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How to Insert Automatic Captions for Tables and Figures in Word

Tap a step to see it in order.

  1. Select the table or picture to caption

    Click to select the table or picture you want to number.

  2. Open the "References" tab

    Click the References tab on the ribbon.

  3. Click "Insert Caption"

    In the Captions group on the References tab, click Insert Caption.

  4. Choose a label and position

    Pick the appropriate label (Table or Figure) and decide where the caption should appear (above or below).

A real time-saver for papers and reports full of tables and figures

Manually numbering items as "Table 1," "Figure 2," and so on quickly becomes tedious, since adding or removing one item in the middle means renumbering everything after it by hand. Automatic captions handle that renumbering for you.

Word can even add captions automatically as you insert new objects

Inside the Insert Caption dialog, there is also an "AutoCaption..." button. Turning it on for a specific object type -- like Word tables or a certain kind of image file -- makes Word insert a caption automatically every time you add a new one of that type, so you don't need to open the dialog manually each time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I include a chapter number before the caption number?

Yes. In the Numbering section of the Insert Caption dialog, check "Include chapter number" to get captions like "1-1" or "2-3" that reflect the chapter.

Can I change the formatting of the caption text?

Yes. Captions automatically use the built-in "Caption" style, so editing that one style updates the formatting of every caption in the document at once.