How to Add Reference Footnotes in Word, Step by Step

To add a reference footnote in Word, place the cursor after the passage you are citing, choose References > Insert Footnote, then type the source details in the footnote area at the bottom of the page. Word adds and updates the footnote number automatically. Before you start, decide which citation style your document needs and have the publication details or source information ready.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word. These steps use Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Word for Mac has the same basic footnote feature, with some differences noted below.
The source details required by your citation style, such as author, title, publisher, publication date, page number, or a stable web address.
Any style instructions from your teacher, editor, journal, or organization. Footnote formatting differs between styles, so check whether you need Chicago notes, a legal citation format, or another system.

Step-by-Step

Place the cursor where the reference belongs. Click immediately after the sentence, quotation, or specific claim that needs a source. In most styles, the footnote marker goes after punctuation, such as after the period at the end of a sentence. Follow your required style if it specifies a different placement. Avoid selecting the whole sentence; a blinking insertion point is all you need.
Insert a footnote. On Windows, open the References tab and select Insert Footnote in the Footnotes group. Word inserts a superscript number in the text and moves the cursor to the matching footnote area at the bottom of that page. The Windows shortcut is Ctrl+Alt+F. In Word for Mac, use References > Insert Footnote; the shortcut is Command+Option+F.
Enter the reference in the footnote area. Type the citation after the number Word has inserted. For a book, the details might include the author, title, publisher, year, and the page you used. For an online source, include the author or organization, page title, website name, publication or update date if available, and URL or access date when your style requires them. Use the punctuation, order, and capitalization required by your citation style rather than relying on a generic format.
Return to the body of the document. Click in the main text to continue writing. You can also double-click the footnote number in the text to jump to its note, or use Word’s footnote navigation controls on the References tab to move between notes. The marker in the main text and the note at the bottom are linked; do not type a separate number yourself.
Add another footnote wherever another source is needed. Place the cursor at the next citation point and select Insert Footnote again. Word assigns the next number and keeps the notes in sequence. If you later add, remove, or move footnotes, Word renumbers them as needed when the document updates. This is safer than manually typing superscript numbers and keeping a separate list.
Choose footnote numbering and placement if the assignment requires it. In Word for Windows, open the References tab and select the small dialog launcher in the bottom-right corner of the Footnotes group. In the Footnote and Endnote dialog, choose footnotes rather than endnotes, set the number format and starting number, and select whether numbering restarts on each page or section. Available choices can depend on the document layout. Select Apply to use the settings. On Mac, open the footnote and endnote settings from the References tab; the exact dialog layout can vary by Word version.
Format the note to match the style guide. Word supplies a default footnote appearance, but the required style may call for a particular font size, spacing, indentation, or hanging indent. To change one note, select its text and use the Home tab formatting controls. To make a consistent document-wide change, modify the Footnote Text style: open the Styles pane, find Footnote Text, and choose Modify. Check the result against the instructions, because changing the style affects all notes that use it.
Review the notes and any bibliography requirement. Read each marker alongside its corresponding note and confirm that every citation supports the right passage. Check names, titles, page numbers, dates, and URLs. Some styles and assignments also require a bibliography or reference list in addition to footnotes. Footnotes do not automatically mean that a bibliography is unnecessary; create one if your instructions call for it.

For example, if a sentence quotes a specific page of a book, put the cursor after the closing punctuation, insert a footnote, and enter the book citation with that page number in the note. If the next paragraph cites a different source, insert a second footnote at that location. Word handles the superscript markers and numbering, while you supply accurate source information and style-specific formatting.

Common Mistakes

Typing numbers instead of inserting notes. Manually entered superscripts do not connect to footnote text and will not renumber reliably. Use Insert Footnote for every note.
Confusing footnotes with endnotes. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where the marker occurs; endnotes appear together at the end of a document or section. If notes appear in the wrong place, check the footnote and endnote settings.
Assuming Word’s citation tool creates a footnote. The References > Insert Citation feature manages source records and commonly inserts an in-text citation in the selected style. It is not the same as inserting a footnote. If your required reference belongs in a footnote, insert the footnote first and enter or format the citation there.
Leaving out details or using inconsistent punctuation. A footnote with only a URL, or one that omits a relevant page number, may not meet the style requirements. Compare each note with a reliable guide for the required style.
Pressing Enter repeatedly to push notes to the next page. Footnotes flow with their reference markers. Extra blank paragraphs or manual page breaks can create awkward gaps and shift as the document changes. Adjust layout or note formatting instead.

