Using the Type tool, place the insertion point inside the table you want to convert, or select text in the table.
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Convert tables to text
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to use separator characters to transform table data into formatted text in Adobe InDesign.
This procedure converts an existing InDesign table into plain text with customizable separators. The table structure is removed, and cells are converted to text with your chosen separator characters marking where columns and rows previously existed.
Select Table > Convert Table to Text.
Select the character to insert at the end of each column (typically Tab) for the Column Separator option.
Select the character to insert at the end of each row (typically Paragraph) for the Row Separator option.
Select OK.
Tip
For best results, use a different separator for columns and rows, such as tabs for columns and paragraphs for rows.
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