A table of contents in Google Docs is built from the headings in your document. Style your section titles as headings first, then insert the table from the Insert menu on a computer.
Style your section titles as headings first
According to Make Tech Easier, Google Docs builds the table of contents from the Heading styles.
If a section is missing from your table of contents, check whether its title was given a Heading style. If it wasn't, select the title and apply one. Doing this before you insert the table saves you a round of fixes later.
Insert the table of contents on a computer
Make Tech Easier says to go to Insert > Table of Contents and choose one of three styles:
- With page numbers
- With dotted lines leading to the page numbers
- With blue links, which are hyperlinked headings without page numbers
To get the classic book-style layout with dotted lines, pick the dotted-lines option. If your document will mostly be read on screen, the linked version without page numbers is the simpler choice. If you want page numbers in the footer as well, see how to add page numbers in Google Docs.
Put your cursor where the table should go, usually just below the title, before you open the Insert menu.
Google's own steps for computers are on the desktop version of its help page. Check there if the menu wording in your copy of Docs differs.
Refresh the table after you edit
The table of contents does not update automatically, according to Make Tech Easier. After you add, rename, move or delete headings, the table can still show the old entries.
Google's desktop help page covers how to bring the table up to date. Make this the last step before you share or print the document.
