You’re staring at that blank white window. TextEdit. Or maybe you're calling it "Notepad" because you just switched from Windows and you're hunting for a way to organize your thoughts without everything looking like a grocery list. Mac users often find themselves hitting a wall when they want to organize data. They want to know how to add more columns notepad mac style, but the app seems... stubborn. It’s thin. It’s basic.
Honestly, Apple doesn't make it obvious. If you're looking for a "plus" button that magically adds a vertical divider, you're going to be looking for a long time. It isn't there. But that doesn't mean you can't get the job done.
Why TextEdit Isn't Exactly "Notepad"
First, let’s clear the air. macOS doesn't have an app called Notepad. It has TextEdit. While Windows users have been using Notepad for decades to jot down raw code or quick memos, TextEdit is a weird hybrid. It’s half-plain text editor and half-basic word processor.
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If you're in "Plain Text" mode, columns are a pipe dream. You’re working with raw strings of characters. But if you flip that switch to "Rich Text," things get interesting. Most people never realize that TextEdit can actually handle tables. That is the secret sauce to adding columns.
The Secret Table Menu
To get those columns, you need to be in Rich Text mode. If your window looks like a typewriter screen with no formatting bar at the top, hit Command + Shift + T. This toggles you into the world of formatting. Now, look at the "Format" menu in your top bar. See "Table"? That’s your golden ticket.
Clicking that brings up a floating inspector. It’s old-school. It looks like something from the Tiger or Leopard era of macOS, but it works perfectly. You can dial in the number of columns you want right there. Want three columns for a comparison list? Just type "3" and hit enter. Boom. Your cursor is now inside a grid.
Making Columns Look Good (And Not Like a Mess)
Tables are ugly by default. They have those thin, black borders that make your notes look like a 1998 spreadsheet. You probably don't want that. In that same Table inspector, you can actually set the border thickness to 0.
Suddenly, your text is floating in perfect vertical alignment. It looks professional. It looks clean. It’s exactly what people mean when they search for how to add more columns notepad mac. You're essentially "faking" a multi-column layout using a borderless table.
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Handling the Alignment Nightmare
One thing that drives people crazy is how text sits inside these columns. By default, it might feel cramped. You’ve got to use the "Cell Padding" slider in that inspector window. Sliding it to the right gives your text some breathing room.
Also, remember that each cell acts like its own little document. You can highlight just one column and change the alignment to "Center" or "Right" without messing up the rest of the page. It's surprisingly flexible for an app that most people dismiss as "too simple."
When TextEdit Just Isn't Enough
Sometimes, you need real columns. Not tables. I'm talking about the kind of columns you see in a newspaper where the text flows from the bottom of the first one to the top of the next. TextEdit can't do that. It’s just not built for desktop publishing.
If that’s what you’re after, you’re using the wrong tool. Stop fighting with TextEdit. Open Pages. It’s free. It’s already on your Mac.
The Pages Alternative
In Pages, adding columns is a native feature in the "Format" sidebar on the right. You just click the "Layout" tab and change the column count. It’s much more fluid. The text flows naturally. If you're writing a newsletter or a complex research paper, this is the move.
But I get it. Pages feels "heavy." You wanted something quick. You wanted a notepad.
Third-Party Apps That Do Columns Better
If you're a power user, you've probably heard of Obsidian or Notion. These are the heavy hitters. In Notion, adding columns is as easy as dragging a block of text to the right side of another block. A blue line appears, you let go, and suddenly you have a two-column layout. It’s intuitive in a way that Apple’s built-in tools aren't.
Then there's Sublime Text or VS Code. These aren't for writing your novel. They’re for data and code. But they have "Split View." If your version of "adding columns" is actually "I want to see two different parts of the same file at once," then Command + Alt + 2 in Sublime Text is your best friend. It splits the editor into two vertical panes.
The "Tab Key" Old School Method
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the manual way. If you're in Plain Text mode and refuse to use tables, you're stuck with the Tab key. But here’s the pro tip: use a monospaced font like Courier or Menlo.
Why? Because in a monospaced font, every character is the exact same width. An "i" takes up as much space as a "W." This means your tabs will actually line up. If you try to use the Tab key with Helvetica or Times New Roman, your columns will look like a jagged mountain range. It’s frustrating. It’s messy. Stick to Menlo, and your manual columns will stay straight.
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Real-World Examples of Column Use
Let's say you're a student. You're using the Cornell Note-taking system. You need a narrow column on the left for cues and a wide column on the right for notes.
In TextEdit:
- Open a Table.
- Set it to 2 columns.
- Drag the middle divider to the left.
- Set borders to 0.
- Start typing.
It works. It's fast. It saves you from having to buy a subscription to some fancy "productivity" app that's just going to distract you with emojis and "AI features" you don't need.
The Problem with "Columns" in Search Results
When you search for how to add more columns notepad mac, you often get results for Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. That’s because the word "column" is so heavily associated with spreadsheets.
But writing isn't accounting. You don't want a grid of 1,000 cells. You just want your ideas to sit side-by-side. Understanding that TextEdit treats "Tables" as its only way to handle horizontal positioning is the "aha!" moment. It changes how you look at the app.
Summary of Actionable Steps
If you need columns right now, don't overthink it. Follow these specific steps:
- Check your mode: Open TextEdit and hit Command + Shift + T. If the ruler appears, you’re in Rich Text. This is required.
- Insert the grid: Go to Format > Table.
- Customize: Set your columns to 2, 3, or whatever you need. Set the "Border" to 0 to make it look like a standard document instead of a spreadsheet.
- Adjust spacing: Use the "Cell Padding" to ensure your text isn't touching the invisible edges.
- Font choice: If you aren't using tables and want to use Tabs, switch your font to Menlo or Monaco to keep things aligned.
- Know when to quit: If you need text to flow from one column into the next automatically, close TextEdit and open Pages. Use the Format > Layout > Columns setting there.
You don't need expensive software to organize your Mac notes. You just need to know which menu Apple hid the features in. TextEdit is more powerful than it looks; it’s just shy.