How to Embed Excel Tables into Word

This video guide shows how to embed Excel tables into Word. The method of embedding a table creates a link to the original workbook. This can result in a broken link if the files move. If the source Excel file is large, it can also make your Word file slow to open, and the table can be slow to edit.

An alternative to embedding the Excel table from your existing file is to insert a blank Excel spreadsheet into your Word document. This can be done by selecting Insert->Table->Excel Spreadsheet from the Word ribbon. You can then copy an Excel table from elsewhere, removing any formulas that would result in broken links. This approach is not suitable if you need the Word table to update in line with your Excel file but, if the figures have been finalised and you're looking to work on a report's aesthetics, it can make sense. As Excel and Word share a common platform in Microsoft Office, our experts can build sophisticated solutions that allow Word to update with live data, without compromising on a Word file's performance.

Note that both methods place an object in the middle of your Word document. If you single-click on the object, Word assumes you want to move the Excel spreadsheet around the page. Re-sizing the embedded spreadsheet has the same effect of adjusting the zoom level within Excel. If you try to adjust the zoom level of your spreadsheet through the ribbon, Word will assume you want to apply the setting to the entire Word document. That means to edit the spreadsheet, you must double-click on the object.

By Ed Bolton, founder of Excel4Business Ltd. Last reviewed September 2026.