Word adding 6pt before to style in table only and cannot over-ride

Jeff Allen 0 Reputation points
2026-09-10T18:42:33.41+00:00

I have a style (Norm) setup with 0pt before / 6 pt after. When using this with ordinary text it works as it should. However, when I apply to text in a table then it changes to 6pt before and a style "Norm + 6 pt before" appears in the style list. If I try to reapply "Norm" then nothing changes. If I try to modify style "Norm + 6 pt before" to have 0pt before then this does not work. I have confirmed that the default is the same as "Normal" (and "Norm" is the same as it happens). This has only just started happening and was not present in earlier versions of Word - so has something changed. Any ideas how to stop this? Using corporate 365 account, so kept up to date with versions!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows
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Levi Cornwell 95 Reputation points
2026-09-10T18:55:26.4733333+00:00

This sounds like the table is applying an extra paragraph formatting rule on top of your Norm style.

I’d check the table style itself first. Click inside the table, go to Table Design > Table Styles, and check/modify the table style’s paragraph formatting. Also select one of the affected paragraphs and check Paragraph > Spacing > Before to see if the 6 pt is being applied directly.

The fact that Word shows Norm + 6 pt before makes me think the 6 pt is coming from table formatting or direct formatting rather than the Norm style itself.

If it only started after a recent Microsoft 365 update, I’d also test the same table in a new blank document. That could help determine whether it’s a document/template issue or a newer Word behavior.

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  1. Stefan Blom 351.3K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-10T19:53:08.6266667+00:00

    As Levi Cornwell suggested, the paragraph spacing may be set by the table style itself.

    To make text formatting inside table cells more predictable, you should also make sure that the font & paragraph document defaults match the corresponding settings for the Normal style. This may sound confusing, but it is an import factor (the explanation is with Word's convoluted hierarchy of styles and formatting).

    In the Font dialog box (Ctrl+D), choose the font and size (etc.) that you want. Click the Set as Default button. When prompted, choose to save the changes to the current document. Similarly, open the Paragraph dialog box and set the appropriate Line Spacing as well as Spacing Before/After. Often, you want "Single" for Line Spacing and zero for Spacing Before/After. Again click Set as Default and choose to modify the current document.

    These steps should make font and paragraph formatting more predictable inside table cells. For example, Word should honor settings applied by paragraph styles that you apply to text inside cells.

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