How to Fix a Missing or Incorrect List of Tables in WPS Writer
Question details
The user needs to repair a Word List of Tables that is missing, incorrect, or combining entries because the underlying table captions and SEQ fields are broken or malformed.
- Product
- WPS Writer
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user is editing a document with table captions and wants the List of Tables to update correctly.
- Observed behavior
- The displayed List of Tables is missing entries, shows incorrect captions, or combines multiple entries on one line; deleting the displayed list does not solve the underlying field or caption problem.
Make a copy of the document and open it in WPS Writer. Press Alt+F9 to display field codes so you can inspect the SEQ fields and caption text behind the List of Tables.
Recreate Missing or Incorrect Table Captions and SEQ Fields
Use this method when entries are missing from the List of Tables or the list shows wrong caption text because a caption field is missing or broken.
A List of Tables is generated from table captions and their SEQ fields. If any caption is typed manually or loses its field code, the list cannot collect or sort that entry properly.
Open the affected document in WPS Writer and press Alt+F9 to display field codes instead of field results.
Click inside each table caption and verify that it contains a SEQ field, such as { SEQ Table \* ARABIC }, and that the visible label matches the caption series.
Delete the incorrect caption text, type the correct caption prefix, for example Table, then click the Insert tab > Field, choose SEQ, and set the identifier to Table.
Click inside the List of Tables, press F9, and select Update entire table to regenerate all entries from the corrected captions.
Use a Style Separator or Hidden Formatting to Control List Text
Use this when the list shows an entire caption paragraph but you only want part of that caption to appear as the list entry.
Repair a Missing or Incorrect List of Tables in WPS Writer
Open your Word document in WPS Writer, inspect and recreate the table caption SEQ fields, and update the List of Tables so the entries appear correctly before saving back to Word format.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download WPS Office from the official WPS website and install it on your computer.
- 2. Open the affected document: Launch WPS Writer and open the Word document that has the missing or incorrect List of Tables.
- 3. Inspect and fix caption fields: Press Alt+F9 to show field codes, then recreate any missing or incorrect table caption SEQ fields and caption text.
- 4. Update the List of Tables: Click inside the list and press F9, then choose Update entire table to regenerate the entries.
- 5. Save or share the corrected document: Save the document as a Word-compatible .docx file or export it as a PDF with the corrected List of Tables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my List of Tables still show wrong entries after I delete and reinsert it?
The list is generated from caption text and SEQ fields. Deleting the displayed list does not repair captions. Press Alt+F9 in WPS Writer to inspect field codes, fix missing SEQ Table fields, then click the list and press F9 to update it.
How do I display field codes in WPS Writer?
Press Alt+F9 on your keyboard. To switch back to field results, press Alt+F9 again. You can also right-click a field result and choose Toggle Field Codes if the command is available in the context menu.
How can I stop multiple table entries from appearing on one line in the List of Tables?
Each table caption must be a separate paragraph. On the Home tab, click Show/Hide Paragraph Marks and make sure there is a paragraph break or proper style separator between captions, then update the list with F9.
Can I hide part of a table caption from the List of Tables?
Yes. In WPS Writer, select the text that should not appear in the list, open the Font dialog box, and mark it as Hidden; then update the List of Tables. A style separator can also work where available.
