List of Figures
A list of figures helps readers locate captioned figures in a long document. When the authoring system supports it, generate the list from caption fields rather than typing figure numbers and page references manually.
Build a list of figures from consistently labelled figure captions, and update the generated list after figures or page numbers change.
Key details
Important caveats
Automation
Use the document system’s caption/table-of-figures feature where available so the list can be regenerated after edits.
Style Boundary
Placement, heading wording and visual formatting depend on the governing template or house style; the navigation job is separate from the caption-writing job.
Further guidance
Practical Application
Generate the list from the document’s actual figure captions or structured labels so numbering and page references can update after edits. Keep the list entry wording aligned with the caption rather than maintaining a separate manual title.
Reader Check
If a figure number, caption, or page changes, can the list be regenerated without manually reconciling two sources of truth?
Source Of Entries
Base the list on the document’s actual figure captions so labels and numbers stay aligned with the figures.
Worked Example
Caption “Figure 4. Annual response rate” should drive the corresponding list entry; after moving the figure, update the generated list rather than editing the page number by hand.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Add, format, or delete captions in Word — Microsoft Support (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Support · Numbered caption labels for figures, tables and equations and sequence updating