# How to add table of contents in Notion on Mac: step by step for 2026

> How to add table of contents in Notion on Mac: hover, click +, choose Table of contents or type /toc, then fix headings that are missing from the list.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-a-table-of-contents-in-notion
Updated: 2026-11-06

To add a table of contents in Notion on Mac, click the + in the left margin on a blank line, then choose Table of contents. You can also type /toc and press Return, since the block builds its list from Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 blocks.

## Quick answer

- Hover over a blank line, click the + in the left margin, and choose Table of contents.
- Or type /toc on a blank line and press Return. Notion's keyboard shortcuts page lists this command.
- The table reads only Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 blocks. Bold and plain text stay out.
- Color is the only setting on the block. The page-level table lives under ••• > Appearance & layout.
- Mac has no dedicated shortcut for the block itself. Use ⌘⌥1, ⌘⌥2, and ⌘⌥3 to make headings.

Applies to: Notion desktop app for Mac, macOS 13 or later. Time: 6 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Notion desktop app for Mac, or Notion in a browser
- macOS 13 or later for the desktop app
- A page with at least one Heading 1, 2, or 3 block

## How to Add a table of contents to a Notion page on Mac in Notion on a Mac

1. **Open the page and pick a blank line.** Open the page in the Notion desktop app. Click the blank line where you want the table, usually just under the title. The table fills in from the headings on the page, so a page with headings works best.
2. **Hover and click the plus sign.** (Left margin > +) Move your pointer over the blank line. A + appears in the left margin. Click it. This opens the block menu for a new block.
3. **Choose Table of contents.** (+ menu > Table of contents) Scroll the menu, or type table of contents to filter it. Click Table of contents. Notion inserts the block on that line. Tip: If you do not see it, type / on the page and start typing table of contents.
4. **Or type /toc on a blank line.** Shortcut: /toc, then Return. Skip the menu if you prefer the keyboard. Type /toc on a blank line and press Return. Notion's keyboard shortcuts page documents this command. Some guides use /table of contents, so type that if /toc does nothing.
5. **Make headings with ⌘⌥1, ⌘⌥2, ⌘⌥3.** Shortcut: ⌘⌥1, ⌘⌥2, ⌘⌥3. Click into a line of text and press ⌘⌥1 for Heading 1, ⌘⌥2 for Heading 2, or ⌘⌥3 for Heading 3. The table lists only these three levels. Plain and bold text stay out of it.
6. **Check the indents and the order.** Look at the table. Heading 1 items sit at the top level, and deeper headings sit under their parents. If a heading is missing, check whether it is indented on the page. Tip: Move a selected block with ⌘⇧ and an arrow key.
7. **Test a jump.** Click any entry in the table. Notion moves you to that heading. Try a few entries before you share the page.
8. **Change the color if you want.** (⋮⋮ handle > Color) Shortcut: ⌘/. Hover over the block and click the ⋮⋮ handle. Choose Color, then pick a color from the list. The block shows in one color, so pick one that reads well on your page. Tip: Select the block and press ⌘/, or right-click it, to reach the same menu.

## What you need before you start

The table of contents is a block inside a Notion page. It works in the Notion desktop app for Mac and in the browser, and the steps are the same. This guide uses the Mac desktop app. You need a page with headings, because the block builds its list from them.

The desktop app needs macOS 13 or later, according to Notion's system requirements page. To check your version, choose Apple menu > About This Mac. The [system requirements guide](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/check-system-requirements-in-notion) walks through that check in more detail.

Notion's desktop help says updates install automatically. To look for one yourself, click Notion in the menu bar, then choose Check for Updates. If a feature is still missing after an update, press ⌘R to refresh the app.

![Person at a desk using a Mac laptop to scroll a long page with a table of contents](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/add-a-table-of-contents-in-notion/how-to-add-table-of-contents-in-1-a6ef7c.jpg)

## Add the block with the + menu

The + menu is the route most people will use. Hover over a blank line in the page, and a + appears in the left margin. Click it, then choose Table of contents. Notion places the block on that line.

Put the block near the top of the page, just under the title. Readers see the list before they scroll. Once the block is selected, hold ⌘⇧ and press an arrow key to move it. Notion's keyboard shortcuts page documents that move.

