How to Add Footnotes in Word at the Bottom of a Page

To add a footnote at the bottom of a page in Microsoft Word, place the cursor where you want its reference number, select References > Insert Footnote, then type the note in the footnote area Word creates at the bottom of the page. Word adds and updates the matching number automatically. You can use the default page-bottom placement or change it in the footnote settings.

What You’ll Need

A Word document that you can edit. These instructions use Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows.
The text for your footnote, such as a source citation or a brief explanation. You can also add the footnote first and write its text afterward.
For precise placement or numbering options, the desktop version of Word. Word for Mac has similar controls, although some labels and shortcuts differ; Word for the web may offer fewer layout options.

Step-by-Step

Open your document and find the sentence to annotate. Read the sentence in context and decide exactly which statement needs a source or extra explanation. A footnote is linked to a reference mark in the main text, so decide where that mark belongs before inserting it. Save the document if you have made other important changes.
Place the cursor at the right point. Click in the body text immediately after the word, phrase, or sentence that the note supports. For a note that cites an entire sentence, the usual placement is after the sentence-ending punctuation. For example, type The archive was founded in 1892. and place the cursor just after the period. Do not type a superscript number yourself, and do not select the whole paragraph; Word inserts the reference mark at the cursor.
Insert the footnote from the ribbon. Select the References tab, then choose Insert Footnote in the Footnotes group. Word places a small superscript number at the cursor and moves the insertion point to the corresponding footnote area at the bottom of the page. If the Footnotes group is not visible, maximize the Word window or expand the ribbon; a narrow window can hide or collapse ribbon commands.
Type the note at the bottom of the page. Enter the citation, explanation, or other note after the small number Word has placed in the footnote area. You do not need to add another number manually. For a citation, follow the style required for your document, and include enough details for a reader to identify the source. Keep explanatory notes focused: a footnote should support the main text rather than turn into a second, unrelated discussion.
Return to the main text and check the link. Click back in the body of the document, then confirm that the superscript marker appears at the intended location and that the note is readable below the main text. Word draws a separation line above the footnote area. The note is part of the page layout, not a footer, so it can differ from repeating information such as a page number or running header.
Use the keyboard shortcut if you prefer. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Ctrl+Alt+F to insert a footnote at the cursor. In Word for Mac, press Command+Option+F. If a shortcut is intercepted by another app or does not work with your keyboard configuration, use the ribbon command instead. The shortcut inserts the note; you still need to type the footnote text.
Set the position to the bottom of the page if needed. Word normally places footnotes at the bottom of the page. To check or change the setting in Word for Windows, open References, then select the small dialog box launcher in the Footnotes group. In the Footnote and Endnote dialog, make sure Footnotes is selected and set the location to Bottom of page. Choose Apply to apply the setting to the whole document or the current section, as appropriate, then close the dialog. The available options can vary slightly by Word version.
Adjust the numbering only if your document requires it. In the same Footnote and Endnote dialog, you can choose a number format and decide whether numbering continues through the document or restarts by section or page. Leave the defaults in place unless a required style guide or document template specifies something else. Word manages the sequence, so adding or deleting a footnote updates later reference numbers automatically.

Common Mistakes

Typing a number instead of inserting a footnote. A manually typed superscript might look right at first, but it will not be linked to a note or renumber when the document changes. Delete the typed marker and use References > Insert Footnote.

Putting the cursor in the wrong place. If you insert the note before a comma or period by mistake, the reference mark can look out of place. Word will still create a valid footnote, but move the marker by deleting that footnote and inserting a new one at the correct point. Avoid cutting and pasting just the superscript number, because the marker is tied to its footnote text.

Confusing a footnote with an endnote or footer. An endnote appears in an endnote location, often at the end of a document or section, rather than at the page where the reference occurs. A footer is a page-layout area for recurring content. If the note is at the end of the document, check that you chose Insert Footnote, not Insert Endnote, and review the location setting.

