Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page. Endnotes collect at the end of the document or section. Word numbers both automatically and keeps numbering in order as you edit.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019 on Windows or Mac when adding citations, extra notes, or explanatory comments that should sit outside the main text.
Insert a footnote or endnote
Place the cursor exactly where the reference number should appear.
- Click after the word or sentence the note refers to, usually before final punctuation if your style guide requires it.
- Open the References tab.
- Click Insert Footnote for a note at the bottom of the page, or Insert Endnote for a note at the end.
- Word adds a superscript number and moves the cursor to the note area.
- Type the note.
- Click back in the main document to continue writing.
To jump between the reference and the note later, double-click the superscript number.
Convert between footnotes and endnotes or change numbering
Use the dialog box instead of recreating notes by hand.
- Open References.
- Click the small arrow in the Footnotes group.
- Click Convert.
- Choose Convert all footnotes to endnotes, Convert all endnotes to footnotes, or Swap footnotes and endnotes.
- Use Number format to choose numbers, letters, or symbols.
- Use Start at and Numbering to control whether numbering runs continuously or restarts by page or section.
- Click Apply.
More control
Fix numbering that restarts unexpectedly
Turn on Show/Hide on the Home tab and look for section breaks. In the Footnote and Endnote dialog, set Numbering to Continuous if the notes should not restart in each section.
Use a custom symbol
For a one-off note, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog and choose Symbol under Custom mark, such as an asterisk.
Delete notes from the main text
Delete the superscript reference number in the body of the document, not just the note text at the bottom. Word removes the note and renumbers the rest.
Change all note formatting at once
Modify the Footnote Text or Endnote Text style instead of formatting each note manually.
Use both types if needed
Word can use footnotes and endnotes in the same document. They are numbered separately and serve different purposes.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Insert footnotes and endnotes (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Change the numbering format for footnotes or endnotes (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Convert footnotes to endnotes or vice versa (2025)