How to insert your text on caption box

Question

How to insert your text on caption box

Maleshoane Khatite 20

I am trying to caption figures and tables but the caption box doesn't allow me to. It keeps on saying " This is not a valid section"

Stefan Blom 357.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-10-25T14:34:58.2533333+00:00

Which steps are you following, specifically, when you see the error message? For example, are you accessing Insert Caption via a right-click menu or via the ribbon? Etc.
Maleshoane Khatite 20 Reputation points

2026-10-26T16:09:22.4433333+00:00

I was using the ribbon but now I'm following the one where I manually write the text after word has inserted the caption number
Stefan Blom 357.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-10-26T17:26:04.01+00:00

I was using the ribbon but now I'm following the one where I manually write the text after word has inserted the caption number

@Maleshoane Khatite

Thanks for the follow-up. If you mean that you just let the Caption dialog box create the caption number, and then exit the dialog box, that is a perfectly reasonable action.

Typing the full caption text in the dialog box is usually more cumbersome compared to typing it directly in the document.

But your initial post in this thread mentioned an error message? Are you no longer seeing an error?

Answer accepted by question author

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Your answer

Stefan Blom 357.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-10-25T14:34:58.2533333+00:00

Which steps are you following, specifically, when you see the error message? For example, are you accessing Insert Caption via a right-click menu or via the ribbon? Etc.
Maleshoane Khatite 20 Reputation points

2026-10-26T16:09:22.4433333+00:00

I was using the ribbon but now I'm following the one where I manually write the text after word has inserted the caption number
Stefan Blom 357.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-10-26T17:26:04.01+00:00

I was using the ribbon but now I'm following the one where I manually write the text after word has inserted the caption number

@Maleshoane Khatite

Thanks for the follow-up. If you mean that you just let the Caption dialog box create the caption number, and then exit the dialog box, that is a perfectly reasonable action.

Typing the full caption text in the dialog box is usually more cumbersome compared to typing it directly in the document.

But your initial post in this thread mentioned an error message? Are you no longer seeing an error?

Answer 1

Insert the caption by selecting the figure or table and choosing References > Insert Caption; if the Caption dialog’s text box is blank or will not accept typing, select OK and type the descriptive text directly after the inserted caption in the document.

Insert the caption

Close the current Caption dialog.
Select the actual figure or table:
- For a figure, click its border once.
- For a table, click inside the table.
Go to References > Insert Caption.
Under Label, choose Figure or Table.
Select the required Position.
Normally, enter the description after the automatically generated number—for example, Figure 1 – Sales by region—and select OK. This is Word’s documented caption workflow.^1^

If that field remains empty or uneditable, select OK anyway. Word should insert the numbered caption; place the cursor after its number and type the description there. The Caption dialog can fail to display or accept its contents correctly because of formatting applied to the Caption style.^2^

If “This is not a valid selection” still appears

The reported wording may be selection, rather than section. Try the operation from a normal document location:

Press Esc to clear the current selection.
Click in an ordinary paragraph near the object.
Select the figure or click inside the table again.
Retry References > Insert Caption.
If it is a floating picture, select it, open Layout Options, and choose In Line with Text, then retry.

For a picture that must remain floating, Word’s supported process is to choose a With Text Wrapping layout before inserting the caption, and then group the picture and caption afterward.^1^

If the Caption style is hiding the text

Change the style temporarily:

Press Ctrl+Shift+S.
Enter Caption, then select Modify.
Choose Format > Paragraph.
Set Alignment to Left and confirm the dialogs.
Retry References > Insert Caption.

Left alignment makes the generated label and number visible at the beginning of the Caption dialog. After adding the captions, the style can be changed back to centered alignment.^3^

Avoid manually typing the figure or table number: Word inserts that number as a field so it can renumber captions and build a table of figures automatically.^1^

References