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How to Add Footnotes and Endnotes in Word

Tap through the steps to add footnotes and endnotes in Word.

  1. Place your cursor where the note should appear

    Click right after the word or sentence where you want the footnote marker to show up.

  2. Insert a footnote from the "References" tab

    Clicking "Insert Footnote" under the "References" tab automatically creates a numbered marker and a matching entry field at the bottom of the page.

  3. Type the footnote content

    Enter your source citation or additional explanation into the field that was created.

  4. Switch to an endnote

    If you'd rather collect all your notes at the very end of the document instead, choose "Insert Endnote" instead.

  5. Change the numbering format

    The "Footnote and Endnote" dialog box lets you choose between numbers, Roman numerals, or symbols for your numbering style.

Cite your sources clearly

Whether you're citing a source in a paper or report, or adding a side explanation that doesn't quite fit in the main text, footnotes and endnotes let you keep that information organized without cluttering your paragraphs.

Footnotes vs. endnotes

The main difference is placement: footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where the reference occurs, while endnotes are all collected together at the very end of the document.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the actual difference between a footnote and an endnote?

A footnote is displayed at the bottom of the page where it is referenced, while an endnote is collected together at the very end of the whole document.

Do footnote numbers automatically renumber?

Yes. Adding or deleting a footnote anywhere in the document automatically renumbers all the others to keep the sequence correct.