Headings are the backbone of a long Word document. When you can see them all in one list, you can jump between sections, check the structure and reorganize chapters in seconds. Word gives you three ways to view your headings: the Navigation Pane, Outline view and collapsible headings in the document itself. This guide shows how to use each one, and what to do when headings do not appear.
Quick answer
Go to the View tab and tick Navigation Pane, or press Ctrl + F and click Headings. A list of every heading appears on the left. Click any heading to jump to it.
Method 1: Use the Navigation Pane
- Open your document.
- Click the View tab and tick Navigation Pane in the Show group. You can also press Ctrl + F.
- In the pane on the left, click Headings.
Every paragraph formatted with a heading style (Heading 1, Heading 2 and so on) appears in the list, indented by level. Useful things you can do here:
- Jump to a section: click a heading.
- Collapse or expand: click the small triangle next to a heading to hide or show its subheadings.
- Reorder sections: drag a heading up or down. Everything under it moves too.
- Change levels: right-click a heading and choose Promote or Demote.
- Show fewer levels: right-click and choose Show Heading Levels, then pick a level.
For more on the pane, see how to show the Navigation Pane in Word.
Method 2: Use Outline view
- Go to View > Outline.
- On the Outlining tab, open the Show Level list and choose Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 to see headings only.
- Use the arrows on the Outlining tab to move headings or change their level.
- Click Close Outline View when you are done.
Outline view is good for restructuring a document, because it hides body text and lets you rearrange chapters quickly.
Method 3: Collapse headings in the document
In Print Layout, hover over a heading and click the small triangle that appears to its left. The text under that heading collapses, leaving just the heading visible. Right-click a heading and choose Expand/Collapse > Collapse All Headings to see only the headings on the page. See how to make collapsible headings in Word.
Headings not showing in the Navigation Pane?
The Navigation Pane only lists paragraphs that use heading styles or have an outline level set. Text that is merely bold or large will not appear.
- Click in the heading text.
- On the Home tab, click Heading 1, Heading 2 or another heading style in the Styles gallery.
If you want to keep a custom look, apply the heading style and then modify the style’s font (right-click the style and choose Modify). To format many headings at once, see how to select all headings at once in Word.
If a heading style is applied but the heading still does not appear, open Home > Paragraph settings and check that Outline level is not set to Body Text.
Why use headings?
- Navigation: jump around long documents instantly.
- Table of contents: Word builds an automatic table of contents from heading styles.
- Accessibility: screen readers use headings to help readers move through a document.
- Consistency: all headings at the same level look the same.
Frequently asked questions
How do I view headings in Word for Mac?
Go to View > Sidebar > Navigation (or click the Navigation Pane checkbox on the View tab), then click Headings in the sidebar. Outline view is under View > Outline, just like on Windows.
Does Word for the web show headings?
Yes. On the View tab, click Navigation to open a pane with your headings. Some features, such as Outline view and dragging headings to reorder sections, are only available in the desktop app.
How do I make the Navigation Pane open every time?
Word remembers whether the pane was open when you last closed a document, so leave it open and it usually stays open the next time you start Word.
Can I print just the headings?
Not directly, but you can insert a table of contents with References > Table of Contents and print that page, or copy the list from Outline view with only headings showing.
Summary
- View > Navigation Pane (or Ctrl + F) > Headings shows a clickable list.
- View > Outline shows only headings when you set Show Level.
- Collapse headings in the document to see the structure on the page.
- Apply heading styles so headings appear in these views.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.