Insert footnotes and endnotes
Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page and endnotes come at the end of the document. A number or symbol on the footnote or endnote matches up with a reference mark in the document.
-
Click where you want to reference to the footnote or endnote.
-
On the References tab, select Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote.
-
Enter what you want in the footnote or endnote.
-
Return to your place in the document by double-clicking the number or symbol at the beginning of the note.
Need more help?
Word for the web. Use footnotes and endnotes to explain, comment on, or provide references to something in a document. Usually, footnotes appear at the bottom of the page, while endnotes come at the end of the document or section.
Contents
- 1 What is a footnote used for?
- 2 How do you insert footnotes in Word?
- 3 Where do you put footnotes?
- 4 How do you write footnotes?
- 5 What are footnotes example?
- 6 How do you make a footnote reference list in Word?
- 7 How do you convert footnotes to in text citations?
- 8 Can you footnote a footnote?
- 9 Is endnote and footnote same?
- 10 How a footnote should look?
- 11 How do you write footnotes in APA Style?
- 12 What are footnotes in an essay?
- 13 What is the difference between footnotes and bibliography?
- 14 How do you change footnotes?
- 15 How do you footnote in Harvard referencing?
- 16 How do you cite Footnotes in Google Docs?
- 17 Do you quote a footnote?
- 18 What citation uses footnotes?
- 19 Do you put footnote before or after period?
- 20 Are footnotes in text citations?
What is a footnote used for?
Footnotes are superscript numbers (1) placed within the body of text. They can be used for two things: As a form of citation in certain citation styles. As a provider of additional information.
How do you insert footnotes in Word?
How to Add Footnote with Word
- Place your cursor in the body text where you want the footnote superscript to appear.
- Select the References tab in the ribbon toolbar.
- Click Insert Footnote.
- Type your footnote according to style.
- Repeat the process for every additional footnote.
Where do you put footnotes?
Footnote or endnote numbers in the text should follow punctuation, and preferably be placed at the end of a sentence. When citing the source for a quotation, the number should be placed at the end of the quotation and not after the author’s name if that appears first in the text.
How do you write footnotes?
How do I Create a Footnote or Endnote? Using footnotes or endnotes involves placing a superscript number at the end of a sentence with information (paraphrase, quotation or data) that you wish to cite. The superscript numbers should generally be placed at the end of the sentence to which they refer.
What are footnotes example?
Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or comment on a designated part of the text above it. For example, say you want to add an interesting comment to a sentence you have written, but the comment is not directly related to the argument of your paragraph.
How do you make a footnote reference list in Word?
ARCHIVED: In Microsoft Word, how do I convert footnotes to endnotes or vice versa?
- Open the document and select the References tab.
- Click the Footnote & Endnote Dialog Box launcher (it appears as a small square in the bottom-right corner of the tab). Then click Convert….
- Click OK or Apply.
How do you convert footnotes to in text citations?
To convert from in-text style to footnote style:
- Cut each citation placemarker (select and Ctrl+X , Cmd+X on a Mac)
- Insert a footnote (References tab in Word, Insert Footnote, Ctrl+Alt+F , or Cmd+Opt+F on a Mac)
- Paste the placemarker into the footnote ( Ctrl+V , or Cmd+V on a Mac)
Can you footnote a footnote?
Footnotes are a common feature in many types of documents. In some types of documents you may actually need footnotes within footnotes, such that a footnote can be footnoted, with the “sub footnote” appearing in the regular flow of the main footnotes.
Is endnote and footnote same?
Footnotes are found at the bottom of a page (i.e. in the footer) and endnotes are located at the end of a complete document, or sometimes at the end of a chapter or section.Footnotes are used as a citation vehicle for a short citation, while endnotes can contain more text without compromising the format of the paper.
How a footnote should look?
Each footnote should appear at the bottom of the page that includes its numbered in-text reference. For note numbers in the text, use superscript. Indent the first line of each note half an inch like a paragraph in the main text. Use a short line (or rule) to separate footnotes from the main text.
How do you write footnotes in APA Style?
To create a footnote in APA style, you’ll add a superscript number after the punctuation. The exceptions are dashes and parentheses. Place footnote numbers before dashes and inside parentheses. See how this works in the example.
What are footnotes in an essay?
Footnotes are short numbered notes that are placed at the bottom of the page in an essay or article. They are used for a variety of reasons including, citing materials, providing notes on a source or topic, and to acknowledge copyright status.
What is the difference between footnotes and bibliography?
Bibliographies are usually included at the end of your paper. Bibliographies are optional in the Chicago Manual of Style, but be sure to ask your professor for their requirements. Footnotes or endnotes are how you give credit to a source in the text itself.
How do you change footnotes?
To find and remove all footnotes or endnotes, use the Find and Replace tool: Place your cursor at the top of your document, and then open the Advanced Find and Replace dialog box. In Word 2013 or Word 2016, press Ctrl + H. In Word 2016 for Mac, on the Edit menu, click Find > Advanced Find and Replace.
How do you footnote in Harvard referencing?
For the Harvard system, you reference the author’s surname, year of publication, and page number. For the footnote system, you need to write the name of the author, year of publication, article title, newspaper name in italics, date (not just year), and page number.
How do you cite Footnotes in Google Docs?
How to add a footnote in Google Docs
- Place your cursor at the point you want to add a footnote.
