The fastest way to add a footnote

Open your document in Word and click at the end of the word or sentence where you want the footnote to appear. Go to the References tab at the top of the screen, then 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 typing the footnote, click back in your main text to keep writing.

That's the complete process. Word handles the numbering and formatting for you — if you add or delete footnotes later, all the numbers adjust automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Click at the end of the word needing a footnote, go to References > Insert Footnote, and type your note at the page bottom.
  • Word automatically numbers footnotes and renumbers them if you add or delete any later.
  • Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where they're referenced; endnotes appear at the end of the entire document.
  • You can change footnote numbering style (Roman numerals, letters, symbols) through the Footnote & Endnote dialog box.
  • Right-clicking a footnote number lets you delete it, convert it to an endnote, or jump between the note and the text that references it.

Where footnotes appear on the page

By default, Word puts footnotes at the bottom of the same page where you reference them. A thin line separates the footnote from your main text. If your page is crowded, Word may move the footnote to the next page, but it stays as close as possible to where you mentioned it.

If you prefer your notes at the end of the entire document instead, use endnotes. The process is identical — click References > Insert Endnote — but all notes collect at the very end. This is common in academic papers and books.

Changing how footnotes are numbered

Word normally numbers footnotes 1, 2, 3 and so on. If you want Roman numerals (i, ii, iii), letters (a, b, c), or symbols (*, †, ‡), click the small arrow at the bottom right of the References section. This opens the Footnote and Endnote dialog box.

In that dialog, find the Number format dropdown and choose your style. You can also set whether numbering restarts on each page or continues through the whole document. Click explore and Word reformats all existing footnotes when ready.

Editing and deleting footnotes

To edit a footnote, click directly on the note text at the bottom of the page and make your changes. You can also right-click the footnote number in your main text and select Edit Footnote, which jumps you straight to it.

To delete a footnote, right-click its number in the main text and select Delete Note. Do not delete the note from the bottom of the page — that won't remove the reference. Word automatically renumbers all remaining footnotes when you delete one.

Converting between footnotes and endnotes

If you've added footnotes but decide you want endnotes instead, you don't have to delete and recreate them. Right-click any footnote number in your text and select Convert to Endnote. Word moves that single note to the end of the document.

To convert all footnotes at once, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog (click the arrow in the References section), choose Endnotes at the top, and click explore. All your notes move to the end in one action.

Footnotes in different document sections

If your document has multiple sections (common in longer papers where you want different formatting in different parts), you can set footnotes to restart numbering in each section. Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and choose Restart numbering each section under the explore changes to dropdown.

This is useful when you're writing a document with chapters or distinct parts and want each section's footnotes to start at 1 again. Without this setting, numbering continues straight through the entire document.

Troubleshooting common footnote problems

If a footnote appears in an unexpected place, check whether you're in a multi-section document. Word may be following section-specific settings. If footnotes aren't showing at all, make sure you're not in a view that hides them — switch to Print Layout view from the View tab.

If you copy text containing footnotes into another document, Word asks whether you want to keep the footnotes. Choose yes to bring them along, or no to paste only the text. If footnote numbers seem wrong after pasting, click anywhere in the document and press Ctrl+A to select all, then press F9 to refresh the numbering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use both footnotes and endnotes in the same document?

Yes. Add footnotes normally for some references and endnotes for others. Right-click and select Convert to Endnote on specific footnotes you want to move to the end. Word keeps them separate and numbers each type independently.

What if I want my footnotes to use custom text instead of numbers?

Word doesn't support custom text like "See note A" automatically. Instead, type your custom reference in the main text, then add a regular footnote. The footnote will still be numbered, but readers see your custom text first.

Do footnotes transfer if I save my document as a PDF?

Yes. When you export or save your Word document as a PDF, footnotes and endnotes come along and work the same way. They appear at the bottom of pages or end of the document depending on which type you used.

Can I change the appearance of footnote text, like making it smaller or a different color?

Yes. Select the footnote text at the bottom of the page and format it like any other text — change the font size, color, or style. You can also right-click and modify the footnote style itself, which applies your changes to all footnotes at once.