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Use this when KDP only says the TOC is missing.
The scanner can check nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, content.opf, spine toc wiring, and broken TOC link targets in one pass.
EPUB error guide
KDP EPUB missing table of contents
How to handle a KDP EPUB missing table of contents problem by checking nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, OPF wiring, and safe repair boundaries before another upload.
1. Example report output
What the TOC report should show.
A useful report should identify which navigation layer failed and whether the EPUB already contains a safe source for the table of contents.
KDP wording
The uploaded EPUB does not contain a table of contents or the Kindle Go To menu has no usable entries.
EPUBCheck signal
Navigation document is missing, NCX is not connected, or TOC links point to missing files or anchors.
EPUB Fixer report
Found OEBPS/nav.xhtml, but content.opf has no manifest item with properties="nav".
Do this next
Repair the OPF navigation declaration only if nav.xhtml is the intended EPUB 3 table of contents.
Do not do this
Do not auto-generate chapter titles or replace the author's reading order from guessed headings.
If the EPUB contains one clear nav.xhtml or toc.ncx path, the repair can be structural. If the book has no reliable chapter map, rebuild the TOC in the source formatter instead.
2. Next step
Choose the next step from the navigation evidence.
KDP's wording is broad. The right next action depends on whether the EPUB has a missing file, broken OPF wiring, broken TOC links, or no usable source TOC at all.
Safe repair
Use this when one navigation source is obvious.
A missing properties="nav" declaration or disconnected NCX can be repaired when the existing file clearly represents the book's TOC.
Source rebuild
Use this when the chapter map itself is missing.
Return to Vellum, Atticus, Word, InDesign, Sigil, or the formatter when the EPUB has no reliable chapter titles, order, or TOC file to trust.
3. Concrete path example
A typical missing TOC repair is an OPF wiring problem.
The nav file can exist while Kindle still ignores it because content.opf does not identify it as navigation.
KDP symptom: Kindle Go To menu does not show the table of contents. Report: Found: OEBPS/nav.xhtml Manifest: no item with properties="nav" Spine: chapter order is present Fix decision: safe repair if nav.xhtml is the intended EPUB 3 TOC After: add the nav manifest property, then validate again
If nav.xhtml does not exist, or if its links do not match the intended chapter order, rebuild the TOC in the source project instead of guessing one.
Quick decision
Decide whether this is wiring, broken links, or a missing source TOC.
A missing KDP TOC is not one error. It can come from package metadata, navigation files, broken anchors, or an export that never produced a usable table of contents.
Scan first
You only know KDP says the TOC is missing.
Scan the EPUB so the report can show whether nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, content.opf, and TOC link targets are present and connected.
Safe fix
One existing navigation file is clearly intended.
Repair the OPF declaration, spine toc value, or simple path mismatch, then validate again before retrying KDP.
Stop
The EPUB has no trustworthy chapter map.
Do not invent a TOC from visible headings when the order, titles, anchors, or fixed-layout pages require editorial judgment.
Start here
Do not rebuild the TOC until you know which navigation layer failed.
KDP can show a missing table of contents even when the chapters are present. Start by checking whether the EPUB has a valid nav.xhtml, an EPUB 2 NCX file, OPF wiring, and TOC links that actually land on chapter files.
What it means
The book can still contain chapter XHTML files, but the EPUB package is not exposing a valid navigation map to Kindle. The problem may be a missing nav.xhtml file, a nav file that is not declared in content.opf, a disconnected toc.ncx file, or TOC entries that point to old chapter paths or missing anchors.
Can it be fixed automatically?
EPUB Fixer can help when the package contains one clear navigation source, such as a valid nav.xhtml that only needs the OPF nav property, a toc.ncx file that needs to be connected from the spine, or TOC links with simple path or anchor mismatches.
What to check next
Open the EPUB package and look for the navigation files first: usually OEBPS/nav.xhtml for EPUB 3 or toc.ncx for EPUB 2.
What not to assume
It is not safe to repair automatically when the chapter order, TOC titles, or target anchors require editorial judgment. If the EPUB has no nav.xhtml, no toc.ncx, inconsistent headings, fixed-layout pages, or image-only chapters, rebuild the TOC in the source formatter or send it to a formatter.
Common situations
Common missing TOC cases in KDP uploads.
The same KDP symptom can come from different EPUB internals. Start with the file that should own the navigation.
EPUB 3 nav.xhtml exists but is not declared as nav.
The file is in the package, but content.opf does not mark the manifest item with properties="nav".
This can be a safe structural fix when nav.xhtml is valid and matches the intended chapter order.
EPUB 2 toc.ncx exists but the spine does not point to it.
Older EPUBs can include toc.ncx while the OPF spine lacks the toc attribute that connects Kindle to the NCX file.
Connect the NCX only when it is the intended TOC and its navPoint entries target real chapter files.
The TOC file points to missing chapter anchors.
nav.xhtml or toc.ncx can exist but still fail because entries target chapter.xhtml#old-id or a renamed file.
Handle this like an RSC_012 or RSC_007 navigation case before retrying KDP.
The export did not create a real TOC.
Some source files have styled headings, but no navigation document or NCX was generated during export.
Rebuild the TOC in the source formatter or Sigil instead of letting a scanner guess chapter titles.
