diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index dcd5e31261..edc73564c7 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ New Features
 
 - Viewer data-menus are now found in the legend on the right of the viewer. [#3281]
 
+- Added 'select_rows' method to plugin tables to enable changing
+  curent selection by indicies or slice. Also added 'select_all' and 'select_none'
+  methods to change active selection to all table items or clear all selected
+  items without clearing the table. [#3381]
+
+
 Cubeviz
 ^^^^^^^
 
diff --git a/jdaviz/configs/imviz/plugins/catalogs/catalogs.py b/jdaviz/configs/imviz/plugins/catalogs/catalogs.py
index 0fdbafbdbf..a70e89e4ee 100644
--- a/jdaviz/configs/imviz/plugins/catalogs/catalogs.py
+++ b/jdaviz/configs/imviz/plugins/catalogs/catalogs.py
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ class Catalogs(PluginTemplateMixin, ViewerSelectMixin, HasFileImportSelect, Tabl
     @property
     def user_api(self):
         return PluginUserApi(self, expose=('clear_table', 'export_table',
-                                           'zoom_to_selected'))
+                                           'zoom_to_selected', 'select_rows',
+                                           'select_all', 'select_none'))
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/jdaviz/configs/imviz/tests/test_catalogs.py b/jdaviz/configs/imviz/tests/test_catalogs.py
index 956c32af68..6fffda86b2 100644
--- a/jdaviz/configs/imviz/tests/test_catalogs.py
+++ b/jdaviz/configs/imviz/tests/test_catalogs.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def test_plugin_image_with_result(self, imviz_helper, tmp_path):
         assert catalogs_plugin.results_available
         assert catalogs_plugin.number_of_results == prev_results
 
-        catalogs_plugin.table.selected_rows = catalogs_plugin.table.items[0:2]
+        catalogs_plugin.select_rows(slice(0, 2))
         assert len(catalogs_plugin.table.selected_rows) == 2
 
         # test Gaia catalog
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ def test_zoom_to_selected(imviz_helper, image_2d_wcs, tmp_path):
     catalogs_plugin._obj.search()
 
     # select both sources
-    catalogs_plugin._obj.table.selected_rows = catalogs_plugin._obj.table.items
+    catalogs_plugin.select_all()
 
     # check viewer limits before zoom
     xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax = imviz_helper.app._jdaviz_helper._default_viewer.get_limits()
@@ -392,3 +392,65 @@ def test_offline_ecsv_catalog_with_extra_columns(imviz_helper, image_2d_wcs, tmp
         assert item['is_extended'] == tbl['is_extended'][idx]
         assert float(item['roundness']) == tbl['roundness'][idx]
         assert float(item['sharpness']) == tbl['sharpness'][idx]
+
+
+def test_select_catalog_table_rows(imviz_helper, image_2d_wcs, tmp_path):
+
+    """Test the ``select_rows`` functionality on table in plugin."""
+
+    arr = np.ones((500, 500))
+    ndd = NDData(arr, wcs=image_2d_wcs)
+    imviz_helper.load_data(ndd)
+
+    # write out table to load back in
+    # NOTE: if we ever support loading Table obj directly, replace this and
+    # remove tmp_path
+    sky_coord = SkyCoord(ra=[337.49, 337.46, 337.47, 337.48, 337.49, 337.50],
+                         dec=[-20.81, -20.78, -20.79, -20.80, -20.77, -20.76],
+                         unit='deg')
+    tbl = Table({'sky_centroid': [sky_coord],
+                'label': ['Source_1', 'Source_2', 'Source_3', 'Source_4',
+                          'Source_5', 'Source_6']})
+    tbl_file = str(tmp_path / 'test_catalog.ecsv')
+    tbl.write(tbl_file, overwrite=True)
+
+    catalogs_plugin = imviz_helper.plugins['Catalog Search']
+    plugin_table = catalogs_plugin._obj.table
+
+    # load catalog
+    catalogs_plugin._obj.from_file = tbl_file
+    catalogs_plugin._obj.search()
+
+    # select a single row:
+    catalogs_plugin.select_rows(3)
+    assert len(plugin_table.selected_rows) == 1
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[0]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.48000'
+
+    # select multiple rows by indices
+    catalogs_plugin.select_rows([3, 2, 4])
+    assert len(plugin_table.selected_rows) == 3
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[0]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.48000'
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[1]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.47000'
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[2]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.49000'
+
+    # select a range of rows with a slice
+    catalogs_plugin.select_rows(slice(0, 2))
+    assert len(plugin_table.selected_rows) == 2
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[0]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.49000'
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[1]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.46000'
+
+    # select rows with multi dim. numpy slice
+    catalogs_plugin.select_rows(np.s_[0:2, 3:5])
+    assert len(plugin_table.selected_rows) == 4
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[0]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.49000'
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[1]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.46000'
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[2]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.48000'
+    assert plugin_table.selected_rows[3]['Right Ascension (degrees)'] == '337.49000'
+
+    # test select_all
+    catalogs_plugin.select_all()
+    assert len(plugin_table.selected_rows) == 6
+
+    # test select_none
+    catalogs_plugin.select_none()
+    assert len(plugin_table.selected_rows) == 0
diff --git a/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py b/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py
index a678570a95..5348957fcd 100644
--- a/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py
+++ b/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py
@@ -4713,7 +4713,9 @@ def __init__(self, plugin, name='table', selected_rows_changed_callback=None,
 
