# Table of Contents

Course: [Word](https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/word) · Section: References
Source: https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/word/references/table-of-contents

> Build a table of contents from your headings, update it, and remove it, then build a report with a contents page in the Chapter 7 project.

A long report without a contents page makes readers hunt for what they need. A **table of contents** (TOC) lists every heading with its page number, and Word can build it for you in one click, then keep it up to date. In this lesson, you'll create, update, and remove a table of contents. At the end, you'll build a report with a contents page and notes in the Chapter 7 project.

Open the **Word sandbox** and follow along. The tools are on the **References** tab.

## Automatic TOC generation

The secret to an automatic TOC is something you already know: heading styles. Word builds the table of contents from your **heading styles**. Every paragraph with **Heading 1**, **Heading 2**, or **Heading 3** becomes a line in the TOC, with the page it's on:

| Heading style | In the table of contents |
|---|---|
| Heading 1 | A main entry at the left |
| Heading 2 | An indented entry under it |
| Heading 3 | Indented again |

Plain bold text doesn't count. That's why using heading styles (Lesson 14) matters: it's the whole basis of the TOC.

No headings, no table of contents. Before inserting a TOC, open the **Navigation Pane** (Lesson 16): if your headings are listed there, they'll appear in the TOC too.

## Create TOC

With your headings in place, the TOC takes seconds:

1. Make sure your headings use **Heading 1**, **Heading 2**, and so on.
2. Click where the table of contents should go, usually on its own page after the title.
3. Go to **References** > **Table of Contents**, and pick a style.
4. Word inserts the TOC, listing every heading and its page number.

In the TOC, hold **Ctrl** and click an entry to jump straight to that heading.

Put the TOC on its own page: insert it after the title, then press **Ctrl + Enter** after it so the first section starts on a new page.

## Update TOC

One thing surprises many new users: the table of contents **doesn't update by itself** as you type. When you add, rename, or move headings, or when page numbers change, update it:

1. Click inside the table of contents.
2. Go to **References** > **Update Table** (or right-click the TOC and choose **Update Field**).
3. In Microsoft Word, choose **Update entire table** to pick up new and renamed headings, not just page numbers.

Make updating the TOC the last thing you do before saving or printing a final version.

## Remove TOC

If you no longer need the contents list:

1. Click inside the table of contents.
2. In Microsoft Word, go to **References** > **Table of Contents** > **Remove Table of Contents**.
3. In the sandbox, select the whole table of contents and press **Delete**.

Your headings stay exactly as they are; only the contents list is removed.

Don't edit the text inside a TOC by hand. Your changes are lost the next time it updates. To change an entry, change the heading itself in the document, then update the TOC.

## Common mistakes

Here are the most common traps, and how to fix them:

| Mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Headings without heading styles | The TOC is empty or missing sections | Apply **Heading 1/2/3**, then update the TOC |
| Forgetting to update | Page numbers or headings in the TOC are wrong | **References** > **Update Table** |
| Typing the TOC by hand | Numbers go wrong whenever the document changes | Delete it and insert an automatic TOC |
| Editing an entry in the TOC | The edit vanishes on the next update | Change the heading itself, then update |
| Body text in a heading style | Whole paragraphs appear in the TOC | Set those paragraphs back to **Normal** |

## Exercise

Now it's time to build a table of contents yourself.

Click **New** in the sandbox title bar, and type these paragraphs:

- `Garden Guide`
- `Planting`
- `Plant seeds in spring after the last frost.`
- `Watering`
- `Water early in the morning or in the evening.`

Now do each task and press **Check**.

## Chapter project

Put Chapter 7 together, with skills from Chapters 3 and 5. You'll turn plain text into a short report with a contents page, a footnote, and an endnote.

## What to remember

- The table of contents is built from **heading styles**.
- Insert it with **References** > **Table of Contents**; **Ctrl + click** an entry to jump to it.
- It doesn't update by itself: use **Update Table** after changing headings or pages.
- Change entries by changing the headings in the document, never the TOC text.
- Removing the TOC leaves your headings untouched.

That's the end of Chapter 7. In Chapter 8, you'll print documents and save them in different formats.