- Choose Insert | Footnote, or press Ctrl-Alt-F.
- Type your footnote text.
Do you quote a footnote?
Footnotes. When you summarise or paraphrase an idea from a source or when you use a direct quote from a source you must cite the author or body responsible for the work in a footnote.The footnote number should be placed at the end of the sentence or the end of a clause in a sentence.
What citation uses footnotes?
Chicago
Typically, Oxford, Chicago and Turabian will use footnotes for in-text citations. MLA and APA will also use footnotes but to provide content or copyright information, and not typically for attribution.
Do you put footnote before or after period?
When a footnote must be placed at the end of a sentence, add the number after the period. Numbers denoting footnotes should always appear after punctuation, with the exception of one piece of punctuation3—the dash.
Are footnotes in text citations?
In the Notes and Bibliography system, citations are generally provided in the main text through the use of footnotes or endnotes.
Published on
March 28, 2022
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
June 7, 2022.
Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of the page in a piece of academic writing and indicated in the text with superscript numbers (or sometimes letters or other symbols). You can insert footnotes automatically in Word or Google Docs. They’re used to provide:
- Citations in certain styles
- Additional information that would disrupt the flow of the main text
Note: Footnotes are a lot like endnotes, which are used in similar ways. The difference is that endnotes appear all together at the end of the text, instead of separately on each page. This gives your text a less cluttered appearance, but it can also be inconvenient for readers.
Table of contents
- How to insert footnotes in Word and Google Docs
- Numbering and placement of footnotes
- Footnotes in Chicago style
- Footnotes in APA Style
- Footnotes in MLA style
- Frequently asked questions about footnotes and endnotes
How to insert footnotes in Word and Google Docs
If you’re writing in Microsoft Word or in Google Docs, it’s easy to insert footnotes automatically using the built-in functionality of the software.
Most style guidelines are flexible enough that these automatically inserted footnotes meet their requirements, so that you don’t have to worry about the specifics of formatting.
Inserting footnotes in Word
It’s straightforward to insert footnotes in Word. Just follow these steps:
- Click on the point in the text where you want the footnote number to appear.
- Select the “References” tab at the top, and then select “Insert Footnote.”
- Type whatever text you want into the footnote that appears.
Inserting footnotes in Google Docs
You can also easily add footnotes in Google Docs. Follow the steps below:
- Click on the point in the text where you want to add a footnote.
- At the top, click on “Insert” and then on “Footnote” in the drop-down menu.
- Type the text you want into the footnote.
Numbering and placement of footnotes
Footnotes should be numbered consecutively in the order they appear throughout your paper. Each note should have a unique number; don’t use the same number again even if you cite the same source repeatedly.
Footnote numbers are usually placed at the end of the relevant clause or sentence. The number appears after any punctuation, except when the clause ends with an em dash, in which case the number appears before it. Don’t add a space before the number.
McGill argues that this method is flawed.1 However, other studies—such as that of Smith and Coulson2—come to the opposite conclusion.
Footnotes in Chicago style
Chicago style uses footnotes for citations (unless you’re following Chicago author-date). Footnotes can also be used to add extra information such as commentary on the source cited, or elaborations on a point you touched on in the main text.
In Chicago footnotes, you place a footnote at the end of the clause or sentence that needs a citation. The footnote contains full information about each source the first time you cite it, and shortened information for subsequent citations of the same source.
1. Tegan George and Jack Caulfield, “Academic Integrity vs. Academic Dishonesty,” March 10, 2022, https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/academic-dishonesty/.
2. George and Caulfield, “Academic Integrity.”
Full information about all your sources is usually included in a bibliography at the end, except in very short papers, where footnote citations may be used alone if your institution allows it.
Chicago recommends using your word processor’s built-in footnote function to add footnotes, but a couple of formatting details may need to be changed manually:
- Add an indent at the start of each footnote (before the number).
- Write the number at the start of the note in normal text (not superscript), followed by a period and then a space.
- Leave one blank line between footnotes, and make sure footnotes are single-spaced.
Footnotes in APA Style
APA footnotes are used only for providing extra information, since APA in-text citations appear in parentheses instead.
You can use them to provide supplemental information such as additional examples or clarifications; do this sparingly, as APA warns against including nonessential information. Footnotes are also used to provide copyright attribution when it’s needed.
1 From What Parents Can Expect in Behavior Therapy, by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017 (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/infographics/what-parents-expect.html). In the public domain.
2 A second round of testing was initially planned, but this idea was abandoned due to …
APA recommends using your word processing software to automatically insert footnotes, but add an indent at the start of each footnote if this isn’t done automatically. The footnote begins with the superscript footnote number followed by a space.
Footnotes in MLA style
MLA footnotes are used to provide supplemental information such as extra examples, clarifications of citation practice, or elaborations on ideas.
MLA in-text citations appear in parentheses, not in notes, but where a lot of citations are needed at once, they can be placed in a footnote to avoid cluttering the text.
1 Citations of marginalia refer to George’s edition and include page numbers. Citations of the poem refer to Davis’s edition and include line numbers.
2 This remains a controversial point. Researchers in the field have debated this issue since …
3 See Crittenden 5–11; Kent 17–34; Smith 44–50; and Jones 36.
MLA recommends using your word processor to automatically insert footnotes, styling the number at the start of the citation in superscript, followed by a space. An indent should also be added at the start of the footnote (before the number).
