I have a single section document in Word 2013. The first page is a TOC. The document is 4 pages long and has three Level 1 Heading styles through out the document. The TOC initially appears correct. When I go to Print Preview the TOC will revert all page numbers to 2. Changing the Options "Update fields before printing" and "Allow fields containing tracked changes to update before printing" has no effect (before anyone suggests this). The only solution is to manually update the TOC, save to PDF, and print the PDF. Anyone can reproduce this problem. Try it.... Start with blank document Insert a TOC (ignore the error message, we will come back to this) Go to the end of the document and insert a page break to move to page 2 Now type a heading in Heading 1 style and press enter type some dummy text (=rand(20) for example) Continue steps 4 and 5 to insert more headings and dummy text. Now return to the top (page 1) and update the TOC So far so good. Everything working well Now go to Print Preview (Ctrl+P) Everything is still good Escape back to the document Go to Print Preview again AGGGHHHH ! All the page numbers have reverted to page 2 Happens every time without fail. Totally reproducible on all our office PCs. I have seen many descriptions of this behavior on different forums and not one solution. But I am like the proverbial dog with a bone - I will not let this issue go until MS gives me a solution !

Here, no matter how many times I use Ctrl+ p and return to the document, the Table of Contents always shows:

For what it's worth, I haven't noticed any inconsistencies either. This is a bit of a mystery. :-(

Been bugging me too. I have seen this issue all this week (07-Sept-2015) whilst trying to support our students with their thesis hand-ins - I work in a UK post-graduate University and teach/support students in the use of MS Office. I have uploaded a video to Youtube to show the issue - if you don't want to trust the video link below, simply search Youtube for TOC Glitch . The title of the video is Help required with Word 2013 TOC glitch . I have also upload a partial fix for the problem which works for me which I’ve also uploaded to Youtube search for semi-fix for word , the title of the video is Semi-Fix for Word 2013 TOC Issue . I hope this helps some of you. Keith https://youtu.be/jkU8qxXX2RE https://youtu.be/HBIjruVk0TY I apologies if I have broken any rules by providing these links.

Hi Keith You are the man!!!!! Wow - what a lot of effort you have gone to. Thanks for keeping this issue alive. I have spent hours on this issue including several sessions with MS engineers who confirm the issue (but don't seem to think it is a priority issue to fix). Every computer and every user I come across can reproduce this error. What is very strange though is why some people (like Doug and Stefan) are not experiencing this issue. I would really love to know what is the configuration difference on Doug's/Stefan PC. Cheers Mike

I did the above, because I noticed that when I went into Print Preview, it popped up at page 2, not the usual page 1. I went back to page 1 where my TOC is located and noticed that it showed page 2 next to every header. I exited to verify that would be what it actually print, noticed it would be printing the incorrect information. In short, people do go into Print Preview, realize that the document that was previously print ready had magically change to uselessness (as far as the TOC is concerned).

Word 2013 Table of contents - page numbers all change to 2 when print (or print preview)

Anonymous

I have a single section document in Word 2013. The first page is a TOC. The document is 4 pages

long and has three Level 1 Heading styles through out the document. The TOC initially appears correct.

When I go to Print Preview the TOC will revert all page numbers to 2.

Changing the Options "Update fields before printing" and "Allow fields containing tracked changes to update before printing" has no effect (before anyone suggests this).

The only solution is to manually update the TOC, save to PDF, and print the PDF.

Anyone can reproduce this problem. Try it....

Start with blank document
Insert a TOC (ignore the error message, we will come back to this)
Go to the end of the document and insert a page break to move to page 2
Now type a heading in Heading 1 style and press enter
type some dummy text (=rand(20) for example)
Continue steps 4 and 5 to insert more headings and dummy text.
Now return to the top (page 1) and update the TOC
So far so good. Everything working well
Now go to Print Preview (Ctrl+P)
Everything is still good
Escape back to the document
Go to Print Preview again
AGGGHHHH! All the page numbers have reverted to page 2
Happens every time without fail. Totally reproducible on all our office PCs.

I have seen many descriptions of this behavior on different forums and not one solution. But I am like the proverbial dog with a bone - I will not let this issue go until MS gives me a solution !

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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44 answers

Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2015-04-04T01:55:15+00:00

Here, no matter how many times I use Ctrl+ p and return to the document, the Table of Contents always shows:
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Stefan Blom 353.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2015-04-14T13:25:37+00:00

For what it's worth, I haven't noticed any inconsistencies either. This is a bit of a mystery. :-(
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Anonymous

2015-09-10T16:17:43+00:00
Been bugging me too. I have seen this issue all this week (07-Sept-2015) whilst trying to support our students with their thesis hand-ins - I work in a UK post-graduate University and teach/support students in the use of MS Office.

I have uploaded a video to Youtube to show the issue - if you don't want to trust the video link below, simply search Youtube for TOC Glitch. The title of the video is Help required with Word 2013 TOC glitch.

I have also upload a partial fix for the problem which works for me which I’ve also uploaded to Youtube
- search for semi-fix for word, the title of the video is Semi-Fix for Word 2013 TOC Issue.
I hope this helps some of you.

Keith

https://youtu.be/jkU8qxXX2RE

https://youtu.be/HBIjruVk0TY

I apologies if I have broken any rules by providing these links.
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Anonymous

2015-09-11T07:43:12+00:00

Hi Keith

You are the man!!!!! Wow - what a lot of effort you have gone to. Thanks for keeping this issue alive.

I have spent hours on this issue including several sessions with MS engineers who confirm the issue (but don't seem to think it is a priority issue to fix).

Every computer and every user I come across can reproduce this error. What is very strange though is why some people (like Doug and Stefan) are not experiencing this issue. I would really love to know what is the configuration difference on Doug's/Stefan PC.

Cheers

Mike
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Anonymous

2015-09-11T18:41:15+00:00

I did the above, because I noticed that when I went into Print Preview, it popped up at page 2, not the usual page 1. I went back to page 1 where my TOC is located and noticed that it showed page 2 next to every header. I exited to verify that would be what it actually print, noticed it would be printing the incorrect information.

In short, people do go into Print Preview, realize that the document that was previously print ready had magically change to uselessness (as far as the TOC is concerned).
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments