How to Add Footnotes in Microsoft Word

Footnotes are simple once you know where Word hides the controls. The problem is that Windows, Mac, the web version, and mobile all put the same job in slightly different places.

Start with the insert method for your device, then use the cleanup sections below when you need to edit, format, convert, renumber, or remove notes without rebuilding the document.

1. Add footnotes in Word on Windows or Mac

Use this when you are working in the desktop Word app.

1. 1.Click where the note reference should appear in the document.
2. 2.Select References.
3. 3.Select Insert Footnote to place a footnote at the bottom of the page.
4. 4.Select Insert Endnote to place an endnote at the end of the document or section.
5. 5.Type the note text.
6. 6.Double-click the reference mark to return to the document body.

For a faster Windows route, place the cursor and press Ctrl+Alt+F for a footnote or Ctrl+Alt+D for an endnote. On Mac, use Command+Option+F for a footnote or Command+Option+E for an endnote.

2. Insert notes in Word for the web

If the document opens in viewing or reviewing mode, use the mode menu in the upper-right corner. Select Viewing or Reviewing, then choose Editing if it is available. If it is not available, request edit permission or work in a copy you can edit.

Next, use the ribbon's references controls to select Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote. Type the note text, and Word adds the matching reference mark in the document.

Word for the web handles adding, showing, and basic formatting of notes. For conversion work, open the document in the desktop Word app.

3. Create notes on Word mobile

1. 1.Move to the place where the note reference should appear.
2. 2.Open the Insert tab.
3. 3.Select Footnote or Endnote.
4. 4.Type the note text.
5. 5.Double-tap the reference numeral to jump between the note and its reference.

This is the mobile path Microsoft documents for Word on phones and other mobile surfaces.

4. Edit existing footnotes and endnotes

Click inside the note text area and edit it like normal document text. On desktop and web-style workflows, click or double-click the reference mark to move between the note and the matching spot in the body.

On mobile, double-tap the reference numeral. The note stays linked to its reference, so you only need to change the text you want to rewrite.

5. Change numbering and note placement

Desktop Word has the full control panel for note numbering, format, placement, and apply scope.

1. 1.Select References.
2. 2.In the Footnotes group, select the small dialog launcher arrow.
3. 3.In Footnote and Endnote, choose Footnotes or Endnotes.
4. 4.Change the location, number format, numbering behavior, or apply scope.
5. 5.In Word for Windows, select Apply to update existing notes or Insert to add a new note. In Word for Mac, choose the scope, then select Insert.

To restart numbering by section, set up the document with sections first. Then open Numbering, choose Restart each section, and choose where the change applies. In Word for Windows, select Apply. In Word for Mac, choose the scope and select Insert.

6. Format notes in Word for the web

In Word for the web, select the note reference in the body or open the note list from the ribbon. Use References > Show Footnotes for footnotes, or References > Show Endnotes for endnotes.

In the note view, select Format Footnotes or Format Endnotes. In Format Options, change the size, font, and indentation, then select Apply for the current note or Apply to all for every note.

7. Convert footnotes to endnotes

Use desktop Word for conversion. From Word for the web, open the document in the desktop app, convert the notes, then save the document back to its original location.

1. 1.In desktop Word, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog.
2. 2.Select Convert.
3. 3.Choose Convert all footnotes to endnotes, Convert all endnotes to footnotes, or Swap footnotes and endnotes.
4. 4.Select OK, then finish from the Footnote and Endnote window.

Current Microsoft guidance uses the Footnote and Endnote controls for conversion.

8. Delete footnotes or endnotes cleanly

To remove one note, delete the reference mark in the document body. Select the superscript number, letter, or symbol, then press Delete. Do not delete only the note text, because that leaves the reference behind.

To remove all footnotes or all endnotes in desktop Word, use Find and Replace. On Windows, press Ctrl+H. On Mac, select Find > Advanced Find and Replace, then open Replace.

Enter ^f in Find what to remove footnotes, or enter ^e to remove endnotes. Leave Replace with blank, then select Replace All. Word renumbers the remaining notes automatically.

9. Remove the footnote separator line

The separator line is a desktop Word control, not a Word for the web tool.

1. 1.Select View > Draft.
2. 2.Double-click any footnote or endnote in the body text.
3. 3.In the Footnotes pane, open the list and select Footnote Separator.
4. 4.Format the separator with Home tab controls, or select and delete the line.
5. 5.Return through View to Read Mode, Print Layout, or Web Layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use footnotes and endnotes in the same Word document?

Yes. Word supports both in the same document, and desktop Word can swap them from the Footnote and Endnote dialog.

Why did my footnote numbers change after I deleted one?

Word automatically renumbers the remaining notes after you delete a reference mark from the document body.

Can Word for the web convert footnotes to endnotes?

No. Word for the web can add and format notes, but conversion requires Open in Word and the desktop Word app.

Can I dictate footnote text in Word?

Yes. Create or select the note text area, then use Home > Dictate while signed in to Microsoft 365 on a mic-enabled device.