Changing the Number of Headings in an Outline

When you switch to Outline viewing mode, Word displays the Outline toolbar. In Word 97 and Word 2000 the toolbar includes tools that show the numbers 1 through 9. These represent the different heading levels that you can display in the outline. To view only a limited number of headings, click on the number representing the largest head level you want to view. Thus, if you want to see first-, second-, and third-level heads, click your mouse on 3.

Word 2002 changed the Outline toolbar, doing away with the nine level tools and replacing them with a single Outline Level drop-down list. (This is also the way it is done in Word 2003.) When you click on the down-arrow at the right of the tool, you can choose the level of detail you want to see in your outline. If you want to see just first- and second-level heads in your outline, you would drop down the list and choose Level 2.

More changes came about in Word 2007, which did away with the Outline toolbar all together. Instead, when you change to Outline view Word displays the Outlining tab of the ribbon. On this tab you can access most of the same tools that used to be on the Outline toolbar. One of those controls is a drop-down list that allows you to specify the level of detail that you want displayed in the outline.