How to Add and Edit Footnotes in Word, Step by Step

To add a footnote in Microsoft Word, click where its reference number should appear, then choose References > Insert Footnote. Word adds a numbered marker in the text and opens the matching note area at the bottom of the page. Type your note there; to edit it later, click its text and make your changes. Word updates footnote numbering automatically when you add, move, or remove notes.

Footnotes are useful for brief explanations, source details, or side comments that would interrupt the main text. The steps below are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, with Mac and web notes where the interface differs.

What You’ll Need

A document open in the desktop version of Microsoft Word, or Word for the web.
Editing permission for the document. If it is read-only or protected, you may need to save a copy or ask the owner for access.
The note text and, if relevant, the source details you want to include. You can add or revise the wording after inserting the footnote.

Step-by-Step

Place the cursor at the reference point. Click in the body text immediately after the word, sentence, or punctuation that the note should explain. Word places the superscript reference at the insertion point, so check the cursor carefully before inserting. For a note supporting a whole sentence, the marker commonly goes after the sentence-ending punctuation, unless your required style guide says otherwise.
Insert the footnote. Select References > Insert Footnote on the ribbon. In Word for Windows, you can also press Ctrl+Alt+F. Word inserts a superscript number or other selected marker in the text and moves the insertion point to the footnote area at the bottom of that page. On a Mac, use References > Insert Footnote; the standard shortcut is Command+Option+F.
Enter the note. Type the explanation or citation at the insertion point in the footnote area. For example, after a sentence about a study, the note might provide the author, title, publication, and page number. Follow the citation style required for your document; Word creates the marker and note space but does not automatically verify or format the source details for a particular style.
Return to the document text. Click in the main document where you want to continue writing, or use the document’s navigation controls to move back to the body. You can also click the superscript footnote marker in the text to jump between that marker and its note. The exact navigation behavior can vary slightly by Word version, but the marker and note remain linked.
Add another footnote when needed. Put the cursor at the next reference point and repeat References > Insert Footnote. Do not type a superscript number yourself or copy an existing footnote marker: Word assigns the next number and keeps the sequence in order. If you insert a note between existing notes, Word renumbers the sequence automatically.
Edit the note text. Scroll to the footnote at the bottom of its page, click inside its text, and type, delete, or replace wording just as you would in the main document. To locate it from the body, click its superscript marker. Editing the note’s wording does not normally change its number; deleting the footnote reference in the body is what removes that note from the sequence.
Change numbering or placement if required. On Windows desktop Word, open the References tab and select the small dialog box launcher in the Footnotes group. In the Footnote and Endnote dialog box, choose where footnotes appear, select a number format, and set whether numbering continues or restarts. Choose whether the changes apply to the whole document or the current section, then apply them. These detailed controls may not be available in Word for the web.
Review the finished pages. Check that each marker follows the right passage, each note is legible, and the numbering runs as intended. Use Print Layout or print preview to inspect page breaks and footnote placement. A long note may continue onto the next page, so review the page where it starts as well as the following page.

Common Mistakes

Typing the number manually. A typed number is ordinary text, not a linked footnote marker. It will not update when notes are inserted or deleted. Use Insert Footnote instead, and remove any manually typed number that duplicates the real marker.
Putting the cursor in the wrong place. If the marker appears in the middle of a word or paragraph, undo the insertion with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, position the cursor correctly, and insert it again. If you notice later, you can cut and reinsert the actual marker, but avoid replacing it with typed digits.
Confusing footnotes with endnotes. Footnotes appear at the bottom of a page; endnotes appear at the end of a document or section. If a note appears in the wrong location, check the Footnote and Endnote settings rather than moving the note text manually.
Deleting only the note wording. Clearing the text in the footnote area may leave an empty note marker in the body. To remove a footnote completely, delete its reference marker in the main text. Word removes the linked note and adjusts later numbering.
Using spaces or tabs to align notes. Repeated spaces can shift when text reflows or the document opens on another device. Use paragraph alignment, indentation, or the built-in footnote formatting instead of spacing the note by hand.

Tips

Insert notes as you draft, then check their placement and citation style during editing. This reduces the chance that a source gets separated from the claim it supports.
Keep footnote text focused. Put material essential to understanding the argument in the main text; use a footnote for a concise citation, qualification, or helpful aside.
Use Word’s automatic numbering even if your document uses symbols or another numbering style. The Footnote and Endnote dialog can change the marker format while preserving the link between each marker and its note.
For a long document divided into sections, decide whether numbering should continue throughout or restart in each section. Make that choice in the footnote settings and review the result after changing section breaks.
If you collaborate, use Track Changes or comments for substantial revisions instead of leaving confusing editing instructions inside a citation or note.

Troubleshooting

The command is unavailable or the shortcut does nothing. Confirm that you are editing a Word document and that the cursor is in the document body, not a header, text box, or restricted area. Check whether the file is protected or opened with view-only permission. If a shortcut is intercepted by your computer or customized in Word, use References > Insert Footnote from the ribbon instead.

The note appears at the end of the document. It may be an endnote rather than a footnote. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab in desktop Word and check the selected note type and location. If you need to convert existing notes, use the dialog’s conversion option, then inspect the document because changing note type can alter where the notes appear.

Footnote numbers restart unexpectedly. Section settings may be set to restart numbering, or a section break may have been added. Open the footnote settings and check the numbering option and whether it applies to the whole document or only the current section. If numbering is meant to continue, choose the continuous setting and apply it to the appropriate scope.

A note is missing, blank, or difficult to find. Click the reference marker in the body to jump to its linked note. If the marker remains but the note has no text, type into its note area or remove the marker from the body if the note is no longer needed. Switch to Print Layout if the page’s bottom area is not visible in your current view.

The footnote layout looks different in Word for the web. Word for the web supports common footnote editing, but some advanced controls for numbering, separators, and section-level settings may require the desktop app. Open the document in desktop Word for those options, then save it so the updated layout is available to collaborators.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I insert a footnote in Word without using the ribbon?

In Word for Windows, place the cursor at the reference point and press Ctrl+Alt+F. On Mac, press Command+Option+F. If the shortcut is unavailable or has been changed, use References > Insert Footnote.

Can I change the footnote number style?

Yes. In desktop Word, open the dialog box launcher in References > Footnotes, then select a format such as numerals or letters. Available formats can vary by Word version and language settings. Apply the change to the full document or the section as appropriate.

How do I delete one footnote?

Delete the footnote’s reference marker in the main text, not just the text at the bottom of the page. Word removes the linked note and automatically renumbers the remaining footnotes. If you only want to revise it, edit the note text instead.

Can I move a footnote to another page?

Word places a footnote on the page containing its reference marker, so it is not usually moved by dragging it. If it is on the wrong page, check the marker’s position, page layout, and section settings. A long note may naturally flow onto the next page when there is not enough room.

What is the difference between a footnote and an endnote?

A footnote is printed at the bottom of the page where its reference appears. An endnote is collected at the end of the document or section. Both use linked reference markers, and desktop Word lets you choose or convert between the two types.

Will Word renumber footnotes if I move text?

Yes. When you cut and paste text that contains a genuine footnote reference, Word updates numbering according to the markers’ new order. After moving text between sections or documents, review the notes and their numbering, especially if the sections use different restart settings.

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

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