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How to return to the table of contents in Word document

Author: Siluvia Last Modified: 2025-04-18

Creating a table of contents in your document helps readers navigate through different sections easily. After navigating to a section using the TOC link, do you know how to return to the TOC quickly? This article shows you two methods to do so.

Return to the TOC in Word with Back function

Return to the TOC in Word with VBA code

Return to the TOC in Word with Back function

The Back function can help you return to the TOC in Word immediately. Please follow these steps:

  1. Click "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" > "More Commands".
    More Commands option on the Customize Quick Access Toolbar menu
  2. In the Word Options window:
    1. Select "All Commands" from the "Choose commands from" drop-down list.
    2. Select "Back" in the commands list.
    3. Click the "Add" button.
    4. Click "OK".
      Word Options window
  3. Now the "Back" button is added to the Quick Access Toolbar. After jumping to a section via the TOC link, click the "Back" button to return to the TOC instantly.
    Back button added to the Quick Access Toolbar

Return to the TOC in Word with VBA code

You can also use VBA code to return to the table of contents in your Word document.

  1. Create a bookmark for your TOC section:
    1. Select the entire table of contents in your document.
    2. Click "Insert" > "Bookmark".
      Bookmark button on the Insert tab on the ribbon
  2. In the Bookmark dialog box, type "BackToTOC" into the "Bookmark name" box and click "Add".
    Bookmark dialog box
  3. Press Alt + F11 to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
  4. In the editor, click "Insert" > "Module", then paste the following VBA code into the module window: 
    Sub BackTOC()
    Selection.GoTo What:=wdGoToBookmark, Name:="BackToTOC"
End Sub
  5. Press Alt + Q to close the VBA window.
  6. Now add the macro to the Quick Access Toolbar:
    1. Click "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" > "More Commands".
      More Commands option on the Customize Quick Access Toolbar menu
    2. In the Word Options window:
      1. Select "Macros" in the "Choose commands from" drop-down list.
      2. Select the macro named Project.Module1.BackTOC.
      3. Click "Add", then click "OK".
        Word Options window

From now on, after jumping to a section via the TOC, you can click the macro button on the Quick Access Toolbar to return to the table of contents instantly.

Macro added to the Quick Access Toolbar

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