\caption Outside Float Environment

What this error means

The \caption{} command was used outside of a floating environment (figure or table). Captions are part of float management and can only appear inside figure, table, or similar float environments.

Common causes

• \caption used directly in the document body without a surrounding figure or table
• The figure or table environment was accidentally closed before \caption
• \includegraphics used without a surrounding figure environment

Code examples

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\begin{document}

\includegraphics{plot.png}
\caption{My plot}  % Error: no surrounding figure

\end{document}

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\begin{document}

\begin{figure}[h]
  \centering
  \includegraphics{plot.png}
  \caption{My plot}
  \label{fig:plot}
\end{figure}

\end{document}

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