diff --git a/lib/config/default.js b/lib/config/default.js
index 95ee1940fe..08a4413d05 100644
--- a/lib/config/default.js
+++ b/lib/config/default.js
@@ -188,5 +188,6 @@ module.exports = {
   //    2nd appearance: "31-good-morning-my-friend---do-you-have-5-1"
   //    3rd appearance: "31-good-morning-my-friend---do-you-have-5-2"
   linkifyHeaderStyle: 'keep-case',
-  autoVersionCheck: true
+  autoVersionCheck: true,
+  defaultTocDepth: 3
 }
diff --git a/lib/config/environment.js b/lib/config/environment.js
index 0867aecf54..cbf0f4c13f 100644
--- a/lib/config/environment.js
+++ b/lib/config/environment.js
@@ -147,5 +147,6 @@ module.exports = {
   openID: toBooleanConfig(process.env.CMD_OPENID),
   defaultUseHardbreak: toBooleanConfig(process.env.CMD_DEFAULT_USE_HARD_BREAK),
   linkifyHeaderStyle: process.env.CMD_LINKIFY_HEADER_STYLE,
-  autoVersionCheck: toBooleanConfig(process.env.CMD_AUTO_VERSION_CHECK)
+  autoVersionCheck: toBooleanConfig(process.env.CMD_AUTO_VERSION_CHECK),
+  defaultTocDepth: toIntegerConfig(process.env.CMD_DEFAULT_TOC_DEPTH)
 }
diff --git a/lib/status/index.js b/lib/status/index.js
index 2f5366d62c..2e344efa2f 100644
--- a/lib/status/index.js
+++ b/lib/status/index.js
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ exports.getConfig = (req, res) => {
     allowedUploadMimeTypes: config.allowedUploadMimeTypes,
     defaultUseHardbreak: config.defaultUseHardbreak,
     linkifyHeaderStyle: config.linkifyHeaderStyle,
-    useCDN: config.useCDN
+    useCDN: config.useCDN,
+    defaultTocDepth: config.defaultTocDepth
   }
   res.set({
     'Cache-Control': 'private', // only cache by client
diff --git a/public/css/extra.css b/public/css/extra.css
index 2b23ad2413..f46eb3e6dc 100644
--- a/public/css/extra.css
+++ b/public/css/extra.css
@@ -253,6 +253,32 @@
     padding-right: 40px;
 }
 
+.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>a {
+  padding-top: 1px;
+  padding-bottom: 1px;
+  padding-left: 50px;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  font-weight: 400;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>a {
+  padding-right: 50px;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>ul>li>a {
+  padding-top: 1px;
+  padding-bottom: 1px;
+  padding-left: 60px;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  font-weight: 400;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>ul>li>a {
+  padding-right: 60px;
+}
+
+
+
 .ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>a:focus,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>a:hover {
     padding-left: 29px;
 }
@@ -269,6 +295,22 @@
     padding-right: 39px;
 }
 
+.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:focus,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:hover {
+  padding-left: 49px;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:focus,.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:hover {
+  padding-right: 49px;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:focus,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:hover {
+  padding-left: 59px;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:focus,.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>li>ul>li>ul>li>ul>li>a:hover {
+  padding-right: 59px;
+}
+
 .ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active:focus>a,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active:hover>a,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>a {
     padding-left: 28px;
     font-weight: 500;
@@ -287,6 +329,24 @@
     padding-right: 38px;
 }
 
+.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:focus>a,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:hover>a,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>a {
+  padding-left: 48px;
+  font-weight: 500;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:focus>a,.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:hover>a,.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>.active>.active>.nav>.nav>.active>a {
+  padding-right: 48px;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:focus>a,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:hover>a,.ui-toc-dropdown .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>a {
+  padding-left: 58px;
+  font-weight: 500;
+}
+
+.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:focus>a,.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>.nav>.active:hover>a,.ui-toc-dropdown[dir='rtl'] .nav .nav>.active>.active>.nav>.nav>.active>.nav>.active>a {
+  padding-right: 58px;
+}
+
 /* support japanese font */
 .markdown-body[lang^="ja"] {
     font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", Osaka, Meiryo, "メイリオ", "MS Gothic", "ＭＳ ゴシック", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";
diff --git a/public/docs/features.md b/public/docs/features.md
index c3f5fac931..8902bee7ca 100644
--- a/public/docs/features.md
+++ b/public/docs/features.md
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ View
 ## Table of Contents:
 You can look at the bottom right section of the view area, there is a _ToC_ button <i class="fa fa-bars"></i>.
 Pressing that button will show you a current _Table of Contents_, and will highlight which section you're at.
-ToCs support up to **three header levels**.
+ToCs support up to **five header levels**, the **default** is **set to three**. The maxLevel can be set for each note by using 
+[YAML Metadata](./yaml-metadata)
 
 ## Permalink
 Every header will automatically add a permalink on the right side.
@@ -133,12 +134,19 @@ You can provide advanced note information to set the browser behavior (visit abo
 - GA: set to use Google Analytics
 - disqus: set to use Disqus
 - slideOptions: setup slide mode options
+- toc: set options of the Table of Contents.
 