-
What’s the difference between footnotes and endnotes?
-
Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page they refer to. This is convenient for the reader but may cause your text to look cluttered if there are a lot of footnotes.
Endnotes appear all together at the end of the whole text. This may be less convenient for the reader but reduces clutter.
Both footnotes and endnotes are used in the same way: to cite sources or add extra information. You should usually choose one or the other to use in your text, not both.
-
What are footnotes used for?
-
Footnotes are notes indicated in your text with numbers and placed at the bottom of the page. They’re used to provide:
- Citations (e.g., in Chicago notes and bibliography)
- Additional information that would disrupt the flow of the main text
Be sparing in your use of footnotes (other than citation footnotes), and consider whether the information you’re adding is relevant for the reader.
-
How do I insert a footnote in Word?
-
To insert a footnote automatically in a Word document:
- Click on the point in the text where the footnote should appear
- Select the “References” tab at the top and then click on “Insert Footnote”
- Type the text you want into the footnote that appears at the bottom of the page
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J.
(2022, June 07). What Are Footnotes? | Guide with Word Instructions. Scribbr.
Retrieved April 12, 2023,
from https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/what-are-footnotes/
Is this article helpful?
You have already voted. Thanks 
Your vote is saved
Processing your vote…
Asked by: Toby Batz PhD
Score: 4.6/5
(15 votes)
Word for the web. Use footnotes and endnotes to explain, comment on, or provide references to something in a document. Usually, footnotes appear at the bottom of the page, while endnotes come at the end of the document or section.
What is a footnote example?
Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or comment on a designated part of the text above it. For example, say you want to add an interesting comment to a sentence you have written, but the comment is not directly related to the argument of your paragraph.
What is a footnote and how do you use it?
Footnotes are notes that are placed at the end of a page and used to reference parts of the text (generally using superscript numbers). Writers use footnotes for several purposes, including citations, parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more.
Why do we use footnotes in Word?
Footnotes and endnotes are used in printed documents to explain, comment on, or provide references for text in a document. Many people use footnotes for detailed comments and endnotes for citation of sources.
Where do you put footnotes?
Footnote or endnote numbers in the text should follow punctuation, and preferably be placed at the end of a sentence. When citing the source for a quotation, the number should be placed at the end of the quotation and not after the author’s name if that appears first in the text.
33 related questions found
How do I use footnotes in Word?
Add a footnote
Click where you want to add the footnote. Click Insert > Insert Footnote. Word inserts a reference mark in the text and adds the footnote mark at the bottom of the page. Type the footnote text.
How do I make a footnote?
How do I Create a Footnote or Endnote? Using footnotes or endnotes involves placing a superscript number at the end of a sentence with information (paraphrase, quotation or data) that you wish to cite. The superscript numbers should generally be placed at the end of the sentence to which they refer.
How do you write footnote references?
How to insert footnotes
- Place the cursor where you would like the superscript number to appear.
- Click on “Insert Footnote” in the “References” tab. …
- The corresponding number will be automatically inserted in the footer ready for you to add the footnote citation.
- Type in your footnote citation.
How do you read footnotes?
Jump to a footnote or endnote
- After opening a document that has footnotes or endnotes, place the cursor on a footnote or an endnote reference. …
- To move to the footnote reference text at the end of the page, press the SR key+Insert. …
- To read the footnote or endnote, press the SR key+R.
How a footnote should look?
Each footnote should appear at the bottom of the page that includes its numbered in-text reference. For note numbers in the text, use superscript. Indent the first line of each note half an inch like a paragraph in the main text. Use a short line (or rule) to separate footnotes from the main text.
How do I use footnotes in a research paper?
A footnote is a reference placed at the bottom of a page or footer. They are referenced in the text in the same way as a citation i.e. the referenced text is followed by a superscript numeral (1), which corresponds to the numbered footnote at the bottom of the page.
What is the purpose of footnotes in a research paper?
A footnote is a reference, explanation, or comment1 placed below the main text on a printed page. Footnotes are identified in the text by a numeral or a symbol. In research papers and reports, footnotes commonly acknowledge the sources of facts and quotations that appear in the text.
How do you write footnotes in APA Style?
To create a footnote in APA style, you’ll add a superscript number after the punctuation. The exceptions are dashes and parentheses. Place footnote numbers before dashes and inside parentheses. See how this works in the example.
What are Chicago style footnotes?
In Chicago style, footnotes or endnotes are used to reference pieces of work in the text. To cite from a source a superscript number is placed after a quote or a paraphrase. Citation numbers should appear in sequential order.
Can footnotes be used for definitions?
Another great use of footnotes is to define or explain a word or idea that might require further explanation to a general audience. A definition or explanation can be provided within the footnote without any visual or logical disruption in the text.
Why you should read footnotes?
Footnotes can also preserve flow by moving tangential and background information out of the main text where they would interrupt the argument the text is making.
What is the difference between footnotes and bibliography?
Bibliographies are usually included at the end of your paper. Bibliographies are optional in the Chicago Manual of Style, but be sure to ask your professor for their requirements. Footnotes or endnotes are how you give credit to a source in the text itself.
Do footnotes count in word count?
The word count DOES NOT include the bibliography or citations/references in the text (Harvard Style referencing) or in footnotes or endnotes (Chicago Style referencing). ANY OTHER INFORMATION INCLUDED IN A FOOTNOTE OR ENDNOTE OTHER THAN A REFERENCE OR CITATION WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE WORD COUNT.
