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How to copy outline (headings) only in Word?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2024-09-13

Normally, you can easily view a Word document’s outline content by switching to the Outline view, or opening the Navigation Pane. However, it seems not possible to directly copy only the outline (headings).

Whether you need to share an overview with colleagues or reorganize your document, knowing how to copy just the headings can be efficient. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to easily copy the outline (headings) only in Word.

Copy outline (headings) only using Table of Contents in Word

Copy outline (headings) only using Send to Microsoft PowerPoint feature

Copy outline (headings) only and preserve original heading styles using Kutools for Word

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Copy outline (headings) only using Table of Contents in Word

This method will guide you through copying the entire outline (headings) of a Word document by using the Table of Contents (TOC) feature.

  1. Open the Word document where you want to copy the outline (headings).
  2. Go to the References tab and click Table of Contents, then choose Custom Table of Contents.

    Custom Table of Contents option on the Table of Contents dropdown

  3. In the Table of Contents dialog box:
    1. Uncheck the Show page numbers box.
    2. Ajust the heading levels to show in the Show levels box.
    3. Click OK.

      Table of Contents dialog

  4. Select the inserted table of contents and copy it by pressing Ctrl + C.

    Inserted Table of Contents

  5. Create a new Word document or move to another location in your current document, then press Ctrl + V to paste the copied outline (headings).

Note: The pasted content will be plain text unless you leave the TOC as-is. For copying the outline with links and styles, keep the TOC intact.


Copy outline (headings) only using Send to Microsoft PowerPoint feature

If you want to copy the whole outline (all levels of headings) from a Word document, you can apply the Send to Microsoft PowerPoint feature to achieve it.

1. Open the Word document you will copy outline from, and click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button Customize Quick Access Toolbar button > More Commands from the Ribbon. See screenshot:
More Commands option on the ribbon

2. In the opening Word Options dialog box, please (1) select Commands Not in the Ribbon from the Choose commands from drop down list; (2) find out and select the Send to Microsoft PowerPoint item from the left command box; (3) click the Add button, and finally click the OK button. See screenshot:
Word Options dialog box

3. Now the Send to Microsoft PowerPoint button Send to Microsoft PowerPoint button is added to the Quick Access Toolbar. Please click this button.
Send to Microsoft PowerPoint button on the Quick Access Toolbar

4. Now Microsoft PowerPoint is opening with the specified Word document pasted. Please click View > Outline View. See screenshot:
Outline View button on the View tab on the PowerPoint ribbon
Note: If your document is opening in PowerPoint 2010, please click View > Normal firstly, and then click the Outline tab at the top of Navigation Pane.

5. Now the Outline is displaying on the Navigation Pane. Place cursor at the Navigation Pane, press Ctrl + A keys to select all outline content, and then press Ctrl + C keys to copy them.
Outline displaying on the Navigation Pane

6. Shift to Word window. Create a new Word document, and press Ctrl + V keys to paste the Outline content. See screenshot:
Outline copied to a new document

Note: This method will copy the outline content as plain text in the new Word document. For copying the outline content with heading styles, please go ahead to next method.

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Copy outline (headings) only and preserve original heading styles using Kutools for Word

If you want to not only copy the whole outline content (all headings) but also copy heading styles, I recommend you apply the Select Heading Paragraphs feature of Kutools for Word.

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1. Open the source document that you will copy outline content from, and click Kutools > Paragraphs > Select Heading Paragraphs. See screenshot:
Select Heading Paragraphs option on the Kutools tab on the ribbon

2. Now all headings are selected in the document. Please press Ctrl + C keys to copy them.

3. Create a new Word document, and press Ctrl + V keys to paste the outline content.

And now you will see all outline content with original heading styles are copied and pasted completely as below screenshot shown.
Outline content with original heading styles are copied


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