Writing and manuscriptsQuick tip
How to number figures in a book
In Layout, set Figure numbers under Breaks & figures so each captioned picture prints Figure 1 and Figure 2, through the book or starting again each chapter.
In short
In Layout, the panel on the right is Style. Under My themes, click Open builder, set Figure numbers to Figure 1, 2, 3 through the book, and click Preview on my book.
A caption under a picture is still only the words you typed, so a later sentence has no number to point at. Figure numbers puts Figure 1, Figure 2, and so on in front of every caption that has words, in the order the pictures appear. You choose that once for the whole book, from the theme, and you see it on the pages before you export. A picture whose caption is empty is left out of the count.
Number the figures#
Open the builder
In Layout, the panel on the right opens on Style. If that panel is closed, click Style to open it. Clicking Style while it is already open closes the panel, so leave it alone when the heading Style is showing.
Under My themes, click Open builder. The builder opens on the look this book already uses. Themes at the top returns to the list. You can leave Theme name as it is. The name does not change how the captions print.
Choose a numbering
Scroll to Breaks & figures. Open Figure numbers and choose Figure 1, 2, 3 through the book. The pages stay as they are until you preview.
Figure 1.1, 1.2 — restart each chapter is the other choice. The first number is the chapter, and the count starts over in the next one. None — captions as typed is where the menu starts, and it leaves every caption exactly as you typed it.
Preview on your book
Click Preview on my book. Each captioned figure gains a number in front of the caption, with a period between them. The first captioned picture prints Figure 1. The east jetty. The next prints Figure 2. The channel buoy.
A line above the button, Saving custom themes is part of the pro finish., is about storing this look for another book. The preview still numbers this one. The words in the caption field do not change.
Reading Figure numbers#
| In the menu | What it prints |
|---|---|
| None — captions as typed | The caption prints as you typed it. This is the starting choice, so a book that should not number its pictures stays that way. |
| Figure 1, 2, 3 through the book | Figure 1, then Figure 2, and so on, from the first captioned figure to the last. The count does not restart. |
| Figure 1.1, 1.2 — restart each chapter | The first number is the chapter. The second number starts at 1 again under the next chapter heading. A figure that sits before any chapter prints as Figure 1, with no chapter number. |
The number is part of the caption line. It is not a separate heading, and it is not added inside the caption field. On the page, chapter numbering prints with a period inside the number and another period before your words, as in Figure 1.1. The east jetty.
Turn numbering off#
Open Figure numbers, choose None — captions as typed, and click Preview on my book again. Or press ⌘Z (Ctrl+Z on Windows) once, right after the preview that turned numbering on. Either way the pictures stay, and each caption goes back to the words you typed.
For a note under a paragraph, rather than a number on a picture, read How to add footnotes to a book.
Common questions
Does a picture with no caption get a number?
No. Only a figure with words in its caption is numbered. The caption field's placeholder is Caption (prints under the image). A blank caption is skipped, and the next captioned figure takes the next number, with no gap.
Do the numbers change the caption I typed?
No. The caption field keeps the words you typed. The number is added in front on the page, with a period between, as in Figure 1. The east jetty. In Write you still see only your words.
Can the count start over in each chapter?
Yes. Choose Figure 1.1, 1.2 — restart each chapter, then click Preview on my book. The first number is the chapter, and the count starts at 1 again in the next chapter. A figure before the first chapter is numbered on its own, as Figure 1, with no chapter number.
Can I mention a figure's number in the text?
Yes. In Write, open Notes, then References. The panel heading is Insert a reference. Figure stays off until numbering is on for that picture. With numbering on, Figure inserts the label, such as Figure 1.
Do I have to save the theme for the numbers to print?
No. Preview on my book applies the numbering to this book. Save to My themes stores the look for later. When saving is locked, the builder says Saving custom themes is part of the pro finish. Preview on my book still works.
Try it on your own book
Open a book in SmartKDP and follow the steps above. It takes about 3 minutes.