The Stubborn Formatting
When working with tables in Google Docs, you might occasionally want to create a simple grid for layout purposes without any distinct headers. However, if you insert a table and immediately begin typing bold text in the top row, or apply a background color to the first row, Google Docs often attempts to be “helpful” by automatically defining that top row as a “Header Row.” While this is useful for long tables that span multiple pages (as it repeats the header), it is frustrating if you did not want a header. Docs will stubbornly pin that row to the top of subsequent pages, ruining your custom grid layout.
Unpinning the Table Header
To maintain a simple, unformatted grid and stop Google Docs from automatically treating your top row as a repeating header row, you must explicitly disable the header row property within the table settings.
If Docs has already converted your top row, you need to strip the property. Click anywhere inside the very top row of your table so the blinking text cursor is active within a cell. Now, right-click (or two-finger tap on a trackpad) inside that cell to bring up the context menu. Near the bottom of this menu, select Table properties. A side panel will slide out on the right side of your screen. Expand the section in the panel labelled Row. Look for the checkbox option explicitly labelled Pin header row(s). Click this checkbox to completely uncheck it. The row will instantly stop repeating across page breaks, and Google Docs will treat it as a standard data row, respecting your layout decisions.