What referencing styles use footnotes?
Footnotes can be used in several different writing styles. Typically, Oxford, Chicago and Turabian will use footnotes for in-text citations. MLA and APA will also use footnotes but to provide content or copyright information, and not typically for attribution.
How do you footnote in Harvard?
For the Harvard system, you reference the author’s surname, year of publication, and page number. For the footnote system, you need to write the name of the author, year of publication, article title, newspaper name in italics, date (not just year), and page number.
What is the shortcut for footnotes on word?
Windows PC keyboard shortcuts for footnotes and endnotes are: Alt+Ctrl+F to insert a footnote. Alt+Ctrl+D to insert an endnote.
How do you insert notes in Word?
Insert a Comment
- Select the text you want to add a comment to.
- Click the Review tab.
- Click the New Comment button in the Comments group. Right-click in the document and select New Comment.
- Type your comment, then click outside the comment box when you’re finished.
How do I make different footnotes on each page in Word?
Configure headers and footers for different sections of a…
- Click or tap the page at the beginning of a section.
- Select Layout > Breaks > Next Page.
- Double-click the header or footer on the first page of the new section.
How do you do Chicago style footnotes in Word?
How to Use Footnotes in Word
- Place your cursor in the body text where you want the footnote superscript to appear.
- Select the References tab in the ribbon toolbar.
- Click Insert Footnote. …
- Type your footnote according to style.
- Repeat the process for every additional footnote.
Are footnotes important?
Footnotes indicate the authenticity, originality and relevance of the research data. Footnotes give the reader an insight into the research undertaken by the writer and can enables them to further refer to the cited sources for more information.
Whether you use Microsoft Word for personal or professional writing, sometimes you may want to add supplemental notes to sections of your work. Maybe you want to make a side comment on one of your arguments, or you need to cite another author’s work without distracting from the main text. Luckily, Word has useful tools for adding footnotes and endnotes to your writing.
Note: We’re using Microsoft Word 2016, but Word has supported footnotes and endnotes since at least Word 2007. Depending on the version of Word you’re using, the menus we walk through in this guide may look a little different. But don’t worry—the features and functions are the same.
What Are Footnotes and Endnotes?
Footnotes and endnotes are both ways of adding extra bits of information to your writing outside of the main text. Think of them like verbal asides, only in writing. You can use footnotes and endnotes to add side comments to your work or to cite other publications like books, articles, or websites. The only difference between footnotes and endnotes is where they appear in your document.
As the name suggests, footnotes are attached to the bottom of the page containing the sentence they correspond to. Endnotes, on the other hand, are added to the end of a section or document. Which one you should use in your writing depends on your personal preference or—if you’re writing for school or work—your organization’s publication standards.
Fire up Microsoft Word, and then open the document to which you’d like to add footnotes (or create a new document if you’re just getting started). Switch to the “References” tab on Word’s Ribbon.
Here, you’ll find a bunch of useful features for annotating your text, including tools for inserting a table of contents, adding citations, and generating a bibliography. The second group on this tab contains the footnote and endnote features we want.
To add a footnote, place your insertion point in your text where you want the footnote to appear, and then click the “Insert Footnote” button.
Word adds a small superscript number where you placed the insertion point.
And then immediately shifts focus to the footnote pane and places the insertion point at your new footnote, so you can start typing it right away.
Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page beneath a short horizontal line. Each time you add a footnote on this page, another number will be added to the list.
Once you’ve added your footnotes, you can hover your cursor over each sentence’s reference marker to see a preview of the footnote within the text.
You can also quickly tab between footnotes in both the main text and the footnote list at the bottom of the page by clicking the “Next Footnote” button in the navigation bar.
Or, click the dropdown menu arrow on the “Next Footnote” button to select a different navigation option. You can choose to go to the previous footnote or navigate to the next or previous endnote.
The steps for inserting endnotes are essentially the same. Place your insertion point where you’d to annotate, and then click the “Insert Endnote” button on the “References” tab of Word’s Ribbon.
Just like with footnotes, Word attaches a superscript number containing an endnote. But this time, the list of notes it generates appears at the end of the current section or the end of the document (you can customize where they appear, and we’ll talk more about that in a bit).
How to Configure Footnotes and Endnotes in Word 2016
Word has basic default settings for footnotes and endnotes, but you can adjust these settings at any time from the menu on the References tab.
Click the arrow in the lower right corner of the “Footnotes” menu.
This brings up a Footnote and Endnote window where you can customize the location, appearance, and format of all your footnotes and endnotes.
Change the Location of Footnotes and Endnotes
By default, Word puts footnotes at the bottom of the page and endnotes at the end of the document, but you can change where these notes appear.
Under “Location” in the Footnote and Endnote menu, find the “Footnotes” option (it should be selected by default when you first open the menu). Open the dropdown menu to the right of that option and you can change your footnote location to either the bottom of the page or below the text. If you choose the latter option, Word places your footnotes immediately after the main body of text instead of at the bottom of the page.
To change the default location of endnotes, select the “Endnotes” option, and then open the dropdown menu to its right. There, you can change endnote placement to the end of the current section or the end of the document.
