Why are my headings missing from the table of contents?
Usually the heading does not have a Heading 1 or Heading 2 style. Manual formatting alone is not enough.
Create a table of contents
To create a Word table of contents, apply heading styles first and then insert an automatic table of contents from the References tab.
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Environment
Word for Windows
Fast answer
Apply heading styles on Home, then insert an automatic table of contents from References > Table of Contents.
Steps
1
Apply heading styles
Select each heading you want in the table and apply Heading 1 or Heading 2 from the Home tab.
2
Place the cursor where the TOC should go
Usually this is near the beginning of the document.
3
Insert the table of contents
Open Table of Contents on the References tab and choose an automatic option.
4
Update it when needed
When headings or page numbers change, click the table and run Update Table.
Common pitfalls
- Bold text alone does not appear in the table of contents. Use heading styles.
- If you do not update the table after editing, entries and page numbers stay outdated.
What to do next
Instead of stopping on this page, here are three next actions that are easy to take right away.
Check the Word shortcuts too
If you want the same task to take less time next time, review the matching shortcuts while this workflow is still fresh.
Open shortcut list
Handle similar Word tasks together
You can continue into nearby tasks such as page numbers, headers, and spacing without searching again.
Open operation guides
Improve Excel speed next
If you also work with tables often, connecting this to Excel shortcuts and formulas widens the time savings across daily work.
Open Excel
FAQ
What should I do if the page numbers are wrong?
Click the table and choose Update Table. If headings changed, update the entire table.