Skip to Main Content

Captions

Word allows for a consistent way to insert captions above or below tables, figures, diagrams or images. You can also use the Insert Caption function to generate a Table of Figures and a List of Tables in your document.

Steps - creating Captions for Figures

 To insert a caption:

  1. Navigate to the figure in your document for which you want to provide a caption.
  2. Right click on the image and select Insert Caption.

  1. In the window that appears, type the caption for the figure.
  2. The numbering will be inserted automatically.
  3. Select the label type, figure
  4. Select the position and numbering format.
  5. Click OK. 

The caption now appears under the image.

Steps - creating a Table of Figures

Once you've used the Insert Caption function as described above, you can now create a Table of Figures:

  1. Navigate to the place where you want the Table of Figures to appear in your document.  
  2. From the reference tab, select Insert a Table of Figures.

 

  1. In the window that appears, select required pagination and alignment.
  2. The numbering will be inserted automatically.
  3. From the drop down menu next to Caption label, select Figure.
  4. Click OK. 

The Table of Figures will now be inserted. 

You can add more captions to your figures or edit the captions you've already made. 

The Table of Figures does not update automatically. To do so, 

  1. Click on the Table of Figures.
  2. Select the References tab and click Update Table.  

 

  1. The Table of Figures will now be updated. 

Steps - creating Captions for Tables

To insert a caption:

  1. Navigate to the table in your document for which you want to provide a caption.
  2. Right click on the figure and select Insert Caption. 

  1. In the window that appears, type the caption for the table.
  2. The numbering will be inserted automatically.
  3. Select the label type, table
  4. Select the position and numbering format.
  5. Click OK. 

The caption now appears above the table.  

Steps - creating a List of Tables

Once you've used the Insert Caption function as described above, you can now create a List of Tables.

  1. Navigate to the place where you want the List of Tables to appear in your document.  
  2. From the Reference tab, select Insert a Table of Figures.

  1. In the window that appears, select required pagination and alignment.
  2. The numbering will be inserted automatically.
  3. From the drop down menu next to Caption label, select Table.
  4. Click OK.

The List of Tables will now be inserted

 

You can add more captions to your tables or edit the captions you've already made. 

The List of Tables does not update automatically. To do so: 

  1. Click on the List of Tables.
  2. Select the References tab and click Update Table.  
  1. The List of Tables will now be updated.