Convert Footnotes to Endnotes (and Vice Versa)
Another option is to convert all of your footnotes to endnotes or vice versa. Instead of changing each one individually, this option lets you change them all at once. If you’re working on a document with a lot of notes, this option can come in handy.
Under the “Location” section of the Footnote and Endnote menu, click the “Convert” button.
The Convert Notes dialog box pops up, giving you three options: 1) Convert All Footnotes to Endnotes, 2) Convert All Endnotes to Footnotes, and 3) Swap Footnotes and Endnotes. Select the option you want, and then click the “OK” button.
Change the Layout of Footnotes and Endnotes
By default, Word creates footnote and endnote lists with the same layout as the page on which they appear. However, you can adjust this from the Footnote and Endnote window by clicking the “Columns” dropdown menu and selecting the number of columns you’d like to use.
You can set your footnotes and endnotes to display in up to four different columns on the page.
Customize the Format of Footnotes and Endnotes
Word also lets you choose from several options for formatting how your footnotes and endnotes are numbered. It’s generally a good idea to choose a different numbering system for each note type, especially if you’re using a combination of footnotes and endnotes in the same document. This helps you and your reader quickly distinguish between the two at a glance.
In the Format section, click the dropdown arrow to the right of the “Number Format” option. Select your desired number format.
You can also label your notes with a custom symbol instead of a standard numbering system. Next to the Custom Mark option, click the “Symbol” button.
The Symbol menu will open. Select the symbol you’d like to use to label your notes, and then click the “OK” button.
Your selected icon should appear in the “Custom Mark” box, and Word will now use this symbol to label your notes.
By default, Word numbers footnotes and endnotes in individual series starting at “1” (or a, i, I, etc.) and continuing throughout the document. However, you can customize both the starting point and continuity of your notes.
If you want your footnotes or endnotes to start somewhere other than the first number in the series (for example, 2 instead of 1), click the arrows in the “Start At” dropdown box to increase or decrease the beginning value. One example of where this might be useful is if you’re writing a book that contains endnotes and you’re saving each chapter as a separate Word document. You could configure each chapter’s document to start numbering endnotes where the last chapter left off.
To change the continuity of your numbering series, click the dropdown menu arrow next to the “Numbering” option.
You’ll see three options for numbering your footnotes and endnotes: Continuous, Restart Each Section, and Restart Each Page. If you want your footnotes and endnotes to be numbered continuously from the beginning of your document to the end, select the “Continuous” option. If you’d prefer to have your notes numbered by chapter or section, select the “Restart Each Section” option. Or select “Restart Each Page” to number your notes by page.
Apply Your Changes to the Document
After configuring the above options, you’ll need to select how you want your changes applied to your document. At the bottom of the menu, click the dropdown menu arrow next to the “Apply Changes To” option.
If you want your changes to apply to every page and section of your document, select the “Whole Document” option. Or select “This Section” to apply changes only to the section of the document you’re currently in. (Note that this option will not appear if you have no section breaks in your document.)
Once you’re satisfied with your settings, click the “Apply” button in the bottom right of the menu.
You can also insert a new footnote using your selected settings by clicking the “Insert” button in the lower left corner of the menu.
How to Cross-Reference Footnotes and Endnotes in Word 2016
If you want to use the same footnote or endnote more than once throughout your text, there’s an easy way to do it without having to insert the same thing over and over again.
Place your insertion point where you want a reference inserted into the text. On the References tab, click the “Cross-Reference” button.
In the Cross-Reference window, choose either “Footnote” or “Endnote” from the “Reference Type” dropdown menu.
Next, click the “Insert Reference To” dropdown menu.
The “Footnote Number” option inserts the number of the footnote in regular text, while the “Footnote Number (Formatted)” option inserts the number of the footnote in superscript. The “Page Number” option inserts the number of the referenced page instead of the footnote number. The “Above/Below” option inserts either the word “Above” or “Below” depending on where the original footnote appears in relation to the cross-reference. Select your desired option.
Word lets you create hyperlinks between cross-references so you can easily find the same footnote everywhere it appears in your document. The “Insert as Hyperlink” option is checked by default, so you can click any cross-reference and automatically be taken to the part of the document containing the original footnote. We recommend leaving this option checked, but you can uncheck it if you prefer.
Under the “For Which Footnote” option, select the footnote you’d like to cross-reference, and then click the “Insert” button at the bottom of the menu.
READ NEXT
- › Learn These Microsoft Word Features to Make College Easier
- › How to Create Your Own Bibliography Template in Microsoft Word
- › How to Cross-Reference in Microsoft Word
- › How to Add Footnotes in Google Docs
- › The Best Steam Deck Docks of 2023
- › How to Install Unsupported Versions of macOS on Your Mac
- › Liquid Metal vs. Thermal Paste: Is Liquid Metal Better?
- › Why Your Phone Charging Cable Needs a USB Condom
Download Article
Multiple easy-to-follow ways to add footnotes in Word
Download Article
Footnotes allow you to cite sources or explain a concept in detail without sidetracking the main text. Word makes managing footnotes easy, as new footnotes are numbered automatically, and the footnotes area expands and shrinks dynamically based on the amount of text. Give your document a professional feel by strategically using footnotes to clarify information and credit your sources.
-
1
Click the «References» tab. This is located at the top of the window, typically between «Page Layout» and «Mailings». This tab lets you insert various reference tools, such as a table of contents, footnotes and endnotes, citations, captions and more.