     @property
     def user_api(self):
-        return UserApiWrapper(self, ('clear_table', 'export_table'))
+        return UserApiWrapper(self, ('clear_table', 'export_table',
+                                     'select_rows', 'select_all',
+                                     'select_none'))
 
     def default_value_for_column(self, colname=None, value=None):
         if colname in self._default_values_by_colname:
@@ -4829,6 +4831,45 @@ def clear_table(self):
         self._qtable = None
         self._plugin.session.hub.broadcast(PluginTableModifiedMessage(sender=self))
 
+    def select_rows(self, rows):
+        """
+        Select rows from the current table by index, indices, or slice.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        rows : int, list of int, slice, or tuple of slice
+            The rows to select. This can be:
+            - An integer specifying a single row index.
+            - A list of integers specifying multiple row indices.
+            - A slice object specifying a range of rows.
+            - A tuple of slices (e.g using numpy slice)
+
+        """
+
+        if isinstance(rows, (list, tuple)):
+            selected = []
+            if isinstance(rows[0], slice):
+                for sl in rows:
+                    selected += self.items[sl]
+            else:
+                selected = [self.items[i] for i in rows]
+
+        elif isinstance(rows, slice):
+            selected = self.items[rows]
+        elif isinstance(rows, int):
+            selected = [self.items[rows]]
+
+        # apply new selection
+        self.selected_rows = selected
+
+    def select_all(self):
+        """ Select all rows in table."""
+        self.select_rows(slice(0, len(self) + 1))
+
+    def select_none(self):
+        """ Deselect all rows in table."""
+        self.selected_rows = []
+
     def vue_clear_table(self, data=None):
         # if the plugin (or via the TableMixin) has its own clear_table implementation,
         # call that, otherwise call the one defined here
@@ -4860,6 +4901,8 @@ class TableMixin(VuetifyTemplate, HubListener):
 
     * :meth:`clear_table`
     * :meth:`export_table`
+    * :meth:`select_rows`
+    * :meth:`select_all`
 
     To render in the plugin's vue file::
 
@@ -4898,6 +4941,31 @@ def export_table(self, filename=None, overwrite=False):
         """
         return self.table.export_table(filename=filename, overwrite=overwrite)
 
+    def select_rows(self, rows):
+        """
+        Select rows from the current table by index, indices, or slice.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        rows : int, list of int, slice, or tuple of slice
+            The rows to select. This can be:
+            - An integer specifying a single row index.
+            - A list of integers specifying multiple row indices.
+            - A slice object specifying a range of rows.
+            - A tuple of slices (e.g using numpy slice)
+
+        """
+
+        self.table.select_rows(rows)
+
+    def select_all(self):
+        """ Select all rows in table."""
+        self.table.select_all()
+
+    def select_none(self):
+        """ Deselect all rows in table."""
+        self.table.select_none()
+
 
 class Plot(PluginSubcomponent):
     """