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Imagine you have a long document with lots of information spanning numerous pages or you are writing an article that you want your users to be able to navigate through. Inserting a Table of contents in Word is very useful in such situations. It has linked headings and can help you navigate to relevant sections inside the document.
A table of contents is a navigational tool allowing readers to quickly scan the content and find what they want.
A table of contents isn't just for novelists, long legal documents, or dissertation writers. They're a terrific method to keep your writing organized, no matter what it's about.
- How to Insert a Table of Content in Word
- Getting Started
- Steps to Create Headings and Subheadings in Word
- Step 1. Create headings and subheadings
- Step 2. Apply Heading Styles
- Step 3. Create a Table of Content In Word
- How to update the table of contents in the word?
- Customizing the table of contents
- Changing Text Formatting of TOC Entries
- Changing the Number of TOC Levels
- Removing a Table of Contents (TOC) in Word
- Free Table of Content Templates from Microsoft
- Final Thoughts
How to Insert a Table of Content in Word
There are two ways to make a table of contents in Word. You can either create it using the feature provided in Word Application or you can use the word templates which already have a formatted table of contents.
Tables of contents are a terrific method to organize your documents and make them easier to navigate. In three simple steps, we'll show you how to make your own table of contents. Templates are also provided for free at the end of the article.
Getting Started
Below you can see a sample document in which I want to insert a table of contents in Word.
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So before we insert a table of contents. We contented a blank page at the beginning of the document where we are ultimately going to come back and insert a table of contents.
Keep the cursor before the beginning of the content and on insert ribbunder pages section, click on a blank page or page break. This will move the content to the next page.
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It is important to have our pages numbered. A table of contents is closely connected to page numbers as it helps users to effectively navigate to the desired page.
The header and footer area is where we can put page numbers. But I prefer page numbers to be in the footer area at the bottom right-hand corner.
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Goto to Insert menu ribbon, click on the dropdown on Page numbers select either the top of the page or the bottom of the page, and then the simple alignment. In my case, I will choose Plain Number 3.
Alright, so here we've got our page numbers inserted. Now you will see another ribbon named Header and Footer. And here I'm going to click the box that says different first page under the options section because I don't want page numbers on the title page.
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Close my header and footer and my cover page remains unnumbered while the rest of the pages have numbers on the bottom. Our document should now look as shown in the below screenshot.
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Now, let us create headings and subheadings.
Steps to Create Headings and Subheadings in Word
Step 1. Create headings and subheadings
One way to make your content more visually appealing is to apply heading styles. This will help break up your paragraphs into smaller, more manageable chunks. It will also help your readers scan for the information they need.
Heading levels should be used to create hierarchical information, with the most important points being summarized in the heading. The other levels can be used to give more detail about each point.
Heading levels should be used sparingly. Only use two to three levels of headings with font size decrease at each level.
Step 2. Apply Heading Styles
Once we know what are headings at subheadings at each level, we can easily apply heading styles.
The main heading should be in 'Heading 1' style and subheadings will have 'Heading 2' style and so on...
And if you notice up here on the Home tab, in Microsoft Word, you'll see the Styles area. Word has heading styles for 5 levels.
Go through the document and ensure that you have all of the different styles applied to the different headers of the sections of the document that you want to be shown inside the table of contents.
To apply the heading styles, first select a main heading text and click on Heading 1.
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💡 Tip: Now, as you notice, there are some default formatting applied to these Styles. And so, if you don't want to change the font or font size of the headings on your document, you don't have to. You can actually change the font and formatting of the style itself. Just Undo the applied style and to modify the style, select the heading text and go to heading 1 style, instead of clicking on it, right-click and then update Heading 1 to match the selection. This way, you'll see that 'Heading 1' automatically changes to the formatting that I had selected in my document. You just have to do it for the first heading you are applying a style to.
Now select the main heading of the texts on your document and to apply heading styles, click 'Heading 1' in the styles section of the Home ribbon tab.
Similarly, apply the 'Heading 2' style to subheadings. If you have more levels then apply the 'Heading 3' style and so on.
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Once we have applied the heading styles, it's all ready and we can create a table of contents neatly.
Step 3. Create a Table of Content In Word
Inserting a table of contents in Word is a great way to keep your document organized and easy to navigate.
