Hi,
So I have this problem: the table of contents is displayed from right to left. I realized by reading this forum that it's because the language of the styles I set as TOC is the wrong language (Arabic/Hebrew). So I go to styles, choose the style I want to change, then modify, then format, and then language. I choose the correct language (English), press OK, then I make sure the changes are applied automatically, then OK. I close the window for style, and then ... nothing happens. I reopen the list of styles to realize that the style I have just changed is still the same language (Arabic/Hebrew). how can I change the language without creating a new style?

Go to the TOC and select it. Then, on the Ribbon's Home Tab, click on the ►¶ symbol in the Paragraph panel.

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Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

thanks for your answer.
so I did as you asked, but it didn't help. only after I changed the editing language to English it got better. But I'm still having problems:
1. the dots between the title and the number appear in the wrong place. I noticed that some spaces appear in Hebrew language which may cause this problem (the file is only in English). I re-checked the styles I use and the numbering and there seems nothing that may explain this.
2. I get wide tabs in places I didn't request, usually in the center or the right side of the line which makes the title written on two lines instead of one.
3. each time I "update entire field" everything goes wrong again. this is very annoying because it's work in progress and I need to change titles from time to time.
4. I changed my computer and I don't recall having so much troubles in the previous one. I have now Windows 10 with Office 365 Pro-Plus (which I got from the university), could that explain the problems I'm facing?

The Windows & Office versions have nothing to do with the display effects you're seeing. However, their configuration (e.g. regionalisation for Windows, language for Office) could both be having an effect.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

what I eventually did is copying the whole text into a new document to avoid any spaces with different language (because when I started the document I had Hebrew as an editing language).
it took a lot of time to re-define the styles and the numbering but eventually it worked, and the table of contents was just perfect!

It seems as if you got things sorted.

For what it is worth, note that some language-specific options may get activated if you add a language to the list under "Choose Editing Languages" (even if you haven't actually installed the language pack).

Attached Images

language_options.PNG (32.2 KB, 14 views)

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Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional