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In MS word 2010, I have set multilevel heading. but my heading style does not follows by previous style. For example Heading 1 is 5. after thet when I select heading 2, it should be 5.1, but it displays 1.1. Can anyone help me to solve it. Thanks.

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12 Answers 12

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I had the exact same problem, nothing was working, then I found a solution.

Select a heading, then select Home > Paragraph > Multilevel List > Define new Multilevel List...

Click on More >> at the bottom left of the dialog box.

Make sure everything is set properly in the "Enter formatting for number" textbox by setting the number style and "Include level number from" listbox. Ensure that "Restart list after" is set for the previous list level than thhe one you're editing.

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  • 3
    In my "Include level number from" drop down box, I can see Level 1 but I can't select it :(
    – Nick.Mc
    Commented May 6, 2020 at 3:05
  • I have the exact same problem @ElectricLlama. The fact that you had it 6 hours ago, and that I never had it before, tells me that this is probably a new bug!
    – Luis Gouveia
    Commented May 6, 2020 at 9:56
  • It's the end of 2022 and I can't select it either.
    – schroeder
    Commented Dec 22, 2022 at 13:54
  • I'm back! (I used to be ElectricLlama). I did all this and the numbering stayed incorrect but it stuffed up my formatting.
    – Nick.Mc
    Commented Feb 15 at 5:18
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My first level chapters had incremental numbering but the subchapters continued numbering from the chapter one. So for example there was 1.15 instead of 4.1. I had to select the correct List in Current Documents and then everything started to work.

enter image description here

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    This is the only thing that worked for me. But you do have to make sure to update the heading style to match the selection. And I think I also had to repeat for every level.
    – Joooeey
    Commented Sep 25, 2020 at 18:10
  • Make sure you are selecting the list with grayed "Heading X" included, as I was going mad by using the one without. In my case, the one without was the first choice and the good one was the third.
    – Zac
    Commented Jun 4, 2021 at 10:09
  • 1
    this worked for me as well
    – Chancy
    Commented Sep 24, 2021 at 6:09
  • Worked for me too.
    – user7427029
    Commented May 4, 2023 at 12:10
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If your numbering is linked to styles, as it should be, which style will follow is governed by the settings in the Modify style dialog's setting for "Style for following paragraph."

This is what works.

You use the Define New MultiLevel List dialog (not the list dialog) and attach a different paragraph style to each level in the list. Only one level per style.

The Modify Style Dialog determines which style will follow each style. This is a setting for each style. Many people have their heading styles set to follow sequentially. i.e.

  • Heading 1 --> Heading 2
  • Heading 2 --> Heading 3
  • Heading 3 --> Heading 4, etc.

You can set these however you want.

See also my answer to: Importing numbered headings

See also my answer to: Heading 3 not seen as subheading of heading 2

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  • This worked for me! Lots of more info on the links provided, and quite a lot to digest if you aren't an advanced word user, but this worked just fine!
    – La Cordillera
    Commented Sep 15, 2021 at 6:49
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Try right clicking on the list numbering of the heading 2 paragraph and choose "Continue Numbering".

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  1. Right click one of your improper headings (1.1 where it should read 5.1)
  2. Select "Adjust List Indents". This will bring up the "Define new Multilevel list" screen. Define new Multilevel list
  3. In the top left of this screen, you will see "click level to modify". On level 2 for your desired 5.1 heading, make sure to "include level number from" level 1.
  4. From the "click level to modify" menu, click level 1. In the expanded window (click more in the bottom left corner), make sure level 1 is linked to the heading that you have showing for level 1 (typically is "Heading 1").

Hope that helps.

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    "From the "click level to modify" menu, click level 1. In the expanded window (click more in the bottom left corner), make sure level 1 is linked to the heading that you have showing for level 1 (typically is "Heading 1")." IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT.
    – taylorswiftfan
    Commented Aug 21, 2020 at 20:13
  • As per my comment from three years ago, when I had the same problem, At step 3 it won't let me select Level 1
    – Nick.Mc
    Commented Feb 15 at 5:21
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For mac users:

I had an issue with my heading 3 which would always starts numbering at 1.1.1, such that 2.3 would be followed by 1.1.1. For me it was not possible to find the "Continue previous list" option when I in the Home area Styles right click on the Heading 3 and pressed Modify... I think it is an error in the program.

What ended up working was: 1. Right click on a Heading 3 title in the main text. 2. Click on Bullet and Numberings... 3. In Outline Numbered the option under List numbering of Countinue previous list suddenly appeared. Choose this option and click ok. 4. Select the now changed heading. 5. Go to the Home area and Styles and right click on the Heading 3 and click "Update to Match Selection"

I hope that this can help someone who like me went here to find answers the this issue.

I have macOS Sierra 10.12.6 and Word for Mac 2011.

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1

Check that your Heading 1 has the multilevel list under "Li sts in current documents" that has the word "Heading" on every level. That corrected mine.

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I'm curious as to whether anyone who is good at this thinks the Word menu system even approaches anything that is usable.

I just asked my legend wife who came and simply deleted the incorrect numbering right on the page and put the correct numbers in and it appeared to fix everything.

Specifically, all of my level 2 headings weren't reflecting their master level 1 headings number

Go to any level 2 heading. Literally delete the number on the page and type the correct number in.

My Word doc just sucked it up and fixed all of the other headings

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I had the situation that Heading 1 and Heading 2 were fine, but Heading 3 numbering did not work. I tried all your suggestions and the things got worse and worse. I was so desperate and closed Word, restarted the computer and after that everything was ok :)

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Word version : 16.49, platform : MacOs

Link level to style "Heading ?" resolved this.

enter image description here

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Yes, the problem is once you change anything inside this dialog all other formattings will break (though they may seem intact).

What you have to do is make sure the correct preset in the dialogue attached is activated (that is the "1 Überschrift, 1.1 Überschrift", see picture). Afterwards right click the "heading 1" style set "select all", then click on the style set again . This will update the "new" style set 1 to all headings that were previously styleset heading1. Repeat with heading 2,3,etc. After that your multilevel heading will be repaired.

word headings

Update:

Okay, it looks like heading2 is not connected to heading1.

Click here

enter image description here

Now delete the 1. that stands there (in my case its 2.) and then reapply the numbering by choosing the first entry in the dropdown menu

enter image description here

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IN "Home" there is a central "Paragraph" box. In the middle top there is a pull-down which allows you to select how you want your numbering.

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