The table of contents helps provide viewers with a summary of your document. It highlights all the titles and arranges them with the corresponding page number. If required, it also allows the user to navigate directly to a specified page, which is useful for longer documents. Have a plot? Here’s how to create a table of contents in Google Docs and edit it.
Before creating a table of contents in Google Docs, make sure your document’s title is properly formatted. Because the table of contents selects headings from the entire document, if they were formatted with different heading styles, the table of contents would be different as well. To make sure this doesn’t happen, set your heading styles uniformly before you begin.
Once this is done, follow the steps below to create, edit, or delete a table of contents in Google Docs.
Note: Unlike Microsoft Word, you cannot create a custom table of contents in Google Docs. Also, make sure you’re signed in to your Google account before continuing.
How to Add a Table of Contents in Google Docs
Although you can’t add a table of contents in the Google Docs Android app, you can in the Google Docs iOS app. Alternatively, you can also go to Google Docs on your desktop to insert it into your document. Here’s how to do it.
Using the Google Docs web
Step 1: Open Google Docs and click on the relevant document.
Step 2: Then, click Insert in the menu bar.
Step 3: Here go to ‘Table of Contents’ and the available options will show up.
Here, you have three options available. Let’s have a brief look at it all.
Option 1 – Plain Text
Clicking this option creates a basic table of contents in Google Docs.
Option 2 – Dot
Slightly different from the first option, this option will ensure that there is a dotted line connecting the title and the page number. It can also be ideal if you are looking to print this document.
Option 3 – Link
If you want your table of contents to link to a specific point in the document, you can select this option. It is ideal for documents meant to be viewed online. You can add, edit and remove links by clicking on the title option.
Depending on whichever option you choose, you’ll be able to create a basic, dotted, or clickable table of contents in Google Docs.
Also read: Check out these 3 easy ways to add flowcharts and diagrams in Google Docs.
Use the Google Docs app on iPhone
Step 1: Open the Google Docs iOS app and navigate to the relevant document.
Step 2: Here, click on the pencil icon to put the document into edit mode.
Step 3: Then, go to the point in the document where you want to add a table of contents and tap the + icon.
Step 4: Once the Insert menu is open, tap on ‘Table of Contents’.
Step 5: Here, tap on ‘Have page numbers’ if you want to add a basic table of contents with page numbers displayed in front.
Step 6: Alternatively, you can also tap on ‘There’s a blue link’ to create a clickable table of contents. Then, tap on each title to add, edit or remove links as required.
This will insert the table of contents into your Google Docs document.
How to Update Table of Contents in Google Docs
You can always go back and make changes to your Google Docs. This also means that the document content will also be different. So instead of creating a new table of contents every time you make a change to your document, you can simply update or format the table of contents in Google Docs. Follow the steps below to do that.
Using the Google Docs web
Step 1: Open Google Docs and click on the relevant document.
Step 2: Here, click on the table of contents you want to edit.
Step 3: Now, if you want to change the look, click on the three dots icon and from the menu, click More options.
Step 4: When the Table of Contents sidebar opens, use the settings here to change the content type of the table or change the heading style of the selected heading.
Step 5: Alternatively, you can also click on each title in the table of contents to edit settings like where the title should link to and even change the name of the title in the table of contents.
Tip: You can also make the basic table of contents headings clickable in Google Docs. Just select the title and use the keyboard shortcut Control + K or Command + K for Windows and macOS respectively. This will allow you to add a link to the selected title.
Step 6: If you only want to update the table of contents, click the refresh icon.
This will automatically check the entire document for any additional headings and update the table of contents accordingly.
Using the Google Docs iOS app
Step 1: Open the Google Docs iOS app and go to the document you want to edit.
Step 2: Tap the pencil icon to open the editing controls.
Step 3: Then, tap on the table of contents and make the desired changes manually.
Step 4: Alternatively, you can also click Remove link if you want to remove any unwanted links from the table of contents.
Step 5: Once the changes have been made, tap the Done icon.
This will save your changes and close the editing window. While the options available on the Google Docs iOS app are certainly limited, they might suffice if you need to make small changes on the go.
How to delete the Table of Contents in Google Docs
If the table of contents is no longer needed in your Google Docs document, you also have the option to delete it. Follow the steps below to do so using the Google Docs desktop and iOS apps.
Using the Google Docs web
Step 1: Open Google Docs and click on the document you want to edit.
Step 2: Then, click on the table of contents.
Step 3: When the menu options appear, click the three-dot icon.
Step 4: Then, click ‘Delete Table of Contents’.
This will immediately remove the table of contents from Google Docs.
Using the Google Docs iOS app
Step 1: Open the Google Docs iOS app and tap on the relevant document.
Step 2: Then, tap the pencil icon. This will open the editing window.
Step 3: Here, long press and select the entire table of contents.
Step 4: Use the delete or backspace key on the keyboard to delete. Then, tap the Done icon to close the editing window.
FAQ about adding a Table of Contents in Google Docs
1. Why doesn’t Google Docs show the table of contents?
You will only be able to create a table of contents if your document has headings with the appropriate heading style. Once the titles have been added, follow the steps above to create a table of contents in Google Docs.
2. Can you add a table of contents using templates in Google Docs?
While separate templates for adding a table of contents are not available, you can use templates for other features that also allow you to add a table of contents in Google Docs.
3. Is it possible to automatically add a table of contents in Google Docs?
The only way to create a table of contents in Google Docs is to use the methods outlined above. Only then will it be added to your document. You cannot automatically add a table of contents.
Organize your documents
Table of contents is a great way to understand a document at a glance. So we hope our article helped you create a table of contents in Google Docs. To make your documents more comprehensive, you can also check out our guide on creating hyperlinks in Google Docs.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
