How to Insert Table of Contents in Word Document on Mac or Windows

Graduation coming, the most important thing for students is to writer a paper and how to insert table of contents in their paper. It is an indispensable part of long documents, helping readers to sort through the overall structure of the article and quickly locate and find the content in the document. What's more, a table of contents also creates links for each section, allowing you to navigate to different parts of your document.It is a good choice to use Microsoft Office and WPS Office Writer when we want to make table of contents in word document.

However, Microsoft Word Online can not insert a TOC, so if you want to insert a TOC, you have to do that in Word for desktop.Today's article will talk about how to insert table of contents in word document on Mac or Windows.

How to add a table of contents in Word on Windows

Microsoft Office works seamlessly on Windows-powered systems. No one can deny the importance of this software and it is installed on every system out there. Using MS Word like a pro requires some skills and presenting a document in a visually-pleasing way needs some mandatory parts in a document like the table of content, header and footer, references, and more.

Below is the stepwise guide to elaborate on How to Add a Table Of Content in Word on Windows.

• Open MS Word on your PC and put your mouse cursor where you want to add a table of content.

• Click on the References tab, and then select Table of Content from the start of the menu. Choose an automatic style.

• It will automatically create a table of content. Moreover, if you want to make changes to your document that affect the table of contents, update the table of contents by right-clicking the table of contents and choosing Update Field.

Pros

• Automatic updates

• Consistent formatting

• Customization options

• Efficient Way

Cons

• Limited Control over formatting options

• Difficult for beginners

How to add a table of contents in Word on Mac

If you are a Mac user, MS Word is an essential application for the day to day tasks. You need to upskill your Word game by making your document self-explanatory by adding a table of content. Below is the easy method to add a table of content in Word on Mac.

• Open Word on your Mac system and same as Windows, move your cursor where you want to create a table of content.

• Click on References, and then opt for Table of Content and select Automatic Table of Contents style from the list.

• This table of content is customizable and you can change its font style, shape, and color. Moreover, you can also customize the number of headings levels.

How to add a table of contents in Word on a mobile device

MS Word is not only a desktop application but is also available for handheld devices like Android and iOS. The smartphone and desktop versions have differences in terms of features, functionality, and user experience due to the varying device capabilities and usage scenarios. However, you can create a table of content in both iOS and Android. Below are stepwise guides on how to add a table of content in Word on mobile devices.

On Android

• Download MS Office on your Android smartphone from Google PlayStore.

• Open MS Word on your device and tap where you want to create a table.

• Then click Insert and click on Table.

On iOS

• Open MS Word on your iPhone.

• Create a blank document and then click where you want to insert it.

• Then click on the edit icon in MS Word.

• It will open a new window with multiple options. Click on Home.

• In the Home menu, click on Insert and then Insert table.

How to add a table of contents in Word using WPS?

WPS Office is a free software to cover 360-degree office needs. It is a powerful and user-friendly word-processing software that offers robust features for creating and customizing the Table of Contents in your documents.  Creating a navigational table of content enable you to provide a straightforward and efficient way to organize and navigate your content.

How to insert a table of contents in a Word document?

As MS Word and Word Processing applications from WPS Office are pretty much the same, the process of creating a table of content is also identical. Follow the below-mentioned steps to know How to add a table of content in Word in WPS Office.

• Open a blank document in your WPS Office Word Processor.

• Click on the area where you want to create the table of content. Go to the References tab, and then click on the Table of Content menu.

• You can choose between the types of table of contents as there are three different styles including Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 headings.

• After selecting the desired style, click on it and then you will have a table of content added to your Word document.

How to Customize the Table Of Contents?

The default table of content is a simple yet impressive one but if you want to customize the table of content, it is very easy to customize in the WPS Office word processor. Follow the below-mentioned steps to customize your table of content.

• After adding the table, again click on Table of Content in the References tab, and in the drop-down menu, click on Insert Table of Content.

• There you can see multiple customization options like you can change the Tab Leader style. It also lets you adjust the show levels as desired. As soon as you make changes, all these changes reflect in the Print Preview.

• If you click on Options, it will give you additional options to customize your table of content like changing the heading styles while showing the Table of content level.

Why Choose WPS?

WPS Office is a famous word processing software and an excellent alternative to MS Word and it comes with an array of undeniable advantages. Some of them are listed below.

Compatibility

WPS Office is reverse compatible with different formats of MS Word including “.doc” and “.docx” and it allows you to open, edit, and save files in these formats.

Cloud Integration

WPS Office integrates with cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive and enables users to save, access, and sync their documents across multiple devices, ensuring flexibility and accessibility.

Lightweight and Fast

Unlike MS Word, WPS Office is known for its fast loading times and responsiveness. The software is relatively lightweight compared to some other office suites, consuming fewer system resources and providing a smooth user experience.

Collaboration

It supports real-time collaboration allowing multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously. Moreover, users can track changes, leave comments, and share documents easily, enhancing productivity and teamwork.

Cross Platform Support

WPS Word Processor is available for various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. This feature allows users to access and edit their documents on different devices seamlessly.

FAQs

1. Can I add a table of contents to an existing document?

Yes, you can add a table of contents to an existing document in WPS Office Word.

Place the cursor at the location in your document where you want the table and go to the "References" tab in the toolbar. Then click on the "Table of Contents" button and select the desired style for your table of contents.

2. How can I change the appearance of the table of contents?

To change the appearance of the table of contents in Word select the table of contents in your document., then go to the "References" tab in the toolbar.

Click on the "Table of Contents" button and choose "Custom Table of Contents" from the dropdown menu. You can modify the formatting options, such as font, size, style, indentation, and alignment. Click the OK button to apply changes.

3. Is it possible to add subheadings to the table of contents?

Yes, it is possible to add subheadings to the table of contents in Word. In your document, format the subheadings using appropriate heading styles. Then update the table of contents by selecting it and clicking on the "Update Table" option or by right-clicking on the table and selecting the "Update Field" option.

4. What should I do if the table of contents is not updating automatically?

If your table of content is not updating automatically, then select the table of contents in your document and head to the "References" tab. Select the "Table of Contents" button and choose "Update Table" from the dropdown menu. If prompted, select the option to update the entire table.

Summary

Microsoft Word is essential software that you can use to create Word documents. Using MS Word like a pro requires some skills that will make your document stand out among the rest. Proper formatting, page numbering, logical headings with subheadings, and a comprehensive table of content makes a document more concise and visually pleasing. This tutorial has explained how to create a table of content in Word using different platforms and it is an easy process.

If you don’t have MS Word on your PC, you should try WPS Office which is a free alternative to MS Word. WPS Office has a powerful Word processor with a rich feature set and it is compatible with MS Word as well. It is lightweight comparatively and very fast to keep you going no matter how massive your document is.