Tips

Insert the footnote as soon as you add the borrowed quotation, fact, or idea. Capturing the source and page number while it is in front of you reduces the chance of having to retrace your research.
Keep a separate research log with full publication details, especially if you have many sources. Word can store sources through References > Manage Sources, but a saved source is not automatically placed in a footnote at every citation point.
Use one citation style consistently. A short form for a source cited again, such as an abbreviated title or author name, may be appropriate in some styles, but the rules differ. Do not assume a repeated citation should simply say Ibid.; check the current style guidance.
Use Word’s Navigation or Find tools to locate a phrase, then inspect the footnote marker immediately after it. When editing longer documents, this can help you check whether important statements have a source without scrolling page by page.
Save a copy before making broad formatting changes. Modifying the Footnote Text style is efficient, but it can affect every footnote and may change pagination throughout the document.

Troubleshooting

The footnote number appears, but I cannot see the note. Make sure you are in Print Layout view and look at the bottom of the page containing the marker. If you are editing near a page break, the note may be lower on the page than expected. In some views, use the footnote navigation command or switch views to inspect the page layout.

Word inserted an endnote instead. Use References > Insert Footnote, not Insert Endnote. If you already have endnotes, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and check the selected note type. The dialog may also offer a conversion option if you need to change existing notes; review the conversion choices before applying them.

The numbering starts over or uses the wrong symbols. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab and review the number format, numbering option, and location. A section break can make numbering restart by section, so check section settings as well as the overall document setting. Select the appropriate scope before applying a change.

A footnote is on the wrong page or leaves a large blank area. Check for a manual page break, section break, or extra blank paragraphs near the citation. Also inspect the footnote text for long unbroken URLs or unusual paragraph settings. Word controls where notes flow, so deleting accidental breaks and adjusting the note’s paragraph formatting is generally better than forcing it with spaces.

The footnote text has strange formatting. Select the affected text and check its style in the Home tab. If several notes share the problem, modify the Footnote Text style rather than correcting each note separately. If pasted text brought in unwanted formatting, use Word’s paste options or select the note text and clear direct formatting, then apply the intended style again.

The citation marker seems disconnected after editing. Confirm that the marker was inserted with Word’s footnote command and that the note was not accidentally deleted. Undo immediately if the deletion was accidental; otherwise, insert a new footnote at the correct location and restore its text. Avoid copying only a superscript marker as plain text, because that does not preserve the linked note.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a footnote in Word with a keyboard shortcut?
On Windows, place the cursor at the citation point and press Ctrl+Alt+F. In Word for Mac, press Command+Option+F. Word inserts the marker and moves the cursor to the note area.

Can I put a reference in a footnote instead of using an in-text citation?
Yes. Insert a footnote and write the reference in the note using the citation style your assignment or publication requires. Some styles use footnotes for source citations; others primarily use in-text citations and a reference list.

Does Word automatically format footnotes in Chicago style?
Word can insert and number footnotes, but it does not guarantee that your citation follows every Chicago rule. You must enter the source details and check punctuation, order, short-form citations, and bibliography requirements against the applicable Chicago guidance.

Can I change footnotes to endnotes later?
Yes. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab and look for the conversion controls. Review whether you want to convert all notes or a selected group, then confirm their new placement. Menu details can vary between Windows and Mac versions.

Will footnotes renumber if I move or delete one?
Normally, yes. Word manages the numbering for inserted footnotes and updates the sequence as the document changes. If a number looks out of date, save the document, close and reopen it, and check that the marker is a real Word footnote rather than typed text.

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

More in How-to basics

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

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.