## Add it with the /toc command

If you prefer typing, put your cursor on a blank line and type /toc. Press Return. Notion's keyboard shortcuts page lists /toc as the command that creates a Table of Contents block. Some guides say /table of contents instead. Use whichever label the slash menu shows you.

Notion's docs list no Mac-only steps for this block. The web app works the same way, so the steps do not change if you switch between the two.

## Set up your headings so the table has entries

The table reads only heading blocks. That means Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3. Plain text and bold text stay out of the table, even if they look like titles. Heading 1 items sit at the top level.

The table updates when you add, edit, or remove a heading. You cannot type into the block itself. Edit the headings on the page, and the list follows.

To turn a line into a heading, click into it and press ⌘⌥1, ⌘⌥2, or ⌘⌥3. Those shortcuts set Heading 1, 2, and 3. Notion lists no dedicated Mac shortcut for the block, so headings are the part you control.

| Block on the page | Mac shortcut | What the table does with it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Heading 1 | ⌘⌥1 | Shows at the top level |
| Heading 2 | ⌘⌥2 | Indents one level under its parent |
| Heading 3 | ⌘⌥3 | Indents two levels under its parent |
| Bold or regular text | None | Not included in the table |
| Heading indented on the page | None | Not included, per Notion's help page |

_How heading blocks map to the table of contents._

### A worked example

Say your page has a Heading 1 called Summary, a Heading 2 called Risks, and a Heading 3 called Mitigation under Risks. The table shows Summary at the top, Risks indented once, and Mitigation indented twice. Click Mitigation and Notion jumps to that heading.

## Mistakes people make with this block

- Using bold text as a fake heading. Bold text never appears in the table.
- Indenting a heading to make it look nested. Indented headings are left out.
- Skipping levels, such as Heading 1 straight to Heading 3. The list gets hard to scan.
- Expecting to type into the block to rename entries. Edit the headings on the page instead.
- Looking for a settings dialog. The only documented option is color.

![Man reviewing headings on a Mac while setting up a table of contents in Notion](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/add-a-table-of-contents-in-notion/how-to-add-table-of-contents-in-2-ed5de5.jpg)

## Change the color and remove the block

The block has one setting you can change. It shows in one color by default. To change it, hover over the block, click the ⋮⋮ handle, then choose Color. You can also select the block, press ⌘/, or right-click it.

Clicking any entry in the table jumps to that heading. To remove the block, select it and delete it, the same way you would delete any other block.

## Turn the page-level table of contents on or off

Notion also shows a separate table of contents on the right side of the page. It appears by default when a page has two or more headings. To turn it off, open the ••• menu at the top of the page, choose Appearance & layout, then switch off Table of contents.

Wiki home pages do not show that option, according to Notion's help page. Headings inside a callout appear in the page's table of contents as well, so check the side table if you use callouts for section titles.

> **Two tables, two jobs:** The block lives in your page content, where readers scroll to it. The side table is a page setting. Turning off the side table does not remove the block.

## Why the table is missing headings

1. Check the block type. Only Heading 1, 2, and 3 blocks count.
2. Check the indent. Indented headings are not included in the table.
3. Check the heading text on the page. The entries mirror the headings, so fix the source.
4. Press ⌘R if an update seems to have changed nothing.
5. Choose Notion > Check for Updates if the table still looks wrong.

Notion's help page does not say how headings inside a toggle show up in the block. If your headings sit inside toggles, check the result on the page before you share it.

## Has the table of contents changed in recent releases?

Not in the release notes I checked. Notion's 3.6 notes, dated July 1, 2026, cover External Agents, AI Meeting Notes, and HTML blocks. The 3.8 notes, dated October 13, 2026, cover MCP connections, the Skills API, version history, and column permissions. Neither mentions the table of contents, headings, or the Mac app.

The releases index lists newer items too, and none of their titles mention tables of contents. That is a title check, not a full changelog review, so test the block yourself after an update.

## Next steps once the block works

Test the block on a long page. Click three or four entries and confirm each one lands on the right heading. Then open the same page in the browser, since readers may use it there.

