How to Make Automatic Table of Contents for Microsoft Word

Posted by : Dexter Panganiban on September 14, 2007 | ; Filed Under Microsoft Word

Do you know the methods on how to make a Table of Contents automatically in Microsoft Words?

Problem :

Everytime I have to update a certan part of the document, I also need to update the number in my table of contents manually. I need to make it Automatic .

Solution :

By using the Index Table function in Microsoft Word

How :

Go to Insert >> Reference >> Index and Tables

Make the content of your document

After completion identify the level 1, Level 2, etc ( You can see at the left Corner side of your screen the headings will be the main topic

Press Update TOC

Choose Update the whole documents and not just the page, In this case it will update the page numbers in the Index and Tables.

See more tips about How to Insert PDF Files in your Microsoft Word Document

search terms:

automatic table of contents
word automatic table of contents
automatic table of contents word
automated Table of Contents
microsoft word automatic table of contents
automatic table of content
table of contents maker word
microsoft word automatic contents
Microsoft word auto contents
how to make table of content

Tags: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Word Tips, Solution

About the author

Dexter is a person who loves technology,new gadget, SEO, Social Media and Christianity. Follow him at twitter via @techathand and add him @ Google+ and contact us at [email protected]

Interesting Comments

Note : All Comment will be subjected to Tech At Hand Dot Net Comment Policy

24 Responses to “How to Make Automatic Table of Contents for Microsoft Word”

supernoobice on September 15th, 2007 8:20 am

Hey. Good thing everything’s going smoothly now.

Reply
david Ombeni Reply:
November 26th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Thank much,
I simply managed to create automatic table of contents;
your web is user friend

Reply
Dexter Panganiban Reply:
November 28th, 2008 at 8:08 am
You are welcome. I hope you find other contents in this blog helpful also

Reply
Dex on September 15th, 2007 8:26 am

Yes I think It will be ok now. Thanks for the help. I think I have to ask some help in the future regarding the Control Panel.

Reply
Anna on October 9th, 2007 5:34 pm

does anyone know how to do a collapsable TOC in word like we would in Excel with the pulldown menu? Is this even possible?

Reply
dexter on October 9th, 2007 6:38 pm

it might be possible , I will check it out

Reply
ricky on December 29th, 2008 9:39 am

how do make a table of content in mcrosoft 2007?

Reply
ricky on December 29th, 2008 9:41 am

how do make a table of content in microsoft word 2007? please write down the procedures you intend to do.

Reply
Dexter Panganiban Reply:
December 30th, 2008 at 6:54 am
@ricky,
You can see above post. But If it does not work let me know

Reply
ricky on December 29th, 2008 9:59 am

offering 3 viewpoints to get rid of “bad” doings when you are doing a power point presentation.

Reply
ricky on December 29th, 2008 10:03 am

explain the differences between f3 and $f$3 in microsoft excel 2007.

Reply
Dexter Panganiban Reply:
December 30th, 2008 at 6:54 am
@ricky,
if you have f3 alone when you copy it going down the link will be “g3″ but if you copy $f3$ anywhere in the sheet it will still be picking from f3

Reply
akash on April 5th, 2009 8:44 am

How to get Rid of Table of Figures in Table of Contents

Reply
Mehvish on June 10th, 2009 10:31 pm

Hi,
I need to formulate a TOC, which automatically update itself. That means we dont have to click update the page number button to update. Is it possible?

Regards

Maya

Reply
Mehvish on June 10th, 2009 10:31 pm

Hi,
I need to formulate a TOC, which automatically update itself. That means we dont have to click update the page number button to update. Is it possible?

Regards

Mehvish

Reply
Dexter Panganiban Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:34 pm

@Mehvish,
Just follow the instruction above and you can make it like that

Reply
Mehvish Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
@Dexter Panganiban, I have already made the TOC. but my question is after inserting TOC, whenever I change the pages, TOC automatically update itself.

In word to update the changes we have to click either UPDATE ENTIRE TABLE OR PAGE NUMBER ONLY. I want to avoid this step.

I need a solution where after inserting the TOC, it automatically update the changes.

Now if this calls for changes in VB or through micros. I dont have any idea. That where I need your help.

Regards

Mehvish

Reply
Dexter Panganiban Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 12:02 am

@Mehvish,

HHHmmm.. This I don’t have idea, the reason why you are going to this is for safety purpose so that if you did somethign wrong the table will not update automatically
Ashley on May 7th, 2010 5:45 pm

I was wondering if there was a way to change the settings so that you don’t have to hold Ctrl to use the link…Is there a way to make it so that you just click on the link (without using Ctrl) to get to the designated page.

Reply
Ashley on August 19th, 2010 3:28 pm

I was wondering if there was a way to change the settings so that you don’t have to hold Ctrl to use the link…Is there a way to make it so that you just click on the link (without using Ctrl) to get to the designated page.

Read more: How to Make Automatic Table of Contents for Microsoft Word | Tech At Hand Dot Net | Philippines, Technology, SEO and Blogging

Reply
Leslie on May 22nd, 2011 7:10 pm

Is it possible to resize the TOC? If yes, how?

Reply
Dexter Panganiban Reply:
May 22nd, 2011 at 7:25 pm

@Leslie,

Have you tried to adjust the margins ?

Reply
Leslie Reply:
May 23rd, 2011 at 3:07 am
@Dexter Panganiban, Yes but the page numbers of my TOC still appear on the right most part of the page. I would like to have my TOC smaller so it can ‘fit’ my document.

Reply
marianna Stewart on September 21st, 2011 7:38 pm

I need the instructions on how to make a table of contents automatic. I haven’t found them anywhere. Can someone help me?

Reply