-
2
Place your cursor where you want the footnote to appear. By default, footnotes will be designated by increasing superscript numbers. Place the cursor where you want the number to appear.
Advertisement
-
3
Click the «Insert Footnote» button. This is located in the «Footnotes» section of the «References» tab. The footnote number will be inserted, and a separator bar will be added to the bottom of the page. Your cursor will automatically be taken to the footnote at the bottom of the page so that you can fill it out.
- An endnote is like a footnote except the reference occurs at the end of the document. By default, endnotes are numbered with Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.).
- Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Alt + F to create a footnote, or Ctrl + Alt + D to create an endnote.
-
4
Change when your footnotes numbering resets. By default, your footnotes will increase in number throughout your whole document. You can change this so that the numbers restart every page or at section breaks in the document.[1]
- Click the Menu button in the bottom-right corner of the «Footnotes» section. This will open the «Footnote and Endnote» window. In the «Format» section, use the «Numbering» drop-down menu to select when you want the footnote numbers to restart.
- You can insert section breaks into your document by clicking the «Page Layout» tab, clicking the «Breaks» button in the «Page Setup» section, and then selecting the type of break you’d like to insert. Besides changing the way footnotes are numbered, section breaks are great for making layout changing to specific portions of a document.
-
5
Change your footnote formatting. If you’d rather have symbols instead of numbers, want the footnotes to appear below the text instead of at the bottom of the page, or want the numbering to start at a different number, you can change this from the «Footnote and Endnote» window. Click the Menu button in the bottom right-corner of the «Footnotes» section to open it.
- Click Symbol… to choose a symbol from the Symbol menu. You can choose any character from any font, though the «Symbols» font will open by default.
Advertisement
-
1
Switch to Print Layout view. Click View and select Print Layout.
-
2
Place your cursor where you want the footnote to appear. Your footnote will appear at the cursor, so place the cursor at the end of the text that you want to create a footnote reference for.
-
3
Insert the footnote. Click the «Document Elements» tab, and then click the «Footnote» button in the «Citations» section. A footnote will be inserted at your cursor and you will be taken to the footnote text section to enter the contents of the footnote. The footnote text will be at the bottom of the same page as the footnote, separated by a line.
- Alternatively, you can press Command + Option + F to create a footnote, or Command + Option + E to create an endnote.
-
4
Change your footnote formatting. If you’d rather have symbols instead of numbers, want the footnotes to appear below the text instead of at the bottom of the page, or want the numbering to start at a different number, you can change this from the «Footnote and Endnote» window. Click Insert and select Footnote.
- Click Symbol… to choose a symbol from the Symbol menu. You can choose any character from any font, though the «Symbols» font will open by default.
- By default, your footnotes will increase in number throughout your whole document. You can change this so that the numbers restart every page or at section breaks in the document. In the «Format» section, use the «Numbering» drop-down menu to select when you want the footnote numbers to restart.
- You can apply your formatting changes to just your selected text, the current section, or your entire document.
- Click Symbol… to choose a symbol from the Symbol menu. You can choose any character from any font, though the «Symbols» font will open by default.
Advertisement
-
1
Switch to Print Layout view. Click View and select Print Layout.
-
2
Place your cursor where you want the footnote to appear. Your footnote will appear at the cursor, so place the cursor at the end of the text that you want to create a footnote reference for.
-
3
Insert the footnote. Click Insert → Reference → Footnote… to open the «Footnote and Endnote» window. Select «Footnote», and then choose your numbering option. You can have Word number your footnotes automatically, or you can choose a custom symbol to insert.
- In Word 2004/2008, click Insert → Footnote….
- Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Alt + F to create a footnote, or Ctrl + Alt + D to create an endnote in Windows. On a Mac, press Command + Option + F to create a footnote, or Command + Option + E to create an endnote.
-
4
Enter your footnote text. Your footnote will be created and you will be taken to the footnote text section at the bottom of the page. You can enter the text you want for the footnote, and then click back in your document when you are finished.
Advertisement
Add New Question
-
Question
Why is my first footnote printing on the next page?
A header or footnote is applied to all pages when put in a document. Unless it is a page number generated by the document (which you select). Otherwise, the header and footnote follows you through all of your pages.
-
Question
How do I insert more information into a footnote that already exists?
You can double click on an existing footnote to edit it.
-
Question
When I create a footnote for a word, does it appear each time I use the word?
No, it doesn’t. Footnotes are bound to locations in the document, not to words. This means that, even if you change the word or the text around the footnote, the footnote remains where it is.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
About This Article
Article SummaryX
1. Click References.
2. Click the desired location.
3. Click Insert Footnote.
4. Select a number format.
5. Select a symbol.
6. Click Insert.
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 808,785 times.
Is this article up to date?
Updated: 11/16/2019 by
A footnote is additional information found at the bottom of the current page in a document. Superscript numbers are used in both the document and the footnote to help reader match the text to the supplemental information at the bottom.
An endnote is similar, but they are only found at the end of a document and contain reference information about quoted material.
Here is an example1 of a footnote.
1 An example to help demonstrate the proper notation and implementation of a footnote.
Example of an endnote
Below is an example of an endnote citing Computer Hope, the web page, and the year.
Here is an example of an endnote which cites Computer Hope as a source.1
1 Notation and implementation of endnotes and footnotes (https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/f/footnote.htm, 2019)
How to insert a footnote or endnote in Microsoft Word
To insert a footnote or endnote in Microsoft Word 2007 and later versions, follow the steps below.