Fixed-layout or image-first books have visual pages but no safe text headings.
The visible pages may not expose reliable heading text or anchors for an automatic TOC.
Use the source design tool or a formatter because the TOC is part of the book design, not just package wiring.
The KDP missing TOC wording to save
KDP EPUB missing table of contents: Kindle Go To or Previewer navigation does not show a usable table of contents.
Where KDP EPUB missing table of contents appears
KDP accepts the upload far enough to preview the book, but Kindle Previewer or the KDP preview workflow shows an empty Go To menu, missing navigation entries, or a warning that the EPUB does not contain a usable table of contents.
What it means
The EPUB usually has chapters, but Kindle cannot find the navigation map.
The book can still contain chapter XHTML files, but the EPUB package is not exposing a valid navigation map to Kindle. The problem may be a missing nav.xhtml file, a nav file that is not declared in content.opf, a disconnected toc.ncx file, or TOC entries that point to old chapter paths or missing anchors.
Common causes include an EPUB 3 nav document that exists but lacks properties="nav" in the OPF manifest, an EPUB 2 toc.ncx file that is not connected from the spine, stale links in nav.xhtml or toc.ncx after chapter renames, or an export workflow that styled chapter headings but never generated a real EPUB navigation document.
Before you edit
Check nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, and content.opf before editing chapters.
A table of contents repair is safe only when the intended navigation source is clear. Do not generate a new TOC from guessed headings if the reading order, chapter titles, or fixed-layout structure is unclear.
- 1Open the EPUB package and look for the navigation files first: usually OEBPS/nav.xhtml for EPUB 3 or toc.ncx for EPUB 2.
- 2If nav.xhtml exists, check that content.opf lists it in the manifest and marks it with properties="nav" so Kindle knows it is the EPUB 3 navigation file.
- 3If toc.ncx exists, check that content.opf connects it from the spine with a toc value instead of leaving it as an unused file.
- 4Open several TOC entries and confirm they point to real chapter files and real anchor ids, not old paths from a previous export.
- 5Compare the TOC order with the OPF spine order. If the two disagree, confirm the intended chapter order before editing.
- 6If the book is fixed-layout, image-first, or has unclear heading structure, do not auto-build a TOC from guessed visible text.
Why KDP checks it
Why KDP and Kindle Previewer care about EPUB navigation.
EPUB 3.3 package rules
The OPF file is the EPUB's map: metadata, file list, reading order, and navigation wiring. KDP and EPUBCheck use it to decide whether the book package is coherent.
KDP eBook file formats
KDP supports EPUB files that meet Kindle Publishing Guidelines and recommends checking the file with Kindle Previewer before upload.
Can this be fixed safely?
When a missing Kindle TOC can be repaired safely.
When automatic repair is safe
EPUB Fixer can help when the package contains one clear navigation source, such as a valid nav.xhtml that only needs the OPF nav property, a toc.ncx file that needs to be connected from the spine, or TOC links with simple path or anchor mismatches.
When you need manual review
It is not safe to repair automatically when the chapter order, TOC titles, or target anchors require editorial judgment. If the EPUB has no nav.xhtml, no toc.ncx, inconsistent headings, fixed-layout pages, or image-only chapters, rebuild the TOC in the source formatter or send it to a formatter.
Before / after example
Before: OEBPS/nav.xhtml exists and matches the chapter order, but content.opf does not declare it with properties="nav". After: the manifest identifies the nav file and the EPUB passes validation again. Before: the EPUB has chapters but no nav.xhtml, no toc.ncx, and inconsistent heading text; that should stop for source TOC rebuild.
Ready to retry?
Scan before another KDP upload attempt.
The scan can separate a missing nav file, a wrong OPF manifest property, a disconnected NCX file, and broken TOC links. Those cases look similar in KDP but require different fixes.
Upload EPUB to scanFAQ
Questions authors ask about a missing KDP table of contents.
Why does KDP say my EPUB has no table of contents?
The chapters may exist, but KDP still needs a valid EPUB navigation document, connected NCX file, or TOC links that point to real XHTML files and anchors. If that navigation layer is missing or disconnected, Kindle may show no usable TOC.
Can EPUB Fixer create a missing Kindle table of contents?
Only when the existing EPUB already contains a clear navigation source or a safe wiring fix. If the EPUB has no reliable nav.xhtml, toc.ncx, chapter order, or anchor targets, the TOC should be rebuilt in the source formatter instead.
What file should I look for first?
Look for nav.xhtml in an EPUB 3 file or toc.ncx in an EPUB 2 file, then check content.opf. The OPF file should declare nav.xhtml with properties="nav" or connect toc.ncx from the spine.
Should I add a new TOC by hand?
Only if you know the intended chapter order and each TOC link target. A generated TOC with guessed headings can pass validation while sending Kindle readers to the wrong chapter or section.
How is this different from RSC_007 or RSC_012?
A missing TOC is the KDP symptom. The underlying EPUB problem can be RSC_007 when a TOC entry points to a missing file, or RSC_012 when the file exists but the anchor after # is missing.
Can KDP accept an EPUB without a Kindle table of contents?
Do not rely on that. Even if an upload continues, missing or broken Kindle navigation creates a poor reading experience and can trigger preview or quality problems before publication.