Formatting the note number by hand. Do not add a second numeral to the text or manually change each reference number. Word controls the marker and its matching note. You can format the footnote text, but leave the automatic reference number intact unless your formatting instructions specifically require a change to the footnote style.

Tips

Use one note for the right amount of information. A footnote can contain a citation, a short qualification, or both if your style allows it. If the explanation is essential to understanding the main argument, consider putting it in the body text instead.
Follow your required citation style. Word creates the marker and note location, but it does not automatically build a complete citation in every style. Check punctuation, author details, publication information, and any required access date against your assignment or organization’s guidance.
Use Word’s navigation rather than scrolling. Clicking a reference marker or its note can help you move between the two parts of the footnote. This is useful in a long document where the note and the sentence it supports are on different visible portions of the screen.
Review page breaks after editing. A long footnote or several notes on one page can change where text breaks. Check the page in Print Layout and look at the relevant page before exporting or printing.
Use section settings deliberately. If a document has sections with different numbering needs, confirm which section is affected when you change settings. Choose the document-wide option only when you want the same numbering arrangement throughout.

Troubleshooting

The note did not appear at the bottom of the page. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab and check that the note type is Footnotes and the location is Bottom of page. If it is an endnote, insert a footnote instead. Also check whether the cursor was in a section with its own settings; section-specific layout can make one part of the document behave differently.

The footnote is on the next page or leaves little room for body text. Word may move a note when there is not enough space to keep it with the page’s text. This can happen when the note is long, when several notes are present, or when paragraph and page-break settings constrain the layout. Shorten or clarify the note if possible, check for unnecessary blank paragraphs, and review the page in Print Layout. Do not force the note upward with repeated blank lines, because later edits can make that workaround unstable.

The numbering starts over or changes unexpectedly. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and inspect the numbering option, such as continuous numbering or restarting by page or section. Also confirm whether the cursor is in a new section with different settings. If you add, remove, or move footnotes, Word may renumber the sequence; that is expected. Avoid trying to repair the sequence by typing numbers over the automatic markers.

You cannot find the Insert Footnote command. Confirm that you are editing the document rather than viewing it in read-only mode. Select the References tab and look for the Footnotes group; expand a collapsed ribbon or widen the Word window if needed. In Word for Mac, look on the References tab for the footnote insertion command. In Word for the web, the command and advanced layout controls can differ, so open the document in the desktop app if you need to set exact placement or numbering behavior.

The note text looks too small or uses the wrong font. Footnote text can use a separate style from body text. Select the note text and adjust its formatting if appropriate, or modify the footnote text style when you want a consistent change throughout the document. Check any required formatting rules before changing size or spacing, since a template may set these deliberately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Word put footnotes at the bottom of the page automatically?
Usually, yes. The default footnote location is the bottom of the page. If yours appears elsewhere, check the Footnote and Endnote settings and make sure you inserted a footnote rather than an endnote.

What is the difference between a footnote and an endnote?
A footnote appears on the same page as its reference when the layout permits. An endnote appears in an endnote section, commonly at the end of a document or section. Both can provide citations or extra information, but the right choice depends on the document’s requirements.

Can I change a footnote into an endnote?
Yes. In the Footnote and Endnote dialog, use the conversion controls if they are available in your Word version. Review the result after converting, because the notes’ location and the document’s layout will change.

Can I move a footnote to a different sentence?
For a reliable result, remove the existing footnote and insert a new one at the correct cursor position, then add or restore the note text. Do not move only the visible superscript number; it is linked to its note.

Will Word renumber footnotes if I add another one in the middle?
Yes. Word updates its automatic sequence when you insert or delete a footnote. If the sequence does not match your expected pattern, check whether numbering is set to restart by page or section and whether the document contains section breaks.

Can a footnote contain more than one sentence?
Yes. Type as many sentences as needed in the footnote area, while keeping the note relevant and following the required style. A long note can affect page layout, so check where it falls after editing.

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