Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 2, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Word includes a captioning feature that allows you to manually or automatically add captions in your document. These captions are typically placed with tables or other objects (such as figures) to identify them. For instance, you might have a caption such as "Figure 2" that appears below a figure.
When you use the captioning feature, Word automatically formats the caption using the Caption style. By default, the Caption style uses the same typeface as your Normal style, except it is bold. If you want to use a different set of attributes for your captions, all you need to do is change the Caption style. Follow these steps if you are using Word 97 or Word 2000:
If you are using Word 2002 or Word 2003, you should instead follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Modify Style dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (623) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Formatting Captions.
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2019-05-16 03:16:49
Eivind Kofod
Dear Allen,
Thanks for your newsletter, which I have enjoyed for a very long time.
There is one question, however, which I cannot find here or on the net:
All captions are by default formatted as style 'Caption". This style accepts an above or below feature for different labels. Ok, that is fine, but I have twlo scenarios to solve:
1: Different clients have different formats. How can I tell Word that in this document, I want to use Caption A and in an other, I want to use style Caption B if I have defined these two styles based on 'Caption'?
2: I need to have a Table Caption Style and Figure Caption Style as I have the label above tables but below figures. That requires styles that give extra space before the Table Caption but after the figure caption.
How do I automatically link these new caption styles to the caption label?
2018-06-17 22:51:13
Tim Norton
Is it possible to only bold the reference type and number but not the description?
EG: [bold]Figure 1.[/bold] my descriptive text
Also when I do this manually, the inserted reference to the figure is bold. Can i stop that?
2016-05-13 13:05:45
Faisal Shakib Ahmed
Hi David,
I need to use different captions for my technical writing. For example, the caption " Figure 1" must be center spaced but the caption " Table : 1" must be aligned left. Whenever , Itry to make a separate , it chnages the whole in one style. I would really appreciate if you help me in this matter.
Thank you
2016-01-31 17:37:27
Judy Kunz
I use Word 2007 and it was recently reinstalled. Now I find that if I insert a caption the caption is the size of the whole page not the picture it is intended for. How can I fix this?
2015-12-14 10:13:14
Davis Smith
Hi Allen,
I've been getting your WordTips for a number of years now and they've been quite helpful. I'm a technical writer using Word 2013 in Office Professional Plus 2013. My automatic caption default text is "Figure 1 Figure x," or "Figure 1 Table x," where the "x" is the incremental caption number.
I would appreciate it if you could tell me how to edit the default text for a caption to get rid of the initial "Figure 1."
Thanks,
Davis
2015-09-22 21:16:33
David Parris
The cross-reference inserted in the text does not use an unbreakable space, so that Figure and 2.4 can wrap to separate lines.
How can I edit the captions??
2015-01-25 20:57:47
VS
Hello,
Thanks kindly for your wonderful help. YOu have saved me tons of time, whilst I try to beat a deadline to submit my PhD thesis!
Thanks - heartfelt!
2014-07-15 07:53:26
RDM
How I edit captions in Word 2013
2014-06-13 17:34:20
RITA
I add captions to our documents that are detailing the figure or photographs inserted into our document. However, I would like two different styles, the # (Photograph 1) in Bold and the description in italics unbold. Anyway to add two different styles without having to go back thru manually and changing one of them. In some reports we have 200 photogrpahs so that gets rather timeconsuming. Also, when I update the table of photoraphs, I would like it to keep this same format...possible??
2014-04-18 16:01:57
Mike Virostko
Hello Allan,
I am creating a new template that I would like styles with different names than Microsoft. I have fine, until the I work with captions (Table, Figure). I want the automated numbering, just a different style name the "Caption". Can seem to find a way to do this. Or is this the microsoft way or the highway?
Thanks.
2013-09-30 08:21:59
awyatt
CB,
Look at the top-right of any page on this site. Under the section entitled "This Site" you'll see how to get to a whole website of tips that work with Word 2007.
-Allen
2013-09-30 04:53:54
CB
Good morning,
I really appreciate what you do with your site and I would like to find updated tips for word 2007.
Thank you,
Claudio
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