How to Add Footnotes in Word and Format Them Correctly

To add a footnote in Microsoft Word, place the cursor where its marker should appear, then choose References > Insert Footnote. Word adds a superscript number in the text and moves the cursor to the footnote area at the bottom of the page, where you can type the note. You will need a Word document and the text you want to cite or explain. These steps are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Mac users can use the References tab too, with a different keyboard shortcut.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, or another recent desktop version.
The source details or explanatory text you want to put in the footnote.
Editing access to the document. If it is read-only, save an editable copy before making changes.

Step-by-Step

Choose the insertion point. Click in the main text exactly where the footnote marker should appear. In most academic and business writing, place it just after the punctuation at the end of the sentence, such as after the period. If the note applies to a particular word or phrase, place the cursor immediately after that phrase instead. You do not need to type a number yourself; Word creates and manages the marker.
Insert the footnote. Open the References tab on the ribbon and select Insert Footnote in the Footnotes group. Word inserts a small superscript number at the insertion point, adds the matching number in the footnote area, and moves your cursor there. On Windows, you can use Ctrl+Alt+F instead. On Mac, the corresponding shortcut is Option+Command+F (also written ⌥+⌘+F); keyboard settings or other applications may affect shortcuts.
Enter the note. Type the citation, clarification, or other information beside the number at the bottom of the page. Start with the text itself; Word has already supplied the footnote marker, so do not type another number or duplicate the marker. Follow the style guide or instructions for your document when formatting source details, punctuation, author names, titles, and page numbers.
Return to your document text. Click where you want to continue writing in the main document, or use the navigation between the footnote and its reference by clicking the marker. The note is linked to the superscript reference, so you can edit the note later without recreating it. If the footnote area is difficult to see, use Print Layout view and scroll to the bottom of the page.
Add additional footnotes the same way. Place the cursor at each new reference point and choose References > Insert Footnote again. Word assigns the next number automatically. If you insert a footnote earlier in the document, or move text containing a marker, Word updates the numbering and the associated notes. Avoid copying and typing superscript numbers as a substitute; typed numbers are not linked to footnote text and will not update reliably.
Set numbering and placement if needed. On the References tab, open the Footnotes dialog using the small dialog box launcher in the lower-right corner of the Footnotes group. The dialog lets you choose footnotes or endnotes, set where notes appear, choose a number format, and set numbering options. For example, you can choose continuous numbering or restart numbering in each section, depending on the available settings and your document structure. Check Apply changes to before confirming: select the whole document for a document-wide change, or the current section when that is what you intend.
Format the footnote text consistently. To change the appearance of all footnotes, edit the Footnote Text style rather than formatting each note separately. Open the Styles pane from the Home tab, find Footnote Text, and use its menu to modify the style. The Footnote Reference style controls the appearance of the superscript reference. If a style is not immediately visible, use the Styles pane options to show all styles. A style change is easier to maintain and can be applied consistently throughout the document.
Review the page layout. Switch to Print Layout and check that each note is readable, sits with the correct page, and does not obscure other content. Word normally places a footnote at the bottom of the page containing its reference. If you need notes collected at the end of a document or section instead, use the Footnotes dialog to select endnotes or convert existing notes, rather than manually moving their text. Save the document after checking the result.

Common Mistakes

Typing the marker yourself: A manually typed superscript number is only ordinary text. It will not stay connected to a note, and inserting or deleting other notes will not renumber it. Insert every marker with Word’s footnote command.

Putting the cursor in the wrong place: If you start the command while the cursor is in an existing footnote, Word may create a note from that location or behave differently than expected. Before inserting a new note, click in the main document text at the reference point.

Deleting the note text but keeping its marker: Removing the words at the bottom of the page does not necessarily remove the linked footnote. To remove a footnote completely, delete its superscript reference from the main text. Word then removes the corresponding note and adjusts later numbering.

Using footnotes when endnotes are required: Footnotes appear at the bottom of pages; endnotes are collected at the end of a document or section. Check assignment, publisher, or workplace requirements before adding many notes, because converting their location later may require layout review.

