Formatting Issues

How to Fix Word Table of Figures Omitting Tables or Showing Incorrect Numbers

Nimra Malik Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a document's table of figures that fails to include certain tables from later chapters or displays incorrect table numbers.

How to Fix Word Table of Figures Omitting Tables or Showing Incorrect Numbers

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Generating or updating a table of figures in a multi-chapter document.
Observed behavior: The table of figures is correct for early chapters but omits tables from later chapters or displays incorrect table numbers after updating.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, review your document to identify if any tables are placed inside text boxes or floating shapes, as these are often ignored by the table of figures.

Solution 1Recommended

Update All Fields and the Table of Figures

Often, the table of figures just needs a complete refresh of all background fields in the document to pull the latest caption data.

Word relies on field codes to track captions and compile the table of figures. If edits were made to the document, these fields might be out of sync. Forcing a global update usually resolves simple numbering discrepancies.

Select the entire document

Press 'Ctrl + A' on your keyboard to select all text and elements in your document.

Update all fields

Press the 'F9' key. If your keyboard requires it, you may need to press 'Fn + F9'.

Update the table of figures

If a prompt appears asking how you want to update the table of figures, choose 'Update entire table' and click 'OK'.

Update All Fields and the Table of Figures

Quick Check: Scroll through your updated table of figures to verify if the missing tables now appear and if the numbering is sequential.

Solution 2

Recreate Invalid or Manually Typed Captions

Manually typed captions or captions inside text boxes will be ignored. They must be inserted using the built-in caption tool.

Solution 3

Fix Chapter Numbering and Section Settings

Inconsistent section breaks or broken heading styles can cause table numbers to restart or display incorrectly in later chapters.

Create and Manage Table of Figures Easily with WPS Office

WPS Office provides a highly compatible, user-friendly interface to effortlessly insert captions and generate accurate Tables of Figures for your professional documents without the numbering glitches.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your multi-chapter document.
2. Insert table captions: Select a table, navigate to the 'References' tab, and click 'Caption' to insert a properly formatted caption.
3. Insert the Table of Figures: Place your cursor where the table of figures should go, and click 'Insert Table of Figures' under the References tab.
4. Update numbering anytime: Right-click the generated table of figures and select 'Update Field' to instantly refresh table numbers and page references.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word DOCX files and formattingIntuitive 'References' tab for inserting error-free captionsOne-click Table of Figures generation and seamless updatingFree and lightweight alternative for robust document editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my table of figures say 'No table of figures entries found'?

This error occurs if no captions have been inserted using the official 'Insert Caption' tool, or if the style used to compile the table of figures doesn't match the caption styles applied to your tables.

Can I include tables that are placed inside text boxes?

Word often struggles to read captions placed inside text boxes or floating objects. To ensure they appear in the table of figures, it is highly recommended to place tables and their captions directly in-line with the text.

How do I fix caption numbers that restart at 1 in every chapter?

This happens when your numbering settings are tied to a section break rather than a continuous list. Go to References > Insert Caption > Numbering, and verify that the chapter numbering is linked to the proper Heading style rather than resetting at each new section.

How can I update only the page numbers in the table of figures?

Right-click anywhere inside the table of figures, select 'Update Field', and then choose the 'Update page numbers only' option. This updates the page references without scanning the document for new tables.

Document & File Issues