do not call the office number for support.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a Gutenberg table block?
Type /table on an empty line, or open the plus button and choose Table. Enter the column count and the row count, then press Create Table. Click a cell and type. Tab moves across the row.
How do I add stripes and a header row?
Select the table. In the Block tab, turn on Header section so the first row becomes headings. Under Styles, choose Stripes. Text color and background color are under Color. Fixed width table cells is optional and forces equal columns.
Can I paste Google Sheets into the Gutenberg table block?
Yes. Copy the cells, click an empty paragraph, and paste. WordPress creates a Table block from the values. Sheet colors, formulas, and merged cells do not carry over. Pasting into a cell that already exists usually dumps the grid as plain text.
How do I stop a Gutenberg table overflowing on a phone?
Preview at phone width. If the theme does not scroll the table, add the class scroll-table on the block and set overflow-x to auto in Additional CSS, with a min-width on the table. The page column should stay still while the table slides sideways.
Can a Gutenberg table block sort or be searched?
No. Clicking a header does not sort, and there is no search box. That needs a table plugin such as TablePress, and only if that version's modules include sorting. The core block is for a table you read, not a table you filter.
Does the Gutenberg table block need a plugin?
No. It ships with WordPress. Hosting does not need an extra plan for this block. Add a plugin only when you need merged cells, an image inside a cell, or visitor sorting. If the block is missing, the Classic Editor plugin is the usual cause.