How to Add Footnotes in Word

To add a footnote in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, place the cursor where the note marker should appear, then choose References > Insert Footnote. Word adds a superscript number in the text and opens a matching note area at the bottom of the page; type your note there. On Windows, Ctrl+Alt+F inserts a footnote.

What a footnote does

A footnote connects a small numbered marker in your main text to a note at the bottom of the same page. Readers can follow the marker to find a source, a brief explanation, a translation, or other relevant information without interrupting the paragraph. For example, a history paper might place a citation in a footnote, while a report might use one to define a technical term that only some readers need.

Word manages footnote markers and their numbering. If you insert a new note between existing notes, Word updates the numbers and references automatically. This is more reliable than typing a superscript number and note text manually: manually made numbers will not renumber when the document changes, and they will not behave like linked footnotes.

Footnotes are different from comments. A footnote is part of the document and is usually intended to be read as part of the finished work. A comment is an editorial note attached to text, often used for collaboration, review, or questions. If you want to explain or cite something for the eventual reader, use a footnote rather than a comment.

Insert a footnote step by step

Click in the main document text at the point where the footnote marker should go. The marker normally follows the relevant word or punctuation mark, depending on the style guide or publisher requirements.
Open the References tab on the ribbon.
In the Footnotes group, choose Insert Footnote. Word inserts a superscript number in the text and moves the insertion point to the footnote area.
Type the note. Include a citation, explanation, or other material that supports the nearby text.
Click back in the main document to continue writing. Word maintains the link between the marker and the note.

For example, if a sentence ends with a claim that needs a source, place the cursor immediately after the sentence’s punctuation and insert the footnote. Word places the marker there, and you can enter the source details below. Follow the required citation style for the order and punctuation of the author, title, publication, date, and page number; Word inserts the note but does not decide which citation style your assignment or publisher requires.

If you already have text selected, inserting a footnote may place the marker at the selection boundary rather than where you intended. Click precisely in the text first if the marker lands in the wrong place. You can also cut and paste note text into the footnote area after inserting the marker, rather than trying to build a footnote by typing at the bottom of the page.

Choose numbering and footnote placement

For ordinary documents, Word’s default numbering is usually enough. If a style guide requires a different symbol or numbering pattern, open the footnote settings rather than changing each marker by hand. On Windows, use the small dialog box launcher in the lower-right corner of the References > Footnotes group. The Footnote and Endnote dialog lets you adjust settings such as the number format, starting number, location, and whether numbering continues or restarts.

Common settings include:

Number format: Choose the available numbering style required for the document, such as ordinary numerals or letters.
Location: Place footnotes at the bottom of the page or, where available, below the text.
Numbering: Keep numbers continuous, restart them for each section, or restart them on each page.
Apply changes to: Choose whether a setting affects the whole document or only the relevant section, if that option is available.

A section break can matter when numbering settings vary within one document. For instance, a report may use continuous footnotes in its main chapters but restart numbering in an appendix. Set up the sections first, then check the dialog’s scope before applying a change. If the numbering is already correct, avoid changing these controls just to fix one misplaced marker; edit or move that individual footnote instead.

Edit, delete, and move a footnote

To revise a note, click its text at the bottom of the page and edit it as you would any other text. To find the note from its marker, click or double-click the superscript number in the main text; Word takes you to the corresponding footnote. You can also use Word’s navigation and search tools to locate distinctive words in a long note.

To remove a footnote, delete its marker from the main body of the document. Word removes the associated note and renumbers the remaining footnotes. Deleting only the text inside the footnote area leaves the marker in the body, so remove the marker itself if the note is no longer needed. Avoid selecting a nearby sentence or paragraph by accident; check that only the superscript marker is selected before pressing Delete or Backspace.

To move a footnote to another point, remove its original marker and insert a new footnote at the intended position, then move or copy the note text. This avoids leaving a duplicate or an unlinked number. For references to a footnote elsewhere in the document, use References > Cross-reference and choose the footnote as the reference type when that option is available. A cross-reference can update when numbering changes, unlike a number typed manually.