 ## ToC:
-Use the syntax `[TOC]` to embed table of content into your note.
+Use the syntax `[TOC]` to embed table of content into your note. By default, three header levels are displayed. This can also be specified by using [YAML Metadata](./yaml-metadata). 
 
 [TOC]
 
+You can also specify the number of header levels by specifying the `maxLevel` like this: `[TOC maxLevel=1]`
+
+[TOC maxLevel=1]
+
+
+
 ## Emoji
 You can type any emoji like this :smile: :smiley: :cry: :wink:
 > See full emoji list [here](http://www.emoji-cheat-sheet.com/).
diff --git a/public/docs/yaml-metadata.md b/public/docs/yaml-metadata.md
index 839616a8f9..e064da19b1 100644
--- a/public/docs/yaml-metadata.md
+++ b/public/docs/yaml-metadata.md
@@ -128,6 +128,22 @@ This option allows you to enable Disqus with your shortname.
 disqus: codimd
 ```
 
+toc
+---
+
+This option allows you to set options regarding the table of contents (toc). Currently, its only option is to set the maxDepth.
+
+**Notice: always use two spaces as indention in YAML metadata!**
+
+
+> **maxDepth:**
+> default: not set (whioch will show everything until level 3 (h1 -- h3))
+> max: 5 (as defined by md-toc.js)
+
+
+**Example**
+
+
 type
 ---
 This option allows you to switch the document view to the slide preview, to simplify live editing of presentations.
diff --git a/public/js/extra.js b/public/js/extra.js
index dfc206b0aa..8384739ad8 100644
--- a/public/js/extra.js
+++ b/public/js/extra.js
@@ -811,8 +811,12 @@ export function generateToc (id) {
   const target = $(`#${id}`)
   target.html('')
   /* eslint-disable no-unused-vars */
+
+  var tocOptions = md.meta.toc || {}
+  var maxLevel = (typeof tocOptions.maxLevel === 'number' && tocOptions.maxLevel > 0) ? tocOptions.maxLevel : window.defaultTocDepth
+
   var toc = new window.Toc('doc', {
-    level: 3,
+    level: maxLevel,
     top: -1,
     class: 'toc',
     ulClass: 'nav',
@@ -1010,11 +1014,20 @@ export function renderTOC (view) {
     const target = $(`#${id}`)
     target.html('')
     /* eslint-disable no-unused-vars */
+
+    const specificDepth = parseInt(toc.data('toc-depth'))
+
+    var tocOptions = md.meta.toc || {}
+    var yamlMaxDepth = (typeof tocOptions.maxLevel === 'number' && tocOptions.maxLevel > 0) ? tocOptions.maxLevel : window.defaultTocDepth
+
+    var maxLevel = specificDepth || yamlMaxDepth
+
     const TOC = new window.Toc('doc', {
-      level: 3,
+      level: maxLevel,
       top: -1,
       class: 'toc',
       targetId: id,
+      data: { tocDepth: specificDepth },
       process: getHeaderContent
     })
     /* eslint-enable no-unused-vars */
@@ -1260,9 +1273,12 @@ const gistPlugin = new Plugin(
 // TOC
 const tocPlugin = new Plugin(
   // regexp to match
-  /^\[TOC\]$/i,
+  /^\[TOC(|\s*maxLevel=\d+?)\]$/i,
 
-  (match, utils) => '<div class="toc"></div>'
+  (match, utils) => {
+    const tocDepth = match[1].split(/[?&=]+/)[1]
+    return `<div class="toc" data-toc-depth="${tocDepth}"></div>`
+  }
 )
 // slideshare
 const slidesharePlugin = new Plugin(
diff --git a/public/js/lib/common/constant.ejs b/public/js/lib/common/constant.ejs
index 57438912a7..3cb960ff2f 100644
--- a/public/js/lib/common/constant.ejs
+++ b/public/js/lib/common/constant.ejs
@@ -13,3 +13,5 @@ window.linkifyHeaderStyle = '<%- linkifyHeaderStyle %>'
 window.DROPBOX_APP_KEY = '<%- DROPBOX_APP_KEY %>'
 
 window.USE_CDN = <%- useCDN %>
+
+window.defaultTocDepth = <%- defaultTocDepth %>
diff --git a/public/vendor/md-toc.js b/public/vendor/md-toc.js
index 59e75aed3a..0c7b511641 100644
--- a/public/vendor/md-toc.js
+++ b/public/vendor/md-toc.js
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 /**
  * md-toc.js v1.0.2
  * https://github.com/yijian166/md-toc.js
+ *
+ * Adapted to accept data attributes
  */
 
 (function (window) {
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@
     this.tocTop = parseInt(options.top) || 0
     this.elChilds = this.el.children
     this.process = options['process']
+    this.data = options.data || {}
     if (!this.elChilds.length) return
     this._init()
   }
@@ -123,6 +126,9 @@
     this.toc = document.createElement('div')
     this.toc.innerHTML = this.tocContent
     this.toc.setAttribute('class', this.tocClass)
+    if (this.data.tocDepth) {
+      this.toc.dataset.tocDepth = this.data.tocDepth
+    }
     if (!this.options.targetId) {
       this.el.appendChild(this.toc)
     } else {