Your Kindle Ebook Formatting Is Broken (Fix It in Word)

If you’ve been working on your ebook and noticed missing chapters, broken table of contents (TOC) links, or odd paragraph spacing, you’re not alone. Kindle ebook formatting can be tricky, especially when converting Word documents to Kindle.

The good news? With the right steps, you can fix these common problems and make your ebook look professional on any Kindle device.

In this guide, we’ll cover the most frequent Kindle formatting issues and show you exactly how to fix them, step by step.

1. Fix Missing Chapters in Your Kindle Ebook

One of the first issues you may notice is missing chapters when previewing your ebook. This usually happens because Kindle generates navigation from Word heading styles, not just the visual formatting.

Quick Check in Word:

1. Open your document and go to View → Navigation Pane

2. Click through your headings to see if all chapters appear

3. If a chapter is missing, ensure the correct heading style (Heading 1 or Heading 2) is applied

Why it matters: Proper heading styles ensure your table of contents works correctly, making your ebook easy to navigate for readers.

2. Fix Table of Contents (TOC) Hyperlinks

Many authors struggle with TOC links that don’t work on Kindle. Common causes include:

• Page numbers included in the TOC

• Manual edits to chapter headings

• Heading styles not applied before creating the TOC

Step-by-Step Fix:

1. Remove page numbers from your TOC

2. Apply Word’s heading styles to all chapter titles

3. Update the TOC so that links are clickable

Now, readers can jump directly to any chapter without frustration, improving user experience and reader retention.

3. Clean Paragraph Spacing and Remove Extra Gaps

Kindle reads every paragraph return literally. Extra blank lines or inconsistent spacing can make your ebook look messy.

How to fix spacing in Word:

1. Open Find & Replace

2. Search for double paragraph marks ^p^p

3. Replace with a single paragraph mark ^p

4. Repeat as needed until spacing is consistent

Consistent paragraph spacing ensures your ebook looks professional and reads smoothly on any Kindle device.

4. Create Professional Scene Breaks

Scene breaks help your readers follow changes in location, time, or perspective. Avoid inserting them with extra spaces or tabs — Kindle often displays these inconsistently.

Best Practice:

1. Use a simple symbol like * * *

2. Center it in your document

3. Create a custom Word style for scene breaks

4. Apply this style consistently throughout your book

This keeps scene breaks uniform and polished across all devices.

5. Handle Section Breaks Correctly

Section breaks are designed for print layouts and often cause formatting issues in ebooks. If you see unexpected blank pages or double lines in Kindle Previewer:

Fix:

1. Use Find & Replace → Section Breaks → Replace All

2. Avoid using unnecessary section breaks in your manuscript

This ensures a clean layout with no surprises for your readers.

6. Final Review on Kindle Previewer

After fixing headings, TOC, spacing, scene breaks, and section breaks, always preview your ebook in Kindle Previewer:

• Click through chapters

• Check scene breaks

• Verify links and spacing

Your ebook should now have:

• Fully functional table of contents

• Clickable chapter links

• Consistent paragraph spacing

• Professional, uniform scene breaks

• Clean layout without section break errors

Conclusion: Make Your Kindle Ebook Look Professional

Formatting a Kindle ebook doesn’t have to be frustrating. By following these step-by-step fixes, your book will be readable, polished, and professional — giving your readers a better experience and leaving a strong impression.

For advanced formatting techniques, including custom fonts, drop caps, and interactive TOCs, check out our next post/video on professional Kindle ebook formatting for indie and traditional publishers.