How to Create a Table of Contents That Updates Automatically
Beginner
How-To · Word
Generate a clickable, auto-updating table of contents based on your document's headings.
- Apply Heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) to your section titles via the Home tab's Styles gallery — this is what the table of contents actually reads from.
- Click where you want the table of contents to appear, usually right after your title page.
- Go to References > Table of Contents > choose one of the automatic styles.
- Word builds the list instantly from your headings, with page numbers and clickable links.
- Whenever you add, remove, or reorder headings, right-click the table of contents and choose "Update Field" to refresh it — it won't update on its own as you edit.
Running into an error instead of just needing the how-to? Check our Word troubleshooting guides or the error lookup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to manually update the table of contents if I edit the document?
Yes, but it's quick — right-click the table of contents and choose "Update Field" (or press F9) any time you add, remove, or reorder headings, and it refreshes automatically based on the current heading structure.
Why isn't my heading showing up in the table of contents?
It's most likely not actually formatted with a Heading style (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) — the table of contents only picks up text formatted with those specific built-in styles, not just bold or large text that looks like a heading.
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