How to Insert Table of Contents in Microsoft Word, by Office Master Tutorials on YouTube. 4 min 59 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 59 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Open your document and apply a Heading style to each section title. Select the title, then click Heading 1 or Heading 2 in the Styles gallery on the Home tab.
Place your cursor where the table of contents should go, usually on a blank page near the start of the document.
Go to the References tab and click Table of Contents in the left side of the ribbon.
Pick Automatic Table 1 or Automatic Table 2 from the menu. Word builds the list from your headings and page numbers.
For more control, click Custom Table of Contents at the bottom of the menu. Set how many heading levels to show, such as 3.
In the same dialog, choose whether to show page numbers and pick a tab leader style, like dots. Click OK to apply.
After editing the document, click the table, then click Update Table on the References tab. Choose Update entire table to refresh headings and page numbers.
Tips and common mistakes
Use the built-in Heading styles instead of bold text, or Word will not detect your sections.
Update the table after adding or removing pages so the page numbers stay correct.
Hold Ctrl and click an entry in the table to jump straight to that section.
Questions
Why is my table of contents empty?
Word only picks up text formatted with Heading styles. Apply Heading 1 or Heading 2 to your section titles, then update the table.
Can I change the table of contents later?
Yes. Click inside the table and choose Update Table to refresh it, or open Custom Table of Contents to change levels and formatting.
Does the table of contents work in the free web version of Word?
The web version has limited table of contents support. Use the desktop app for full control over styles and updates.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