Formatting each note by hand: Applying a different font or spacing to every note can lead to inconsistent results and extra work. Use the Footnote Text style for general note formatting, and make sure any citation-specific requirements are followed.

Tips

Use footnotes for brief source citations or explanations that would interrupt the flow of the main text. If a note becomes several paragraphs long, consider whether it belongs in the main text, an appendix, or an endnote instead.
Keep your reference style consistent. Word handles the numbering, but it does not decide whether your citation should follow a particular style guide. Confirm details such as author order, title capitalization, publication information, and page references independently.
Use section breaks deliberately if different parts of a long document need separate footnote numbering. A page break alone does not create a new section, so it will not necessarily restart numbering.
When editing a long document, use Word’s search or navigation tools to find text near a footnote reference, then check the linked note in Print Layout. This is safer than scrolling through many pages looking only at the note area.
Save a copy before making a major document-wide numbering or style change. That gives you a straightforward way to compare the layout if the new settings do not match your required format.

Troubleshooting

The note does not appear at the bottom of the page: Confirm that you inserted a footnote rather than an endnote. Endnotes appear at the end of a document or section. Also check that you are in Print Layout and that the reference marker is in the main text. In Draft view, Word may display notes in a separate pane or notes area instead of showing them in their page position.

The footnote command is unavailable: Make sure the document is open for editing and that the cursor is in the document body, not a header, text box, or another area where footnotes may not be supported as expected. If the file is in Compatibility Mode, save it in a modern Word format such as .docx and try again. A protected document may also restrict editing; ask its owner for permission or an editable copy.

Numbers are not in the format or sequence you expected: Open the Footnotes dialog from the References tab and check the number format, starting value, numbering option, and Apply changes to setting. If numbering restarts unexpectedly, inspect section breaks and the numbering option for each section. If you moved or deleted a marker, click in the document body and allow Word to update fields and layout; avoid replacing the numbering with typed characters.

The footnote text looks different from the body text: That is normal: Word usually uses a smaller font for footnotes. To change the default for all notes, modify the Footnote Text style. If one note alone appears different, select its text and check for direct formatting or a different style. Use the clear-formatting options cautiously, since they may remove intentional emphasis or other citation formatting.

A footnote splits awkwardly or leaves a large gap: Check the paragraph immediately before the reference for page-break settings, such as keeping paragraphs together, and review nearby page or section breaks. Word controls footnote placement to fit the page, so the result can change as you edit text or change margins. For specialized separator or continuation-line adjustments, switch to Draft view, choose References > Show Notes if available, and select the relevant footnote separator or continuation separator in the notes area. The exact controls can differ by Word version; make small changes and check Print Layout afterward.

You use Word for Mac: The References tab includes footnote insertion and related controls, but ribbon placement and dialog details can differ slightly from Windows. Use Option+Command+F to insert a footnote, or choose References > Insert Footnote. If a Windows shortcut or control is missing, use the ribbon command and consult Word’s built-in help for the version installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a footnote and an endnote?
A footnote appears at the bottom of the page where its reference occurs. An endnote appears in a collection at the end of the document or section. Both can provide citations or additional information, and Word numbers them automatically.

Can Word renumber footnotes automatically?
Yes. Word maintains the numbering when you insert, delete, or move footnote references. Make sure you have inserted genuine footnotes with the References command, rather than typing superscript numbers manually.

Can I change the footnote number from a numeral to a symbol?
Usually. Open the Footnotes dialog from the References tab and select an available format. The choices depend on the Word version and note settings. A required style may specify a particular numbering format, so check those instructions before changing it.

Can I put a footnote on a different page from its reference?
Word normally keeps a footnote on the page with its reference. It manages the note area as page content, so you cannot treat a footnote like a freely movable text box. If the note is long or page layout is tight, revise the surrounding text or consider whether an endnote is more appropriate.

Can I add footnotes in Word for the web?
Word for the web supports inserting footnotes from its References tools, though the available layout and formatting controls can be more limited than in the desktop app. For detailed numbering, style, or separator adjustments, open the document in the Word desktop application.

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

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