By default, Word automatically formats each heading in a table of contents as ______

Answer: C) hyperlinks

By default, Microsoft Word automatically formats entries in a Table of Contents (TOC) as hyperlinks. These hyperlinks allow users to click a heading or page number in the TOC and jump directly to the corresponding section of the document.
For example, if a Word document contains a heading called “Introduction” on page 5, clicking “Introduction” in the Table of Contents can take you directly to that heading.
Explanation of Other Options
- A. Bookmarks: Mark specific locations in a document so they can be accessed quickly, but they are not the default formatting applied to TOC entries.
- B. Cross-references: Refer to other parts of a document, such as headings, figures, or tables.
- C. Hyperlinks: Clickable links that take users to another location in the document. Correct answer.
- D. Word-fields: Special codes used to insert dynamic information, such as page numbers and TOC entries.

Source: Scan #5 page 2 Q46