How to Create a List of Figures and Tables in Word
When preparing a thesis or research proposal, many Kenyan students underestimate the importance of proper formatting. A well-structured document with professional lists of figures and tables can significantly impact how your work is perceived by supervisors and examiners. In fact, formatting inconsistencies are among the top reasons research proposals get rejected . These lists serve as a roadmap for your readers, allowing them to quickly locate charts, graphs, images, and data tables without flipping through every page .
Creating these lists manually is tedious and prone to errors—especially if you need to rearrange content or update page numbers. Fortunately, Microsoft Word can generate them automatically, ensuring accuracy and saving you hours of frustration. At Proposal Writers Kenya, we specialize in helping students produce submission-ready documents, and mastering this feature is one of the essential skills we recommend. You can learn more about our services at proposalwriterskenya.co.ke.
Step 1: Add Captions to Your Figures and Tables
The golden rule of automatic lists is simple: Word can only compile what you have properly tagged. If you type “Figure 1:” manually, Word won’t recognise it. You must use the Insert Caption feature .
How to add a caption:
Select your figure (image, chart, graph) or table.
Go to the References tab.
Click Insert Caption in the Captions group.
In the dialog box:
Label: Choose “Figure” or “Table” from the dropdown.
Position: Select “Below selected item” for figures or “Above selected item” for tables (this is the standard academic convention).
Caption text: Type your descriptive title after the number.
Click OK.
Pro-tip: If your thesis has multiple chapters, you can include chapter numbers in your captions (e.g., Figure 2.1, Figure 2.2). Click the Numbering button in the Caption dialog box and check “Include chapter number”—but this requires that your chapter headings use Word’s built-in Heading 1 style .
💡 Remember: The list will only include items you have marked using the Insert Caption tool. Manually typed labels will not appear
Step 2: Insert the List of Figures
Once all your visuals have captions, you can generate the list.
Place your cursor where you want the list to appear (usually after the Table of Contents and before Chapter 1).
Type a heading like “List of Figures” at the top of the page.
Go to the References tab and click Insert Table of Figures .
In the dialog box:
Caption label: Select “Figure”.
Show page numbers: Keep this checked.
Right align page numbers: Keep this checked.
Use hyperlinks: Check this to create clickable entries for easy navigation.
Formats: Choose a style from the dropdown (I recommend “From template” for customisation).
Click OK.
Word generates a formatted list of all captioned figures with correct page numbers
Step 3: Insert the List of Tables
Follow the exact same process for tables:
Place your cursor where you want the List of Tables (usually immediately after the List of Figures).
Type a heading like “List of Tables”.
Go to References → Insert Table of Figures.
This time, change the Caption label to “Table”.
Click OK.
You can repeat this process for any custom caption labels—for example, if you have labelled equations or charts separately
Step 4: Update Your Lists
Word does not update your lists automatically. If you add, move, or delete figures or tables, you must manually refresh the lists .
How to update:
Click anywhere in the list.
Go to the References tab and click Update Table (or right-click the list and choose Update Field).
Two options appear:
Update page numbers only: Choose this if only page numbers have changed (quicker).
Update entire table: Choose this if you have added, deleted, or modified any captions—always select this option before final submission to be safe
Customising Your Lists
To change the appearance of list entries (font, size, spacing, indentation):
Click anywhere in the list.
Go to References → Insert Table of Figures.
Click the Modify button (if it’s greyed out, change Formats to From template first).
In the Styles list, select “Table of Figures” and click Modify again.
Adjust font, size, or spacing as desired .
For a professional look, consider setting a hanging indent so long captions wrap neatly without colliding with the page numbers
Checklist Before Submitting Your Thesis Proposal
All figures have captions applied using Insert Caption (not manually typed).
All tables have captions applied using Insert Caption.
Figure captions are positioned below the figure.
Table captions are positioned above the table.
List of Figures inserted and updated with Update entire table.
List of Tables inserted and updated with Update entire table.
Page numbers in both lists are correct.
Both lists are positioned after the Table of Contents and before Chapter 1.
Conclusion
Creating automatic lists of figures and tables in Microsoft Word is a simple but essential skill for any Kenyan student preparing a thesis or research proposal. By consistently using the Insert Caption tool and remembering to Update Table whenever you make changes, you can present a polished, professional document that meets university formatting requirements .
If you find yourself overwhelmed by formatting or would rather focus on your research content, the team at Proposal Writers Kenya is here to help. We provide comprehensive academic writing and formatting support for undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD students. Visit proposalwriterskenya.co.ke to learn how we can assist you in delivering a submission-ready thesis proposal.