Go to the place where you want to insert it.
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With the cursor at the position where you want to insert the table of contents, click on the "References" tab, and then select "Table of Content."
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You can pick any of them and then you can actually modify and customize them. Let's just go ahead right now with the first one, the automatic one, and you notice that it does create a nice table of contents.
It has all of our headings show up on the top line and some headings show up indented underneath with all the page numbers. So you can select how many levels of heading headers you want to be shown in your table of contents. It's by modifying it and customizing it.
You don't be worriedn't you making modifications to the document and rearranging portions. By clicking on Update Table at the top of the table of contents, you can automatically update it.
How to update the table of contents in the word?
When you click on that. You have the option to update page numbers only or update the entire table. Just update the entire table and click OK.
You'll notice that it automatically updates the heading and any changes. If I had added content that shifted anything onto a different page or different page, number then those page numbers would also update as well.
So this is a quick way that you can't make effective use of your Styles and create and insert a nice table of contents in your Word document.
Customizing the table of contents
How to edit or customize the table of contents in the word? Simple! We can again check on the references tab and then click on the custom table of contents.
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And here is where you have a window that you can come and you can actually modify and customize some elements of the table of contents. For example, if you don't want the tab leaders to be a dotted line, you change it to a straight line or whatever you want to. You can do that.
Changing Text Formatting of TOC Entries
To modify the formatting of Table of Contents (TOC) entries, follow these steps:
1. Select an entire Level 1 entry in your TOC. Make a formatting change, such as changing the font color to blue. Be sure to select only one Table of Contents entry, including the tab leader and the page number. Notice that although the entire TOC might seem selected, the entry you selected will have darker highlighting.
2. All other TOC Level 1 entries will also change in the same way. The TOC entries are linked to specific styles (TOC 1, TOC 2, etc.), which are set to update automatically whenever you make a formatting change.
Changing the Number of TOC Levels
To include only Heading 1 headings in your TOC, without any subheadings, do the following:
1. Go to the References tab, click on Table of Contents, and then select "Custom Table of Contents" near the bottom of the menu.
2. Change the "Show levels" option to 1 and click OK.
3. When prompted to replace the existing TOC, click Yes.
4. Check your TOC to confirm that it no longer includes subheadings, such as any entries labeled "Add a Level 2 TOC."
Removing a Table of Contents (TOC) in Word
In case you want to remove the table of contents from Word for any reason follow the below steps.
You cannot delete a Table of Contents (TOC) in the same way you would delete a picture or other items in a document. While it is possible to remove it, doing so multiple times can cause your TOC to become disorganized. Remember how Word handles all the formatting for you?
When removing a TOC, it’s important to clean up all the associated elements as well. To properly remove a TOC, follow these steps: go to the References tab, click on Table of Contents, and then select "Remove Table of Contents" at the bottom of the dropdown menu.
Free Table of Content Templates from Microsoft
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1. Paper with cover and TOC
This accessible paper template includes a cover, table of contents, and picture placeholder. It can be used to write paper reviews, term papers, and other types of academic papers.
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2. Professional Manual
Create a user's manual, operations manual, or employee handbook using this template. A title page, a copyright page, a table of contents, chapter pages, and an index are all included.
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3. School report with 3D models
With the help of this colorful template that supports 3D models, you can bring your school report to life in three dimensions. Graphs, a table of contents, and a bibliography are included in this template.
DownloadFinal Thoughts
In conclusion, mastering the art of creating a Table of Contents in Word is an invaluable skill that can enhance the professionalism and organization of your documents. By following the simple steps outlined in this blog post, you can ensure that your readers can effortlessly navigate your work, whether it’s a lengthy report, a thesis, or a comprehensive guide.
The ability to automate and update your Table of Contents saves you time and enhances readability, making your writing more effective. As you embark on your next writing project, remember that a well-structured Table of Contents not only reflects your attention to detail but also your commitment to clarity.
We encourage you to explore this feature in Word and elevate your document presentation today.
If you are looking to add a Table of Contents to Blog Articles in WordPress, for more information, you can visit this page: How To Easily Create Table Of Contents In WordPress Without A Plugin. Happy writing!
