Adding a footnote in Word takes three clicks

A footnote is a note that appears at the bottom of the page, linked to a word or phrase in your text by a small number. To add one, click where you want the footnote to appear in your document, then go to the References tab at the top of Word, and click Insert Footnote. Word automatically numbers it, moves your cursor to the bottom of the page, and you type your note there. When you're done, click back in your main text to keep writing.

The whole process takes seconds once you know where to look. Word handles all the numbering for you — if you delete a footnote or add a new one in the middle of your document, Word renumbers everything automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Click in your document where you want the footnote number to appear, then go to References > Insert Footnote.
  • Word automatically numbers footnotes and places the note text at the bottom of the same page.
  • You can switch between footnotes and endnotes (which appear at the end of the document) in the References tab.
  • Deleting a footnote removes both the number in your text and the note itself, and Word renumbers the rest automatically.
  • You can change how footnotes look — their numbering style, position, and format — through the footnote settings dialog.

Step-by-step: inserting your first footnote

Open your Word document and find the exact spot where you want the footnote number to appear. This is usually right after a word or at the end of a sentence. Click at that location in your text — your cursor should be blinking right there.

Now look at the top of Word. Click the References tab. You'll see a group of buttons on the left side of the ribbon. Click Insert Footnote (it's usually the first button in that group). Word immediately inserts a small number in your text and jumps your cursor to the bottom of the page, where you can type the note.

Type whatever you want the footnote to say. When you're finished, click anywhere back in your main document text to return to writing. Your footnote stays anchored to that number.

Understanding footnotes versus endnotes

Word gives you two choices: footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where you use them, while endnotes appear all together at the very end of your document. Most academic papers and formal documents use endnotes. Most everyday writing uses footnotes because readers see the note on the same page as the reference.

To insert an endnote instead, click Insert Endnote (right next to Insert Footnote in the References tab). The process is identical — Word numbers it, moves your cursor, and you type. The only difference is where the note appears in your finished document.

You can have both footnotes and endnotes in the same document. Word keeps them separate and numbers them independently, so you might have Footnote 1 and Endnote 1 in the same paper.

Editing and deleting footnotes

To edit a footnote, click on the note text at the bottom of the page and change it. You can also click on the footnote number in your main text and edit from there — either way, Word keeps them linked. If you want to move a footnote to a different location, select the footnote number in your text, cut it (Ctrl+X), click where you want it, and paste it (Ctrl+V).

To delete a footnote, click on the footnote number in your main text and press Delete. Word removes both the number and the note text, then automatically renumbers all the remaining footnotes. This is why you should never manually type footnote numbers — let Word do it.

If you accidentally delete a footnote, press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo. Once you've made other changes, Word may not be able to recover it.

Changing how your footnotes look

By default, Word numbers footnotes 1, 2, 3, and so on. You can change this to letters (a, b, c), Roman numerals (i, ii, iii), or other styles. Click the small arrow at the bottom right of the References group (it looks like a tiny diagonal arrow). This opens the Footnote and Endnote dialog box.

In the dialog, you'll see a dropdown that says "Number format". Click it and choose a different style — letters, Roman numerals, or symbols like asterisks. You can also choose whether footnotes start numbering at 1 each page, or continue numbering through the whole document. Make your choices and click Apply.

Word applies the new format to all footnotes in your document at once. If you change your mind, go back to the dialog and pick a different format.

Troubleshooting common footnote problems

If your footnote appears on a different page than where you inserted it, Word is trying to keep the page balanced. This is normal behavior. If you need the footnote on the same page, you can adjust where the page break falls by adding or removing text, or by manually inserting a page break in a different location.

If footnote numbers are missing or showing as question marks, you may have a formatting issue. Select all your text (Ctrl+A), then go to References and click the arrow at the bottom right of the group. Choose "Convert" and select "Convert all footnotes to endnotes" or vice versa, then convert back. This usually fixes numbering problems.

If you're working in a shared document and footnotes look strange, make sure everyone is using the same version of Word. Older versions sometimes display footnotes differently, though the content stays intact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different footnote styles on different pages?

No — footnote formatting applies to the entire document. If you need different styles in different sections, you would need to split the document into separate files. For most writing, using one consistent style throughout is the standard approach.

What's the difference between a footnote and a citation?

A footnote is any note you add to your text. A citation is a specific type of footnote that credits a source — a book, website, or other material you quoted or referenced. Word has a separate Citations tool in the References tab that formats citations in styles like MLA, APA, or Chicago. Use that tool if you're writing a research paper that needs formal source credits.

Can I delete all footnotes at once?

Not with a single button. You have to delete them one at a time by clicking the footnote number in your text and pressing Delete. If you have many footnotes, this takes a few minutes, but it's the only way to remove them all.

Why did my footnote numbers restart at 1 on a new page?

Word is set to restart numbering on each page. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog (click the arrow at the bottom right of the References group), and change the "Numbering" dropdown from "Restart each page" to "Continuous". This numbers all footnotes straight through the document.

Can I put a footnote in a table or text box?

Footnotes in tables and text boxes sometimes behave oddly — they may appear in unexpected places or not display correctly. For important notes in tables, it's usually better to use regular text in a separate cell or to use endnotes instead, which are more reliable in complex layouts.