Formatting Issues

How to Fix Different Table of Contents Colors in Kindle Previewer

Muhammad Talha Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to fix inconsistent font colors appearing in the Table of Contents when previewing a document in Kindle Previewer.

How to Fix Different Table of Contents Colors in Kindle Previewer

Product: Word / Kindle Previewer
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Publishing a document to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and previewing the eBook formatting.
Observed behavior: Table of contents entries appear in different, inconsistent colors in Kindle Previewer because the software treats them as hyperlinks, overriding standard document styles.

Before you start

Ensure your manuscript is saved in a standard DOCX format and keep the Styles pane open in your word processor to easily access your Table of Contents formatting options.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify TOC Styles and Set Explicit Font Colors

Set a fixed font color for all Table of Contents levels to prevent Kindle Previewer from overriding them with its default hyperlink styles.

Because Kindle treats Table of Contents entries as clickable hyperlinks, it often ignores "Automatic" text colors. By explicitly defining the color for each TOC level in your word processor, you force Kindle to respect your formatting.

Open the Styles Pane

In your word processor, navigate to the Home tab and click the small arrow icon in the bottom right corner of the Styles group to open the Styles pane.

Locate TOC Styles

Scroll through the list to find the styles named TOC 1 through TOC 9. If you don't see them, click 'Options' at the bottom of the pane and choose to show 'All styles'.

Modify the Font Color

Right-click the TOC style you are using (e.g., TOC 1) and select 'Modify'. In the formatting window, change the font color dropdown from 'Automatic' to a specific color like Black. Click 'OK'.

Update the Table of Contents

Right-click anywhere inside your Table of Contents in the document and select 'Update Field', then 'Update entire table' to apply the newly defined styles.

Modify TOC Styles and Set Explicit Font Colors

Preview in Web Layout: Switch your document view to Web Layout before publishing. This view closely mimics how e-readers process HTML and can reveal underlying hyperlink color issues.

Solution 2

Recreate the Table of Contents

If modifying styles does not resolve the color mismatch, generating a fresh Table of Contents can clear hidden XML formatting conflicts.

Professional Document Formatting

Format Your eBook Flawlessly with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides advanced style management and document formatting tools, ensuring your Table of Contents looks perfect and functions correctly before exporting to Kindle Previewer.

1. Open your manuscript: Launch WPS Writer and open your DOCX manuscript file.
2. Manage Styles: Click the Home tab and open the Styles and Formatting pane to locate your active TOC and Hyperlink styles.
3. Adjust TOC colors: Hover over the TOC styles, click the dropdown arrow, select Modify, and set your desired explicit font color.
4. Export for Kindle: Save your meticulously formatted document as a DOCX, perfectly prepped for Kindle Direct Publishing.

Easily modify TOC 1-9 styles with an intuitive, user-friendly interface.Seamlessly preview documents in Web Layout to mimic eBook formats.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word DOCX formats for KDP publishing.Free, lightweight, and fast suite for all your writing and publishing needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Kindle Previewer change my font colors?

Kindle Previewer treats Table of Contents entries and URLs as clickable hyperlinks. If the font color in your document is set to 'Automatic', Kindle applies its own default hyperlink colors (often blue), which can result in mismatched text.

Will the final published eBook look exactly like the Kindle Previewer?

Not always. While Kindle Previewer is highly accurate, different Kindle devices and apps (like Paperwhite vs. iPad Kindle app) apply their own user-selected themes, dark modes, and link colors. The final appearance may vary depending on the reader's device settings.

Does modifying the 'Hyperlink' style fix the TOC color?

Sometimes. Since TOC entries act as links, adjusting the base 'Hyperlink' style in the Styles pane to match your standard text color can help override Kindle's default link formatting across the entire document.

Document & File Issues