Format footnote text and markers

Footnotes usually use smaller text than the body, but the correct size, typeface, spacing, and indentation depend on the document’s instructions. You can format an individual note by selecting its text and using the controls on the Home tab. For consistent changes throughout a document, use Word’s styles instead of formatting every note separately. Footnote text and footnote reference have their own styles in Word’s styles list; changing the relevant style can update notes or markers consistently.

Be careful when selecting text in the footnote area. Selecting and changing the note’s wording is different from changing the footnote paragraph style. If only one note needs emphasis, format just that text. If all footnotes must match a required format, adjust the style and inspect several pages afterward to confirm that the change affected the intended elements.

Word also controls the horizontal separator between the main text and footnotes. Most readers do not need to change it. If a template or publication requires a different separator or spacing, Word’s desktop layout controls provide more options than simply editing the note text. Make such changes only when necessary, because modifying separators or paragraph settings can affect page layout and may need checking again after the document is edited.

Footnotes versus endnotes

A footnote appears on the page where its marker occurs. An endnote appears in a collected notes section, often at the end of a section or document. Both can hold citations or explanatory material, and both use numbered links in the text. The choice is usually determined by a style guide, assignment instructions, publisher, or reader preference.

Use footnotes when readers should be able to consult a note without leaving the current page, or when the required citation format calls for notes at the page bottom. Endnotes can keep pages visually cleaner when a document has many notes, but readers may need to turn to the end to check them. Do not assume one is universally more correct: follow the specified format, particularly for academic work.

To insert an endnote in Word for Windows, use References > Insert Endnote. The Windows shortcut is Ctrl+Alt+D. The Footnote and Endnote dialog can also convert footnotes to endnotes or the reverse, depending on the document’s needs. Conversion is preferable to manually moving notes because Word can preserve and update the numbering relationship.

Common problems and fixes

The marker appears in the wrong place: Undo the insertion, click at the exact point in the main text, and insert the note again. Check whether the marker should come before or after punctuation under your required style.
The note appears on a later page: Word may move a footnote when there is not enough room at the bottom of the current page or when page layout rules require it. Check for large paragraphs, images, tables, or page breaks that affect available space; do not force the note into place by adding blank lines.
The numbering looks wrong: Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and review the number format, restart settings, and scope. Also check whether section breaks are causing a separate numbering sequence.
A deleted note still seems to have a number: Make sure you deleted the marker in the body, not just the note’s wording. Word updates numbering after the marker is removed.
Footnotes are missing from a printed page: Check print layout, page breaks, and whether the note text is present. Use Print Preview to inspect the page layout before printing or saving a final PDF.

Large notes can also make page breaks shift as you edit. That is normal: Word recalculates pagination as the text, margins, font size, and page layout change. If a document has unusually long notes, review the pages after major edits rather than relying on earlier page numbers.

Word on Mac and Word for the web

In Word for Mac, the basic process is the same: place the cursor in the text, open the References tab, and choose Insert Footnote. The commonly used Mac shortcut is Command+Option+F; on Windows, use Ctrl+Alt+F. Ribbon layout and labels can vary slightly with the Word version, so use the References tab if the shortcut is unavailable or has been customized.

Word for the web also supports inserting footnotes from the References tab using Insert Footnote. It is suitable for adding and editing ordinary notes in a browser. Advanced layout or numbering controls may be more limited than in the desktop application, so open the document in desktop Word if you need detailed control over sections, numbering, or page layout. After switching between Word versions, review the document because pagination can differ across applications and screen or print layouts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a footnote in Word with a keyboard shortcut?
On Windows, place the cursor where the marker belongs and press Ctrl+Alt+F. On Mac, use Command+Option+F. Type the note in the footnote area Word opens.

How do I make footnotes restart on each page?
On Windows, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the launcher in References > Footnotes, then select the page-based restart option under Numbering. Confirm the setting’s scope before applying it, especially in a document with sections.

Can I change footnotes to endnotes in Word?
Yes. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab and use its conversion controls. This lets Word update the note placement and numbering instead of requiring you to move notes manually.

Why are my footnotes not numbered in order?
Check for manually typed superscript numbers, section-specific restart settings, or notes that were deleted by removing only their text. Word-managed footnotes renumber automatically when their markers are inserted or removed.

How do I delete a footnote without leaving its number?
Delete the superscript marker in the main text, not just the note at the bottom of the page. Word removes the linked note and adjusts the remaining numbering.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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