Quick Fixes for "Table of Contents Not Updating" > 자유게시판

If your table of contents is not updating in your document, it can be annoying, especially when you are working on a long report and need to ensure accuracy. This issue commonly occurs in document editors like 365, but the solutions are often quick to apply. The first thing to check is whether the table of contents was created using the default heading formats. If you used visual styling to look like headings without applying the proper heading styles such as H1, H2, etc., the table of contents will not recognize those entries. To fix this, select each heading in your document and apply the correct heading style from the Home tab’s Styles section.

Once you have confirmed that all headings are properly styled, the next step is to update the table of contents manually. Right-click anywhere inside the table of contents and choose Update Field. You will be given two options: Update page numbers only or Rebuild all entries. If you have added, removed, or renamed headings, always select Rebuild all entries to ensure all entries are refreshed. If the right-click option does not work, place your cursor within the table of contents and press F9 on your keyboard. This keyboard shortcut forces an update and is often the most efficient method to resolve the issue.

Another common cause of this problem is document corruption. In such cases, try selecting every element of your document except the table of contents, creating a empty worksheet, and pasting the content there. Then, generate a new TOC from scratch using the References tab and selecting Create TOC. This method often removes invisible conflicts that prevent the table from updating correctly.

If you are using tracked changes or notes, make sure all revisions have been finalized. Sometimes, unaccepted edits can interfere with how the table of contents is generated. Go to the Changes panel and click Finalize Edits to ensure the document’s structure is finalized. Additionally, if your document contains formatting segments or nested elements such as text boxes, verify that headings are not placed within these elements, as they may not be recognized by the table of contents feature.

Lastly, check your document’s backward compatibility. If your file was created in an previous Word release and is still in compatibility mode, some features may not function as expected. Look at the title bar of your document—if it says "Word 97-2003 Format", click File, then Info, ketik and choose Convert to convert the document to the current format. After conversion, reinsert the contents list to see if the issue is resolved.

By following these steps systematically—ensuring proper formatting, forcing a rebuild, repairing file issues, clearing tracked changes, and converting file format—you can reliably fix most table of contents updating problems. Rebuilding contents after major changes will also help prevent this issue from recurring in the future.