Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Page Ranges in a TOC.

Page Ranges in a TOC

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 11, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Colin asked if it is possible to construct a table of contents so it includes not just a starting page number, but a range of page numbers. For instance, the table of contents would include 1-1 to 1-22 instead of just 1-1.

Unfortunately, this is not possible in Word. The table of contents feature is designed to only include starting page numbers. It would appear that this decision is related to the fact that determining a starting page number is easy (it is the page on which the related heading starts), but an ending page number for a section is not as easily determined. Where a section ends depends on what headings you instruct Word to include in the TOC.

If you want page ranges in your TOC, the only way to get them is to manually enter the TOC and not rely on Word to create one automatically.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1616) 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: Page Ranges in a TOC.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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