Office for Mac Issues

How to Fix Word for Mac TOC Level 9 Ignoring TOC 9 Style

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a formatting issue where a specific level in a multilingual table of contents ignores the designated style and adopts direct field formatting.

Product: Word for Mac
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Creating a second multilingual table of contents using TOC levels 6 through 9.
Observed behavior: TOC Level 9 displays the font defined directly in the TC field instead of the correct formatting assigned to the TOC 9 style.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, ensure your document is saved and enable the display of hidden text and field codes so you can properly inspect the actual TC field entries.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Direct Formatting from TC Field Codes

Direct font formatting applied within the TC field code can override the TOC style. Removing it forces Word to use the designated TOC 9 style.

When manually generating TC fields, hidden direct character formatting is sometimes carried over. Word prioritizes this direct formatting over the TOC paragraph styles when generating the table of contents.

Display hidden text and field codes

Go to the Home tab and click the Show/Hide ¶ button, or press Command + 8 on your Mac keyboard to reveal all hidden formatting marks and TC field codes.

Inspect and clear direct formatting

Locate the TC field code for your level 9 entry. Select the text within the curly brackets of the field and press Ctrl + Spacebar (or use the Clear All Formatting button on the Home tab) to strip away any direct font formatting.

Update the Table of Contents

Right-click anywhere on your table of contents, select 'Update Field', and then choose 'Update entire table'. The TOC 9 style should now apply correctly.

Formatting Cleared: By removing the hardcoded font styling, the TOC generator will seamlessly adopt your global TOC 9 style rules.

Solution 2

Verify and Modify TOC 9 Font via Style Inspector

Ensure that the TOC 9 style itself is correctly configured and does not contain conflicting overrides.

Solution 3

Build the TOC Based on Paragraph Styles

If TC fields continue to override styles, building the table of contents based on specific paragraph styles is a more reliable alternative.

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1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free version for Mac.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does direct formatting in TC fields override my TOC styles?

Word prioritizes direct character formatting applied inside the TC field code over the global paragraph style that is applied when the TOC level is generated. Clearing the direct formatting resolves the conflict.

How do I view hidden TC field codes in Word for Mac?

You can toggle the display of hidden text and field codes by clicking the Show/Hide ¶ button on the Home tab, or by pressing Command + 8 on your keyboard.

Can I have multiple Tables of Contents in one document?

Yes, you can create multiple tables of contents by using different TOC levels (e.g., one using 1-5 and another using 6-9) or by mapping specific custom paragraph styles to distinct tables via the Custom Table of Contents Options menu.

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