# How to create a table of contents in Word

Longer text documents with many chapters are usually organized using a table of contents. This provides readers with an overview, which lets them review the document, while providing a reference to where information can be found.

When you create a table of contents, the headings and page numbers don’t have to be added manually. Microsoft Word lets you create a table of contents with its “**References” function**, which will significantly simplify your work. In our illustrated, step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to do it.

## Insert a table of contents in Word

To create a pre-formatted table of contents in Microsoft Word, you should follow these steps.

Note Our step-by-step guide is based on Microsoft Office 2010. However, the “References” function, which automatically creates a table of contents, is included in every current version of Word.

**Step 1:** Move your cursor to where you want to insert your table of contents in the Word document.

[![Image: Microsoft Word 2010](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/3/3/csm_microsoft-word-2010_7c5967ae58.webp "Microsoft Word 2010")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/microsoft-word-2010.png) Microsoft Word 2010 **Step 2:** From the top menu bar, select “References” and then click on the “Table of Contents” option.

[![Image: Microsoft Word 2010: References](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/0/e/csm_microsoft-word-2010-references_61027693c6.webp "Microsoft Word 2010: References")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/microsoft-word-2010-references.png) Microsoft Word 2010: References Step 3: From the drop-down menu, select a format type for your table of contents. Word provides two formats for an automatic table of contents and one format for a manual table of contents.

- **Automatic table:** Pick one of the two formats if you want Word to automatically use your headings to create the table of contents.
- **Manual table**: Choose the “manual table” format if you want to manually fill in the table of contents without the contents of your Word document.

Note Creating a table of contents with an automatic table only works if the headings in your text documents are formatted with the styles provided by Word.

[![Image: Microsoft Word 2010: Format examples for table of contents templates](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/7/f/csm_microsoft-word-2010-format-examples-for-table-of-contents-templates_8064081587.webp "Microsoft Word 2010: Format examples for table of contents templates")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/microsoft-word-2010-format-examples-for-table-of-contents-templates.png) Microsoft Word 2010: Format examples for table of contents templates You can also choose to insert a custom table of contents.

[![Image: Microsoft Word 2010: Dialog box to configure a custom table of contents](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/7/b/csm_microsoft-word-2010-dialog-box-to-configure-a-custom-table-of-contents_0a3d56b2ff.webp "Microsoft Word 2010: Dialog box to configure a custom table of contents")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/microsoft-word-2010-dialog-box-to-configure-a-custom-table-of-contents.png) Microsoft Word 2010: Dialog box to configure a custom table of contents The table of contents in Word will be created in your format of choice at the position of your cursor.

[![Image: Microsoft Word 2010: Table of contents in the “Automatic Table 1” format](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/3/c/csm_microsoft-word-2010-table-of-contents-in-the-automatic-table-1-format_1e6ab7fdfe.webp "Microsoft Word 2010: Table of contents in the “Automatic Table 1” format")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/microsoft-word-2010-table-of-contents-in-the-automatic-table-1-format.png) Microsoft Word 2010: Table of contents in the “Automatic Table 1” format ## Updating a table of contents

To update an automatic table of contents, follow these steps.

**Step 1:** Select the table of contents in your Word document.

**Step 2:** Click on the button “Update Table of Contents…” just above your table of contents.

**Step 3:** Choose whether you want to update only the page numbers or the entire table of contents.

[![Image: Microsoft Word 2010: Edit view of a table of contents template](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/8/0/csm_microsoft-word-2010-edit-view-of-a-table-of-contents-template_87241e1701.webp "Microsoft Word 2010: Edit view of a table of contents template")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/microsoft-word-2010-edit-view-of-a-table-of-contents-template.png) Microsoft Word 2010: Edit view of a table of contents template  Note To create certain text documents you don’t always need Microsoft Word. There are other writing programs that offer a wide range of functions. In our article on [Microsoft Word alternatives](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/free-alternatives-to-microsoft-word/ "Six free alternatives to Microsoft Office"), we take a closer look at the most popular options.


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