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In outline view (outline view: A view that shows the headings of a document indented to represent their level in the document's structure. You can also use outline view to work with master documents.), you can easily see a document's organization and rearrange chunks of text by collapsing an outline to show only the headings and body text you want. Keep in mind that you can collapse only text that is formatted with built-in heading styles (heading style: Formatting applied to a heading. Microsoft Word has nine different built-in styles: Heading 1 through Heading 9.) or outline levels (outline level: Paragraph formatting you can use to assign a hierarchical level (Level 1 through Level 9) to paragraphs in your document. For example, after you assign outline levels, you can work with the document in outline view or in the Document Map.).

1. On the View menu, click Outline.

2. Show the headings and body text you want.

   Collapse any of the following:

   All body text to see headings only

   Position the insertion point in the first heading. On the Outlining toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), click Collapse .

   To redisplay body text, position the insertion point in the first heading, and then click Expand .

   All body text except the first line in each paragraph

   On the Outlining toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), click Show First Line Only . An ellipsis (...) after the first line indicates that additional lines of text are collapsed.

   To redisplay text, click the button again.

   Text below a specific heading level

   On the Outlining toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), click the lowest heading you want to display in the Show Level box. For example, click Show Level 3 in the Show Level box to display heading levels 1 through 3.

   To redisplay all levels, click Show All Levels in the Show Level box.

   All subheadings and body text under a heading

   Double-click the outline symbol (outline symbols: Symbols that are displayed beside paragraphs in outline view. You can use the symbols to display or hide subordinate levels of text and to reorganize text quickly.) next to the heading.

   To redisplay all subheadings and body text under a heading, double-click the outline symbol again.

   Text under a heading, one level at a time

   Position the insertion point in the heading. On the Outlining toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), click Collapse .

   To redisplay text, click Expand .

Note  If you select a heading that includes collapsed subordinate text, the collapsed text is also selected (even though it's not visible). Any changes you make to the heading — such as moving, copying, or deleting it — also affect the collapsed text.