How to Create an Index in Word
What Is an Index in Word?
An index lists important concepts that appear in a document and shows the page numbers where those concepts can be found. The entries are arranged in alphabetical order so readers can quickly locate specific topics without reading the entire document.
If you want to create an index in Word, you first mark important words or phrases throughout the document. Word can then generate the index automatically based on those entries.
For example, if a cookbook includes several recipes that use strawberries, a reader could look up “strawberries” in the index and go directly to the relevant pages instead of reading the entire book.
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Step 1: Mark Words or Phrases for the Index
To begin creating an index, highlight a word or phrase that you want to include.
Go to the References tab and locate the Index group. Click Mark Entry, then select Mark All if you want Word to include every instance of that word or phrase in the document.
Word inserts hidden markers into the document to keep track of index entries. These markers are part of the electronic document and will not appear in the printed version.
Step 2: Understand Index Markers
If the Show/Hide command is enabled on the Home tab, you may see special symbols around indexed terms.
These markers appear with the label XE and curly brackets. They indicate that the word has been added as an index entry.
If you prefer a cleaner view while editing, you can toggle Show/Hide off and the markers will disappear.
Step 3: Add Cross-References
Indexes often include cross-references that guide readers toward related terms.
For example, a cookbook index might direct someone who looks up “courgette” to the entry for “zucchini.”
When marking an entry in Word, you can create this type of reference by selecting Cross-reference and typing the related term.
Step 4: Generate the Index
After marking the entries you want to include, place the cursor where the index should appear in the document.
Go to the References tab and select Insert Index.
You can customize the appearance of the index using the options in the dialog box. When you click OK, Word generates the index automatically.
The completed index lists the marked terms in alphabetical order along with the page numbers where they appear.
If you regularly work with long documents, you may also want to learn how to use Track Changes in Word to review edits and how to compare documents in Word to identify differences between two versions of a file.