I believe that the best method without requiring to link to a preset heading style (affecting the user's style formatting and style numbering) is the method well described in 2013 by StarKeeper in : In addition, you can modify any existing custom styles by adapting these same steps to the Modify Style dialog box instead of the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box. They will then look as you expect in the Navigation pane. You just need to make sure your headings have an outline level suitable for their position in your outline hierarchy. The default level (Body Style) is used for regular text. The key is step 7, where you specify an outline level for the paragraph. In these steps, step 4 is not strictly necessary, but taking that step will ensure that nobody will mess up your custom style by changing any style on which that custom style is based. Click OK to close the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box.Click OK to close the Paragraph dialog box.(Choose 1 for level 1, 2 for level 2, etc.)
Use the Outline Level drop-down list to choose the heading level you want this style to represent.Click the Format button (bottom-left of the dialog box) and choose Paragraph from the resulting drop-down list.Make sure the Style Based On drop-down list is set to (no style).Word displays the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box. Click the left-most of these the New Style tool. At the bottom of the Styles task pane there are three small tool buttons.The best approach is to follow these steps when you create the style: The drawback to this (of course) is that the new style is based on the built-in heading style, and if Microsoft does anything to change that heading style, or if a user changes the Theme for the document which ends up in changing the built-in heading style, that could have negative consequences for your custom style. That's it the custom style should now appear in the Navigation pane just fine. Use the controls in the dialog box to define your desired formatting for the style.
For instance, if you are creating a new level-1 heading, then base your new style on Heading 1.
#How to view table of contents in word on left pane how to
(These are not the built-in heading styles provided by Word.) She wonders how to get Word to recognize these as heading styles and display them in the Navigation pane. Gina created three new styles that she uses for headings in her documents.