How to Add Footnotes in Microsoft Word, Step by Step

To add a footnote in Microsoft Word, place the cursor where the reference belongs, then select References > Insert Footnote. Word inserts a numbered marker in your text and moves the cursor to the footnote area at the bottom of the page, where you can type the note. The instructions below are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, with Mac and web notes where useful.

What You’ll Need

A Word document that you can edit.
The text or source detail you want to include in the footnote. If you are citing a source, check which citation style or formatting rules your assignment or publisher requires.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and find the relevant passage. Scroll to the sentence, quotation, or term that needs a note. A footnote marker usually goes immediately after the punctuation at the end of the relevant sentence. If the note applies only to a particular word, place the cursor directly after that word instead. The cursor position determines where Word inserts the marker.
Click the insertion point. Click after the punctuation or word where the small raised number should appear. Do not select the sentence or type a number yourself. Word handles the marker and numbering automatically, and inserting it at the right location keeps the note associated with the right passage.
Insert the footnote. On Windows, open the References tab and select Insert Footnote in the Footnotes group. Word adds a superscript number in the main text and takes you to the matching footnote area at the bottom of that page. The shortcut is Ctrl+Alt+F. On a Mac, use References > Insert Footnote or press Command+Option+F.
Type the note. Enter the explanation, citation, translation, or other information beside the new footnote number. You can type a full sentence or several sentences. Word provides the footnote paragraph formatting; do not add another number at the start unless a style guide specifically requires it. Follow any required rules for punctuation, capitalization, and source details.
Return to your document text. Click in the main text where you want to continue, or use the document navigation controls to move back. You can also click the superscript marker in the main text to jump to its note, and click the footnote marker to return to the reference point. The note remains linked to the marker as you edit.
Add another footnote when needed. Place the cursor at the next reference point and repeat References > Insert Footnote. Word assigns the next number and maintains the sequence. Avoid copying and pasting an old marker or typing a number manually; those actions can create ordinary text rather than a properly linked footnote.
Review the page layout. Check that the marker appears beside the intended passage and that the note is readable at the bottom of the page. If you add or remove text, Word may move a footnote or its associated passage to another page to keep the marker and note together. Use Print Layout or print preview to inspect page breaks and spacing.
Adjust footnote settings if your document needs them. In Word for Windows, open References and select the small dialog box launcher in the Footnotes group. In the Footnote and Endnote dialog, you can choose a location, number format, starting number, and numbering method, such as restarting each section. Review the available choices and use the apply setting to control whether a change affects the whole document or the current section. On Mac, the same Footnote and Endnote controls are available from the References tab, though their placement can vary by Word version.

Common Mistakes

Typing the number yourself. A manually typed superscript number is not a Word footnote. It will not automatically renumber when notes are added, removed, or moved. Insert the note with the References command instead.
Putting the marker in the wrong place. If the cursor is in the middle of a sentence, Word inserts the marker there. Check whether your style guide expects it after punctuation, and move the cursor to that exact position before inserting.
Deleting only the footnote text. Removing the words in the note does not necessarily remove its marker from the main text. To delete a footnote, remove its numbered marker in the document body. Word then removes the linked note and updates the numbering of the remaining footnotes.
Confusing footnotes with endnotes. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where they are referenced; endnotes are collected at the end of a document or section. Choose Insert Footnote for page-bottom notes and Insert Endnote for end-of-document notes.
Assuming a footnote is automatically a complete citation. Word inserts and numbers the note, but it does not determine the source information or guarantee that it follows a required style. Check the exact citation rules separately.

Tips

Use the shortcut for frequent notes. On Windows, Ctrl+Alt+F inserts a footnote at the current cursor position. On Mac, Command+Option+F does the same. If the shortcut does not work, use the References tab; keyboard settings, other applications, or a particular Word version may affect shortcut behavior.
Let Word manage numbering. Its footnote markers are fields, so adding or deleting one normally updates the sequence. If a number looks out of order after editing, update fields with Ctrl+A followed by F9 on Windows. On Mac, select the document and use the Word update-fields command if available, or make a small edit and check the layout again.
Keep notes focused. A footnote is useful for a source citation or a brief clarification that would interrupt the main text. If a note becomes lengthy, check whether your style guide allows it or whether the information belongs in the body or an appendix.
Set numbering before final formatting. If a long document needs numbering to restart by chapter or section, configure that early. Section breaks and numbering settings can affect later notes, so review the document after changing either.
Use a consistent citation style. For multiple sources, apply the same punctuation and ordering to each note. Word can handle the numbering, but consistent source details still need your attention.

Troubleshooting

The Insert Footnote command is unavailable. Make sure the document is open in an editable view and that you have clicked in the main document text, not inside a header, text box, or another object. If the file is marked read-only or protected, enable editing or ask the document owner for permission. You can also try the keyboard shortcut.

The note appears at the end of the document. You may have inserted an endnote rather than a footnote. Use References > Insert Footnote for a note at the bottom of the page. To convert existing notes, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and use its conversion option, if available in your Word version; check the result before saving because conversion changes where notes appear.

The footnote is on a different page than expected. Word paginates notes along with the document, so edits, margins, font size, or long notes can push content onto another page. Switch to Print Layout and inspect the page. Shorten or reformat the note only if your rules allow it; do not insert blank lines or manual page breaks as a workaround without checking how they affect later pages.

Footnote numbering will not restart or looks inconsistent. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and check the numbering option and the section in which you are working. Restarting by section requires the document to have the appropriate section breaks. Also check whether the document contains endnotes or manually typed numbers, which will not follow footnote numbering automatically.

The shortcut inserts something else. Confirm that you are using the Windows or Mac shortcut for your platform and that the cursor is in the document body. Try the ribbon command instead. If it works from the ribbon, use that command while you investigate keyboard customization or conflicts with another program.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a footnote in Word with a keyboard shortcut?

Click where the marker should go. In Word for Windows, press Ctrl+Alt+F; on a Mac, press Command+Option+F. Type the note when Word moves the cursor to the footnote area. The shortcut creates a real, automatically numbered footnote.

How do I add a footnote in Word Online?

In Word for the web, place the cursor at the reference point, open the References tab, and choose Insert Footnote if the command is available in your current interface. Type the note in the footnote area. Some advanced layout or numbering controls may be more limited than in the desktop app, so open the document in desktop Word if you need options that are not shown.

Can I change the footnote number format?

Yes. In desktop Word, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab and choose a format, such as numbers or letters, from the number-format control. The choices can depend on your Word version and document settings. Check any course, publication, or workplace requirements before changing the format.

How do I delete a footnote without disrupting the others?

Delete the footnote marker in the main text, not just the note at the bottom of the page. Word removes the linked footnote and renumbers the remaining notes automatically. If you only clear the note text, an empty footnote may remain.

Can I have both footnotes and endnotes in one document?

Word supports footnotes and endnotes in the same document. Use the appropriate command for each note, then review the Footnote and Endnote settings to confirm their locations and numbering. Follow your style requirements, since some formats specify one type or a particular numbering scheme.

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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