How do I align columns in a Markdown table?

Add a colon in the dash separator row. :--- aligns left, :---: centers, and ---: aligns right. Columns without a colon default to left alignment.

Why is my Markdown table not rendering?

The most common cause is a missing dash separator row under the header, or a data row with a different number of pipes than the header. Check both in the live preview.

Can I put a pipe character inside a table cell?

Yes, escape it with a backslash ( \| ) so the renderer treats it as text instead of a column divider.

Markdown editor guide

Markdown Table Syntax

Write Markdown tables with pipes and dashes, set column alignment, and keep them readable in the editor before you paste.

Direct answer

A Markdown table uses pipes ( | ) to separate columns and a dash row ( --- ) under the header to define it. Add a colon in the dash row to align columns: :--- is left, :---: is center, and ---: is right. Type it in a live editor to confirm the columns line up before pasting.

Open the Markdown Editor

When to use this

You need a table in a README, GitHub issue, or docs page.
You want to control left, center, or right column alignment.
Your table looks broken and you need to check the pipe and dash structure.

Steps

Write the header row with a pipe between each column name.
Add a second row of dashes ( --- ) with one entry per column.
Add a colon to the dash row to set alignment: :--- left, :---: center, ---: right.
Add one data row per line, keeping the same number of pipes.
Preview the table so you can confirm every row has matching columns.

Example

Markdown you type

| Feature | Free | Pro |
| :--- | :---: | ---: |
| Live preview | Yes | Yes |
| Export HTML | No | Yes |
| Price | $0 | $9 |

How it renders

Feature       |  Free  |  Pro
(left)        |(center)| (right)
------------- | ------ | -----
Live preview  |  Yes   |   Yes
Export HTML   |  No    |   Yes
Price         |  $0    |    $9

Common mistakes

Every row must have the same number of pipes, or the table falls back to plain text.
The dash row under the header is required; without it the block is not treated as a table.
Outer pipes are optional but keep them for readability so misaligned rows are easy to spot.

FAQ

How do I align columns in a Markdown table?: Add a colon in the dash separator row. :--- aligns left, :---: centers, and ---: aligns right. Columns without a colon default to left alignment.
Why is my Markdown table not rendering?: The most common cause is a missing dash separator row under the header, or a data row with a different number of pipes than the header. Check both in the live preview.
Can I put a pipe character inside a table cell?: Yes, escape it with a backslash ( \| ) so the renderer treats it as text instead of a column divider.

Related Markdown guides

Convert a Markdown Table to an HTML Table

Related tools

Markdown Table Generator

Build or generate the table before checking its syntax in the editor.

Markdown Table Formatter

Align existing pipe-table columns and fix uneven rows.

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