If your table of contents is not updating in your document, it can be annoying, especially when you are working on a detailed thesis and need to ensure professionalism. This issue commonly occurs in text applications like 2019, but the solutions are often quick to apply. The first thing to check is whether the table of contents was created using the default heading formats. If you used visual styling to look like headings without applying the proper heading styles such as H1, H2, etc., the table of contents will not recognize those entries. To fix this, select each heading in your document and apply the correct heading style from the Styles gallery.

Once you have confirmed that all headings are properly styled, the next step is to update the table of contents manually. Right-click anywhere inside the table of contents and choose Refresh Field. You will be given two options: Update only page numbers or Update entire table. If you have modified section titles, always select Full update to ensure all entries are refreshed. If the right-click option does not work, place your cursor within the table of contents and press F9 on your keyboard. This keyboard shortcut forces an update and is often the most efficient method to resolve the issue.

Another common cause of this problem is file glitches. In such cases, try copying the entire content of your document except the table of contents, creating a new blank document, and pasting the content there. Then, insert a fresh contents list from scratch using the References tab and selecting Add Table of Contents. This method often removes invisible conflicts that prevent the table from updating correctly.

If you are using tracked changes or comments, make sure all revisions have been finalized. Sometimes, unresolved revisions can interfere with how the table of contents is generated. Go to the Review tab and click Accept All Revisions to ensure the document’s structure is finalized. Additionally, if your document contains page divisions or advanced layouts such as columns, verify that headings are not placed within these elements, as they may not be recognized by the table of contents feature.

Lastly, check your document’s compatibility mode. If your file was created in an older version of Word and is still in compatibility mode, some features may not function as expected. Look at the title bar of your document—if it says "Compatibility Mode", click Backstage, then Info, and choose Convert to convert the document to the current format. After conversion, ketik rebuild the TOC to see if the issue is resolved.

By following these steps systematically—verifying heading styles, refreshing the TOC, repairing file issues, finalizing edits, and converting file format—you can reliably fix most table of contents updating problems. Refreshing the TOC after edits will also help prevent this issue from recurring in the future.