How to Add Footnotes in Microsoft Word

Footnotes allow you to reference sources or offer detailed explanations of concepts without distracting from the main text. In Word, you can easily manage footnotes, as they are automatically numbered and can be expanded or collapsed depending on the amount of text. Give your document a professional touch by using footnotes logically to clarify information and cite sources.

Click on the 'References' tab at the top of the window, usually located between the 'Page Layout' and 'Mailings' tabs. This section allows you to insert various reference tools like tables of contents, footnotes, endnotes, citations, captions, and more.

Place the cursor where you want the footnote to appear. By default, footnotes are numbered sequentially. Position the cursor where you want the number to be inserted.

Click the 'Insert Footnote' button in the 'Footnotes' section of the 'References' tab. The footnote number will be inserted, and a text box will appear at the bottom of the page. Word will automatically move the cursor to the footnote section for you to add your content.

• An endnote is a note (other than a citation) that appears at the end of the document. By default, endnotes are numbered using Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.).
• Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Alt + F to insert a footnote, or Ctrl + Alt + D for an endnote.

Change the footnote numbering settings. By default, footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the document. You can change the settings to restart numbering on each page or section break.

• Click the Menu button in the top left of the 'Footnotes' section to open the 'Footnote and Endnote' window. In the 'Format' section, use the 'Numbering' dropdown to select how you want the footnotes to be numbered.
• You can insert a section break in the document by clicking the 'Page Layout' tab, clicking 'Breaks' in the 'Page Setup' section, and selecting the break type you want. Besides changing the numbering, section breaks are also useful for altering page layouts into distinct sections.

Customize footnote settings. If you prefer to use symbols instead of numbers, want the footnotes to appear below the text rather than at the page's bottom, or wish to start numbering from a different number, you can adjust these options in the 'Footnote and Endnote' window. Click the Menu button in the bottom right of the 'Footnotes' section to open this window.

• Click Symbol... to select a symbol from the symbol chart. Although the 'Symbols' font is selected by default, you can choose any character from any font.

Switch to Print Layout view. Click on View and then select Print Layout.

Position the cursor where you want the footnote to appear. The footnote will appear at the cursor's location, so it's best to place the cursor at the end of the text where the reference note is needed.

Insert the footnote. Click on the "Document Elements" tab, then click the "Footnote" button within the "Citations" section. A footnote will be inserted at the cursor's position, and you'll be taken to the footnote box to enter your content. The footnote will appear as a separate line at the bottom of the page.

• Alternatively, press Command + Option + F to create a footnote, or Command + Option + E to create an endnote.

Switch to Print Layout mode. Click on View and then select Print Layout.

Place the cursor at the location where you want the footnote to appear. The footnote will show up at the cursor’s position, so it's best to position the cursor at the end of the text you want to reference.

Insert a footnote. Click on Insert → Reference → Footnote... to open the "Footnote and Endnote" window. Choose "Footnote" and then select your preferred numbering option. You can either have the numbering applied automatically or choose a symbol to insert.

• In Word 2004/2008, click Insert → Footnote....
• Alternatively, use Ctrl + Alt + F to create a footnote or Ctrl + Alt + D to create an endnote on Windows. For Mac OS, press Command + Option + F to create a footnote, or Command + Option + E to create an endnote.

Enter the footnote content. Once the footnote is created, Word will move the cursor to the footnote box at the bottom of the page. You can type the footnote content and click back into the document once you're finished.