- Open Microsoft Word.
- Within Microsoft Word, place the cursor where you want to insert the number that points to the footnote or endnote.
- In the Ribbon at the top, click the References tab.
- In the Footnotes section, click Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote, depending on which one you are inserting.
To insert a footnote or endnote in Microsoft Word 2003 and earlier versions, follow the steps below.
- Open Microsoft Word.
- Within Microsoft Word, place the cursor where you want to insert the number that points to the footnote or endnote and click Insert
- Click Footnote…
- Specify whether you want to insert a Footnote or an Endnote, then click OK.
End, Footer, Word processor terms
Last Updated: April 20, 2022 | Author: howto-Trust
Contents
- 1 How do you enter a footnote in Word?
- 2 How do you do footnotes?
- 3 How do you footnote references?
- 4 What is the shortcut key for footnote?
- 5 What are footnotes example?
- 6 What is footnote in MS Word?
- 7 What does Ctrl o do in Word?
- 8 What does Ctrl P do?
- 9 What does Ctrl B do?
- 10 What does Alt enter do in Word?
- 11 What does Ctrl N do?
- 12 What is Ctrl F in Word?
- 13 How do you insert a sound file into a Word document?
- 14 What is Ctrl Alt Shift?
- 15 What is Alt F4?
- 16 What does Ctrl S do?
- 17 What is Ctrl A to Z?
- 18 What does win D do?
- 19 What is Alt F9?
- 20 What is Alt F10?
How do you enter a footnote in Word?
Add a footnote
Click where you want to add the footnote. Click Insert > Insert Footnote. Word inserts a reference mark in the text and adds the footnote mark at the bottom of the page. Type the footnote text.
How do you do footnotes?
Insert footnotes and endnotes
- Click where you want to reference to the footnote or endnote.
- On the References tab, select Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote.
- Enter what you want in the footnote or endnote.
- Return to your place in the document by double-clicking the number or symbol at the beginning of the note.
How do you footnote references?
How to insert footnotes
- Place the cursor where you would like the superscript number to appear.
- Click on “Insert Footnote” in the “References” tab. …
- The corresponding number will be automatically inserted in the footer ready for you to add the footnote citation.
- Type in your footnote citation.
What is the shortcut key for footnote?
Keyboard Shortcut is Ctrl + Alt + F for footnote and Ctrl + Alt + D for endnote.
What are footnotes example?
Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or comment on a designated part of the text above it. For example, say you want to add an interesting comment to a sentence you have written, but the comment is not directly related to the argument of your paragraph.
What is footnote in MS Word?
A footnote is a note that appears at the bottom of a page that is commonly used by writers to cite other authors publication in their document. We will show you how to manage footnotes in Microsoft Word.
What does Ctrl o do in Word?
Open a document: Ctrl + O. Create a new document: Ctrl + N. Save the current document: Ctrl + S. Open the Save As window: F12. Close the current document: Ctrl + W.
What does Ctrl P do?
☆☛✅Ctrl+P is a shortcut key often used to print a document or page. … Also referred to as Control P and C-p, Ctrl+P is a shortcut key often used to print a document or page. Tip. On Apple computers, the shortcut to print may also be the Command key+P keys.
What does Ctrl B do?
In Microsoft Word and other word processor programs, highlighting text and pressing Ctrl+B makes the text bold. If the text is already bold, highlighting the bold text and pressing Ctrl+B un-bolds the text.
What does Alt enter do in Word?
Alt+Enter in Windows
In Windows, press Alt + Enter when any file, shortcut, or other object is highlighted to open the Properties window for that object.
What does Ctrl N do?
What Does Ctrl+N Do? ☆☛✅Ctrl+N is a shortcut key often used to create a new document, window, workbook, or another type of file. Also referred to as Control N and C-n, Ctrl+N is a shortcut key most often used to create a new document, window, workbook, or another type of file.
What is Ctrl F in Word?
What is Ctrl-F? … Also known as Command-F for Mac users (although newer Mac keyboards now include a Control key). Ctrl-F is the shortcut in your browser or operating system that allows you to find words or phrases quickly. You can use it browsing a website, in a Word or Google document, even in a PDF.
How do you insert a sound file into a Word document?
This is done in this manner:
- Position the insertion point where you want the sound inserted.
- Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
- Click Object in the Text group. …
- Click on the Create from File tab. …
- Use the controls on the dialog box to locate a sound file that you want included with your document.
- Click on OK.
What is Ctrl Alt Shift?
Alt. Shift was an initiative politicising a new generation of activists for social justice and global change. It was a project of UK aid and development charity Christian Aid.
What is Alt F4?
Alt+F4 is a keyboard shortcut most often used to close the currently-active window. For example, if you pressed the keyboard shortcut now while reading this page on your computer browser, it would close the browser window and all open tabs. … Related keyboard shortcuts and keys.
What does Ctrl S do?
In a DOS or Windows PC, holding down the Ctrl key and pressing the S key pauses (stops) the running program. Pressing Ctrl-S again resumes the operation.
What is Ctrl A to Z?
Ctrl + A → Select all content. Ctrl + Z → Undo an action. Ctrl + Y → Redo an action. Ctrl + D → Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.
What does win D do?