If Notion is not installed yet, follow the [desktop app install guide](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/install-the-desktop-app-in-notion). If you keep long product docs in Notion, the [product managers guide](https://www.lazur.app/for/product-managers/notion) is a good next read.

## Shortcuts

- Make the line Heading 1: ⌘⌥1
- Make the line Heading 2: ⌘⌥2
- Make the line Heading 3: ⌘⌥3
- Open the block menu for a selected block: ⌘/
- Duplicate selected blocks: ⌘D
- Select a block on Mac: ⌘⇧ + click
- Move a selected block with an arrow key: ⌘⇧ + arrow key
- Refresh Notion after an update: ⌘R
- Create the table of contents block: /toc, then Return

## If it does not work

- **The table of contents is empty.** Your page probably has no heading blocks yet. Click a line and press ⌘⌥1, ⌘⌥2, or ⌘⌥3, then check the table again.
- **One heading is missing from the table.** Look at that heading on the page. If it is bold text or indented, move it to the left edge and set it as a heading block.
- **The table still shows an old heading name.** Click out of the heading and wait a moment. If the old name stays, press ⌘R to refresh the app. Notion's help page suggests this when new features do not appear after an update.
- **Typing /toc does nothing.** Type / and then table of contents, and choose the matching item from the list. The menu label may differ by version, so pick whatever Notion shows.
- **The desktop app will not install or open on my Mac.** Check your macOS version first with Apple menu > About This Mac. The desktop app needs macOS 13 or later. If your Mac is older, the web app is an option, as long as your browser meets Notion's version rules.
- **The side table of contents is missing.** The page needs two or more headings. Open the ••• menu, choose Appearance & layout, and make sure Table of contents is switched on. Wiki home pages do not show this option.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the table of contents option?”: Lazur circles the + in the left margin, then the Table of contents item, one step at a time. (Walks you through it)

## FAQ

### Does the table of contents work the same on the Mac app and the web?

As far as Notion's documentation shows, yes. Notion's docs list no Mac-only steps for the block. The main difference you will see is the shortcut label: ⌘ on Mac, while Windows and Linux use ctrl.

### Can I change the font or the text of the table of contents block?

You cannot type into the block, and it has no settings dialog. The only documented option is color, set with the ⋮⋮ handle and Color. To change the entries, change the headings on the page.

### Why does my table show different headings than the page?

The table skips plain text, bold text, and indented headings. It shows only Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 blocks that sit at the normal left edge of the page.

### Is there a keyboard shortcut for the table of contents block itself?

No dedicated Mac shortcut appears in Notion's keyboard shortcuts list. You type /toc and press Return. The heading shortcuts are ⌘⌥1, ⌘⌥2, and ⌘⌥3.

### What is the difference between the block and the side table of contents?

The block is content inside the page, and it sits where you put it. The side table is a page-level view that appears on the right when a page has two or more headings. You can turn the side table off without touching the block.

### Can I put a table of contents on a wiki home page?

Notion's help page says wiki home pages do not show the side table option. The help page does not say whether the block works there, so test it before you rely on it.

### Do I need the desktop app to add a table of contents?

No. The steps work in the browser too, and the block behaves the same way. The desktop app needs macOS 13 or later, so check your Mac version first if you want the app.

## Sources

1. [Columns, headings & dividers in Notion (Notion Help Center)](https://www.notion.com/help/columns-headings-and-dividers), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Notion keyboard shortcuts (Notion Help Center)](https://www.notion.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Notion for desktop (Mac & Windows) (Notion Help Center)](https://www.notion.com/help/notion-for-desktop), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
4. [System requirements for Notion (Notion Help Center)](https://www.notion.com/help/system-requirements-for-notion), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Style & customize your Notion page (Notion Help Center)](https://www.notion.com/help/customize-and-style-your-content), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
6. [How to Add a Table of Contents in Notion](https://bullet.so/blog/how-to-add-a-table-of-contents-in-notion/), Bullet (third-party), checked 2026-11-07
7. [Notion 3.6 release notes](https://www.notion.com/releases/2026-07-01), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
8. [Notion 3.8 release notes](https://www.notion.com/releases/2026-10-13), Notion, checked 2026-11-07
9. [Notion release notes index](https://www.notion.com/releases), Notion, checked 2026-11-07