Automatically Add Sequential Section Labels in Overleaf

Master Efficient LaTeX Workflows with Regex-Powered Automation

Author

Dr. Md Abdus Samad

Published

May 30, 2025

Introduction and Why Section Labels Matter

NoteThe Problem

When writing academic papers in LaTeX, using \ref{sec:sectionname} for cross-references is essential for professional documentation. However, manually adding \label{sec:sectionname} to every \section{} command becomes tedious and error-prone in long documents.

Key Benefits of Section Labels

  • Automatic numbering: LaTeX handles section numbering dynamically
  • Dynamic references: Section numbers update automatically when you reorganize content
  • Professional formatting: Ensures consistent reference style throughout your document
  • Easy maintenance: No need to manually update references when adding or removing sections

Method 1: Basic Regex Search and Replace in Overleaf

Step 1: Open your LaTeX project in Overleaf

Navigate to the file containing your sections that need labels.

Step 2: Access Find/Replace

Press Ctrl + F (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + F (Mac)

Step 3: Enable Regex mode

Click the .* (regex) button in the search panel

Step 4: Enter the search pattern

\\section\{([^}]*)\}

This pattern captures any text within section braces, including spaces and special characters

Step 5: Enter the replacement pattern

\\section{$1}\\label{sec:$1}

The $1 placeholder maintains your original section title in both the section command and label

Step 6: Execute the replacement

Click Replace All to apply changes to your entire document

Example Results

WarningBefore 
\section{Introduction}
\section{Literature Review}
\section{Methodology}
TipAfter 
\section{Introduction}\label{sec:Introduction}
\section{Literature Review}\label{sec:Literature Review}
\section{Methodology}\label{sec:Methodology}

Method 2: Advanced Pattern for Clean Label Names

For more professional label names without spaces or special characters, you can use a modified approach:

Search Pattern

\\section\{([^}]*)\}

Replace Pattern

\\section{$1}\\label{sec:\L$1\E}
TipPro Tip

The \L and \E modifiers convert text to lowercase (availability depends on your regex engine). If this does not work in Overleaf, use the manual approach below.

Manual Alternative Approach

  1. Use the basic method first to add all labels
  2. Manually clean up labels by replacing spaces with underscores or hyphens
  3. Convert to lowercase for consistency

Method 3: Handling Subsections and Subsubsections

For Subsections

Search:

\\subsection\{([^}]*)\}

Replace:

\\subsection{$1}\\label{subsec:$1}

For Subsubsections

Search:

\\subsubsection\{([^}]*)\}

Replace:

\\subsubsection{$1}\\label{subsubsec:$1}

Best Practices and Tips

Label Naming Conventions

  • Use descriptive prefixes: sec:, subsec:, subsubsec:
  • Keep labels concise but meaningful
  • Use underscores instead of spaces: sec:literature_review
  • Avoid special characters and numbers at the beginning
WarningBefore You Begin
  1. Create a backup of your project or commit changes to Git
  2. Test on a small section first to ensure the regex works as expected
  3. Review all replacements before finalizing

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: Labels with spaces do not work well

Solution: Manually replace spaces with underscores in labels after regex replacement

Problem: Special characters in section titles cause issues

Solution: Use a more restrictive search pattern or clean labels manually

Problem: Nested braces in section titles

Solution: Handle complex cases individually rather than with bulk regex

Using Your New Labels

Once labels are added, reference them in your text:

As discussed in Section \ref{sec:Introduction}, we will explore...
See the methodology in Section \ref{sec:Methodology} for details.
TipLaTeX will automatically:
  • Generate correct section numbers
  • Update references when you reorganize content
  • Handle cross-references in your final PDF

Alternative Tools and Methods

For Advanced Users

  • External text editors with powerful regex support (VS Code, Sublime Text)
  • LaTeX-specific tools like TeXstudio with advanced find/replace
  • Custom scripts for bulk processing multiple files

Automated Solutions

Consider writing a simple Python script for large projects with hundreds of sections, or use LaTeX packages like cleveref for enhanced reference formatting.

NoteConclusion

Automating section label addition saves significant time and reduces errors in LaTeX documents. The regex method in Overleaf provides a quick solution for most use cases, while the advanced techniques ensure professional, consistent labeling throughout your academic papers. Remember to always backup your work and test patterns on small sections before applying them to entire documents.