How to Add a Table of Contents in Notion
Learn how to add a Table of Contents in Notion using headings.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Notion is a powerful tool for organizing your thoughts, projects, and information. As your pages grow with more content, they can become long and difficult to navigate. This is where a Table of Contents (TOC) becomes incredibly useful. A TOC helps you and others quickly find specific sections, making your Notion pages much easier to read and use.
Adding a Table of Contents allows you to create a clear outline of your page's content. It automatically generates clickable links from your headings, letting you jump straight to any part of your document. This feature is especially helpful for lengthy articles, project plans, or detailed notes, transforming a cluttered page into a well-structured and accessible resource.
By using a Table of Contents, you improve the overall experience for anyone viewing your Notion pages. It saves time and effort by providing an instant overview and easy navigation. Think of it as a roadmap for your content, guiding readers efficiently through your information.
So now let’s get started.
Steps to How to Add a Table of Contents in Notion
By following these simple steps, you will be able to successfully add a dynamic table of contents to your Notion page, making your content much more organized and easier to navigate.
Step #1: Organize Your Content with Headings
Before you add a table of contents, your Notion page needs to have headings. The Table of Contents block in Notion works by scanning your page for Heading 1 (H1), Heading 2 (H2), and Heading 3 (H3) blocks. These headings create a hierarchical structure for your content.
To make text a heading, simply type `/h1`, `/h2`, or `/h3` and press Enter, or type `#` for H1, `##` for H2, and `###` for H3, followed by your heading text. It's important to use these headings consistently to create a clear outline.
For example, look at this article, which is clearly divided into sections and subsections. We will use this structure to generate the table of contents.
Step #2: Add the Table of Contents Block
Once your content is structured with headings, you can add the Table of Contents block. Go to the spot on your Notion page where you want the TOC to appear, typically near the top of the page.
Click on an empty line and type `/table of contents`. A menu will pop up, and you should select the "Table of Contents" block from the list.
As soon as you add it, Notion will automatically generate a list of clickable links based on the H1, H2, and H3 headings present on your page.
Step #3: Understand How It Works and Updates Automatically
The Table of Contents block is dynamic. This means it automatically updates itself as you add, edit, or remove headings in your content. H1 headings will appear as top-level links, H2 headings will be indented once, and H3 headings will be indented twice, showing a clear hierarchy.
If you click on any link in the Table of Contents, Notion will take you directly to that section of your page. If you find your Table of Contents isn't showing all headings, double-check that your headings are correctly formatted and in a logical hierarchical order.
Step #4: Customize and Enhance Your Table of Contents (Optional)
You can customize the appearance of your Table of Contents. While the default style is set, you can change its background and text color to make it stand out. You can also place the Table of Contents block inside a toggle block.
To do this, type `/toggle` on a new line, give it a title like "Table of Contents," and then drag your Table of Contents block inside the toggle. This makes your TOC collapsible, keeping your page neat until a reader wants to expand it for navigation. You can also reposition the block by dragging the six-dot handle that appears when you hover over it.
Wrapping Up: How to Add a Table of Contents in Notion
Adding a Table of Contents to your Notion pages is a simple yet powerful way to improve organization and navigation. By ensuring your content uses proper heading blocks (H1, H2, H3) and then inserting the dedicated Table of Contents block, you create an interactive and automatically updating outline.
This feature helps readers quickly jump to relevant sections, making long or complex documents much more user-friendly. Taking the time to include a Table of Contents will significantly enhance the clarity and accessibility of your Notion workspace.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you add a Table of Contents in Notion?
To add a Table of Contents in Notion, type
/table of contents on a new line and select the Table of Contents block. It automatically pulls headings from your page.- Why is my Table of Contents not showing all headings in Notion?
The Table of Contents only shows Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 blocks. Regular text or bold text will not appear.
- Does the Table of Contents in Notion update automatically?
Yes, the Table of Contents updates automatically whenever you add, edit, or remove headings on the page.
- Can you customize the Table of Contents in Notion?
You can’t change the layout, but you can adjust text or background color, move it anywhere on the page, or place it inside a toggle block.
- Can you add a Table of Contents inside a toggle in Notion?
Yes, you can place the Table of Contents block inside a toggle to make it collapsible and keep the page clean.
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