How to Show Short Figure Titles in a Word List of Figures
Question details
The user wants to display only a short title for each figure in the List of Figures, without removing the detailed explanatory sentences from the actual captions in the document body.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting a professional or academic document where figure captions are lengthy, but the List of Figures requires concise, short titles for readability.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs a method to separate the caption text into two parts: a short title that gets pulled into the List of Figures, and a remaining descriptive text that stays in the document but is excluded from the list.
Ensure you have already added captions to your images using the standard 'Insert Caption' tool, and turn on 'Show/Hide Paragraph Marks' (Ctrl+*) so you can see hidden formatting symbols.
Use a Style Separator (Recommended)
This is the most efficient method. By inserting a style separator, you can keep the short title and explanatory sentence on the same line visually, while applying the 'Caption' style only to the short title.
The List of Figures automatically pulls text formatted with the 'Caption' style. The style separator allows two different paragraph styles to exist on the exact same line.
Type your short title, press Enter to start a new paragraph, and then type your long explanatory sentence. Ensure the short title is in the 'Caption' style and the explanatory sentence is in the 'Normal' style.
Click to place your cursor at the very end of the short title paragraph, right before the paragraph mark.
Press 'Ctrl+Alt+Enter' on your keyboard. The two paragraphs will merge onto one line, separated by a hidden style separator box.
Scroll to your List of Figures, right-click on it, select 'Update Field', and choose 'Update entire table'. The list will now only display the short titles.
Use a TC (Table of Contents Entry) Field
If you want precise manual control over what text appears in the List of Figures without altering paragraph styles, you can insert a hidden TC field.
Easily Manage Captions and Figure Lists with WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides comprehensive and intuitive tools for inserting captions, managing document styles, and generating customized Lists of Figures for your academic and professional reports.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing document containing images.
- 2. Insert captions: Navigate to the 'References' tab, select your image, and click 'Insert Caption' to easily add and customize your figure text.
- 3. Manage text styles: Use the 'Home' tab to seamlessly apply different formatting styles to your short titles and descriptive text.
- 4. Generate the list: Go to the 'References' tab and click 'Insert Table of Figures' to automatically build your list based on your applied styles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my entire long caption showing up in the List of Figures?
By default, the List of Figures pulls all text that has the 'Caption' style applied to it. If your long explanatory sentence is styled as 'Caption' rather than 'Normal', it will be included in the list. Using the style separator limits the 'Caption' style to just the short title.
How do I update the List of Figures after changing the caption?
To reflect your new short titles, right-click anywhere inside your existing List of Figures and select 'Update Field'. When prompted, choose 'Update entire table' and click OK.
Can I use the style separator method for Table captions as well?
Yes. The Ctrl+Alt+Enter style separator shortcut works identically for Table titles. Just make sure that your List of Tables is configured to pull the appropriate 'Table' caption label instead of the 'Figure' label.
What if the Ctrl+Alt+Enter shortcut doesn't work on my keyboard?
If the shortcut fails, you can manually add the 'Style Separator' button to your Quick Access Toolbar. Go to Word Options > Quick Access Toolbar, select 'All Commands', scroll down to 'Style Separator', and click 'Add'.
