Add numbers to headings

List with numbered headings

If you use built-in Microsoft Word heading styles to format headings in a document, you can automatically number headings with the numbering format you choose.

If you've created custom styles for the headings, you can still add numbers to the headings by linking each heading to a numbered format.

Create numbered headings with built-in heading styles

  1. On the Format menu, click Bullets and Numbering, and then click the Outline Numbered tab.
  2. Click a numbering format that contains the text "Heading 1", "Heading 2", and so on, and then click OK.
  3. Type the text you want for the numbered heading, and then press ENTER.
  4. To add the next numbered heading, click the arrow next to the Style box and select the style you want.
  5. To move a heading to the appropriate numbering level, do one of the following on the Formatting toolbar:

    To demote the heading to a lower numbering level, select the heading, and click Increase Indent or press the TAB key.

    To promote the heading to a higher numbering level, select the heading, and click Decrease Indent or press SHIFT+TAB.

Add numbers to headings with custom heading styles

Use this procedure if the headings in the document are formatted with custom heading styles created by you or someone else, not with built-in Word heading styles.
  1. On the Format menu, click Bullets and Numbering, and then click the Outline Numbered tab.
  2. Click a numbering format.
  3. Click Customize.
  4. In the Level or the Preview box, click the heading level you want to number.

    For example, if you want to number the top-level heading style in your document, which you've named "My Style 1," click 1 in the Level box.

  5. If the dialog box is not fully expanded, click More.
  6. In the Link level to style box, click the style that corresponds to the level you selected in step 4.

    For example, if you clicked 1 in the Level box, click My Style 1.

  7. Repeat steps 4 through 7 for each heading style in the document.
  8. To move a heading to the appropriate numbering level, do one of the following on the Formatting toolbar:

    To demote the heading to a lower numbering level, select the heading, and click Increase Indent or press the TAB key.

    To promote the heading to a higher numbering level, select the heading, and click Decrease Indent or press SHIFT+TAB.

Note   You can modify the predefined Word list formats that appear on the Outline Numbered tab by clicking Customize in the Bullets and Numbering dialog box.