Press Windows+D again and your application windows will reappear. … Note: Some people like the Windows+M shortcut, which minimizes all applications.
What is Alt F9?
Android Studio – Run to cursor. Free Pascal IDE – Compile the active source file. IntelliJ IDEA (Windows, Linux) – Run to cursor. JetBrains WebStorm – Run to cursor.
What is Alt F10?
“Alt + F10” is a set of shortcut keys to help users of Acer computer to quickly enter into recovery environment of Acer eRecovery Management.
In this post, we will look into footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word and how to use it efficiently in simple step by step approach.
What are Footnotes and Endnotes?
Footnotes add a note at the bottom of the page to provide additional information about a part of the same page. On the other hand, Endnotes also add a note at the end of the document to provide more information, citation, comments, and so on.
- To get started, bring the cursor to the page that you need to insert the footnotes.
- Go to the Reference tab in the ribbon.
- Click on the Insert Footnotes button in the Footnotes group.
- Enter the notes or citations in the inserted footnotes.
- Now, you can see the inserted footnotes in the above image.
How to Insert Endnotes in Word?
- Go to the Reference tab in the ribbon.
- Select the Insert Endnotes from the Footnotes group.
- Enter the notes or citations in the inserted endnotes.
- Here, you can see the inserted endnotes in the above image.
How to Edit Footnotes and Endnotes?
- To edit the footnotes and endnotes, click the dialogue box launcher in the Footnotes group.
- Now, the Footnote and Endnote dialogue box will appear on your screen as in the below image.
- There you can edit the layout of the footnote by choosing a format from the Footnote layout session.
- Also, you can format your style of number and marks using Number Format and Custom mark options.
- You can also determine where you want to apply the changes using the Apply changes to option.
- Finally, click the Insert button once you have done with your editing.
You can also use the keyboard commands Alt+Ctrl+F for inserting Footnotes and Alt+Ctrl+D for inserting Endnotes.
Getting started with Word’s footnotes and endnotes.
Footnotes is one of those Word features that’s been around for a long time and so it often ignored in all the hoopla about new features. In this article we’ll have a close look at Footnotes and Endnotes.
In Word there are Footnotes and Endnotes however they are really the same feature with differences in the position of the footnotes that we’ll explain.
As usual, Office-Watch.com will go beyond the standard explanation of an Office feature. We’ll dig into how Office really works including any bugs we find along the way or things that could be done better by Microsoft.
Footnote
A standard footnote looks like this:
The superscript 1 appears in the text with same number at the bottom of the page. The footnote usually contains supporting or additional information that might be of interest to the reader but is placed separately so the main document doesn’t get cluttered up.
Being an electronic document there’s more possibilities available than with a paper version.
Hover your mouse over the footnote number in the text and the footnote itself will appear at a tooltip.
Sadly, that tooltip feature isn’t included if the document is saved to PDF format from Word.
You may have already noticed the web link in the footnote. Footnotes in Word aren’t limited to text. You can also add images and even links to embedded or external files (e.g. sound file).
As you’d expect Word handles the numbering for you automatically. If you add a footnote below an existing one, the new footnote is numbered accordingly.
Insert a Footnote or Endnote in Word
Inserting a footnote or endnote into Word is easy. In Word 2007 and later to Word 365 there are big buttons on the References tab.
For Word 2003 and before go to Insert | Reference | Footnote
Even better are the shortcuts
Ctrl + Alt + F Add Footnote
Ctrl + Alt + D Add Endnote
Positioning
Notes can be placed in four different places within a Word document
- Bottom of page
- Bottom of text
- End of section
- End of document
The last two are called ‘Endnotes’ in Word and we’ll detail how they work in a little while.
To change the position of footnotes go to the Footnotes dialog box at References | Footnotes then click the arrow in the bottom right corner.
‘Below Text’ will put the footnotes close to the end of the text on that page while ‘Bottom of Page’ means the footnotes are always at the end of the page even if that means a large vertical gap between the end of the text and start of footnotes.
Endnotes
In Word you can have both Footnotes and Endnotes. Normally you’ll have one or the other, but not both. We’ll look at dual Footnotes and Endnotes in a moment but now let’s see how to swap footnotes to endnotes and vice-versa.
Let’s say you have footnotes in a document then decide (or are told) they need to be at the end of the section, chapter or document. That’s an easy fix!
Go to the Footnotes dialog box at References | Footnotes then click the arrow in the bottom right corner. Click on Convert to see your choices.
- Convert all footnotes to endnotes
- Convert all endnotes to footnotes
- Swap footnotes and endnotes
Some options won’t be available depending on what the document has in it.
Choose ‘Convert all footnotes to endnotes’, click OK and presto! the footnotes are now at the end of the document. Same content in the footnotes, just different positioning. Naturally, the numbering of the notes is automatically updated.
Positioning Endnotes
For Endnotes you can put them at the end of the section or the end of the document.
‘End of Section’ means you can have endnotes at the end of each chapter, assuming that each chapter is in a separate Word section.
‘End of Document’ puts all the endnotes in one block at the very end of the document.
Deleting Footnotes and Endnotes
To delete a Footnote or Endnote, go to the reference in the document (usually a superscript number or character) and delete that reference.
Removing the reference will delete it and the linked notes.
Deleting the footnote text does NOT delete the footnote, just leaves it blank. You must delete the reference in the document instead.