Last reviewed by Robert Prime — May 2026
Quick Answer: Your Table of Contents links don't go to the chapters they should. In Word, your TOC may have been built before all chapters were named. Right-click the TOC → Update Field → Update Entire Table. In InDesign, regenerate the TOC. Verify each entry clicks through correctly before re-uploading.
Full reasoning, why-it-happens, and the exact fix below.
UK note: UK-specific considerations apply — ISBN purchases go through Nielsen (not Bowker), VAT rules differ from the US (print books are zero-rated; ebooks carry 20% VAT), and GDPR applies to any email/customer data. See our UK self-publishing guides for specifics.
We see this come through our formatting queue at publishing.co.uk regularly, so the patterns and fixes here are based on what actually works at upload.
What this error means
Kindle ebooks require two TOC structures: a visible HTML Table of Contents near the front of the book, and an invisible navigation document (NCX for backward compatibility, nav.xhtml for EPUB 3) that drives the Kindle's "Go To → Table of Contents" menu.
When KDP detects broken TOC links, the rejection email reads "Your Table of Contents is missing or contains broken links." Specific failures:
- A TOC entry points to an anchor ID that doesn't exist
- A chapter exists in the book but isn't in the TOC
- The NCX nav document is missing or empty
- TOC includes page numbers (Kindle doesn't have fixed pages, so page numbers are invalid)
- The HTML TOC is buried at the back instead of near the front
📎 Source: KDP's authoritative documentation on this rule is at KDP's navigation and ToC guidelines.
Why it happens
Word's auto-generated TOC creates page-number-based links that don't translate to EPUB. The conversion strips page numbers but leaves the hyperlinks pointing nowhere.
Manually written TOC with anchors like <a href="#chapter1">Chapter 1</a> — but the chapter heading uses id="ch1" not id="chapter1". Tiny typo, broken link.
Re-ordering chapters after the TOC was built. Move chapter 3 to chapter 5 and the original TOC entries now point to the wrong content.
Vellum and Atticus auto-generate both TOCs. They're usually solid, but if you've manually edited the EPUB after export (e.g. in Sigil) you can break it.
Calibre conversion from .docx often drops the NCX or generates an empty one. The HTML TOC may survive but the nav document is empty.
Page numbers in the TOC. A holdover from print thinking. Kindle has no fixed pages because of reflow, so the rule is no page numbers in the ebook TOC at all.
The fix
Step 1: Open your EPUB in Sigil (free from sigil-ebook.com). You'll see two relevant files:
toc.ncx(EPUB 2 navigation, required for backward compatibility)nav.xhtml(EPUB 3 navigation, required for modern Kindle)- Plus your HTML TOC, usually
toc.xhtmlor similar
Step 2: Verify the HTML TOC content. Each entry should be:
<li><a href="chapter01.xhtml#ch1">Chapter One: The Beginning</a></li>
The chapter01.xhtml is the file. The #ch1 is the anchor — it must match the id attribute on the chapter's heading in that file.
Step 3: Open chapter01.xhtml and confirm the heading reads:
<h1 id="ch1">Chapter One: The Beginning</h1>
The id must exactly match the anchor in the TOC (case-sensitive).
Step 4: For each TOC entry, verify the target. Sigil's "Tools → Reports → All Files" lists every anchor. Cross-reference against your TOC.
Step 5: Strip any page numbers. A line like "Chapter One: The Beginning ... 12" needs the "... 12" removed. Search for digits in your TOC.
Step 6: Rebuild the NCX automatically. In Sigil: Tools → Table of Contents → Generate Table of Contents → tick which heading levels to include → OK. This rewrites both the visible HTML TOC and the NCX correctly.
Step 7: Generate the nav.xhtml (EPUB 3 nav). In Sigil → Tools → Table of Contents → Create HTML Table of Contents. Position it near the front of the book by dragging in the file list.
Step 8 (Vellum / Atticus regenerate): If you've made structural changes, re-export the EPUB rather than editing the broken one. Vellum: File → Generate → Kindle. Atticus: Project → Generate → EPUB.
Step 9: Run EPUBCheck on the result. Errors about "navMap" or "toc" pinpoint remaining issues.
Step 10: Upload and use KDP's Online Previewer to click every TOC entry and confirm it jumps correctly.
How to pre-flight it
Our free KDP Readiness Score parses your EPUB's TOC and NCX/nav, verifies every link resolves to a real anchor, and flags missing chapters or stray page numbers. We catch this alongside 30+ other KDP rules.
Related errors
FAQ
Do I need both NCX and nav.xhtml? For modern Kindle, nav.xhtml is what matters. NCX is for older readers. KDP technically requires both for maximum compatibility, but in 2026 nav.xhtml is the priority.
Can the TOC be at the back of the book? No — KDP requires the HTML TOC near the beginning, before chapter 1.
Should I include front matter (copyright, dedication) in the TOC? Optional but recommended. KDP doesn't require it, but readers expect it.
Why does KDP not allow page numbers in the TOC? Because Kindle reflows. There are no fixed pages — font size, screen size, and orientation all change pagination. Page numbers in an ebook TOC are meaningless.
Frequently asked questions
Does Kindle need its own ToC separate from the paperback?
Yes — Kindle uses an HTML-based NCX/nav file for navigation; paperback uses linked PDF entries. Generate each correctly for its target format.
How do I test whether the TOC links in my EPUB actually work?
Open the EPUB in Kindle Previewer (free download from Amazon) and click each TOC entry. Broken links jump nowhere or jump to the wrong chapter. Sigil's TOC editor also flags broken anchor references during build.
Can publishing.co.uk rebuild a broken TOC for me?
Yes — TOC rebuilds are routine for EPUB files. We regenerate the TOC from heading styles in the source manuscript, verify every link, and re-deliver the file. Word manuscripts with proper Heading 1/2/3 styles convert cleanest.
Does a broken TOC affect KDP automated review or just reader experience?
Both. Severely-broken TOCs (missing nav.xhtml or no entries at all) fail KDP review. Subtly-broken TOCs (links pointing to the wrong heading) pass review but produce 1-star reviews from frustrated readers — "the chapters jump around".
Related KDP error fixes
If you got the rejection above, you may also want to check these related issues — they tend to cluster:
Full list: KDP formatting errors hub · KDP rejection fixes hub · KDP rejected my book
About this guide
This page is part of a series of UK-focused KDP rejection guides at publishing.co.uk, each documenting a specific reason KDP can reject a print or Kindle file and the exact fix. Written by Robert Prime — founder of publishing.co.uk, co-runs the LoveReading network, and has overseen 500+ KDP submissions through formatting work in this category (navigation).
If you'd rather have someone else handle this and the other 35 issues KDP checks for, our formatting service is from £69 with a 3-day turnaround and a 100% KDP-acceptance guarantee.
Run a free KDP Readiness Score on your file before you upload — catches this issue and 35 others, in 60 seconds.
