How to Add and Format Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

Footnotes Versus Endnotes

By using a footnote or endnote, you can place a simple number, letter, or symbol next to the corresponding word or phrase in the text that directs the reader elsewhere in your document. This lets you add more details without distracting from the body of your document. Your reader can then jump to the footnote or endnote, with the referencing number, if they please.

The main difference between footnotes and endnotes is their location in the document.

Footnotes normally appear at the bottom (foot) of the page, while Endnotes usually appear at the end of the document.

In Microsoft Word, however, you can change the location for each type of note which we’ll show you in the Customize Footnotes and Endnotes section.

Add a Footnote or Endnote in Word

Whether you use Microsoft Word on Windows or Mac, the steps are the same for adding footnotes or endnotes.

1. Place your cursor within the document where you want the referencing number for the footnote or endnote. This is normally at the beginning of a word or phrase.
2. Click the References tab.
3. Pick either Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote per your preference.
4. You’ll see the number inserted in the text and be directed to the note to type in your reference.

You can continue to add more footnotes or endnotes the same way and they will be numbered in order, accordingly.

Customize Footnotes and Endnotes

You can change the location, layout, and format of your footnotes and endnotes. This gives you some nice flexibility.

1. Go to one of the notes in your document and right-click it.
2. On Windows, select Note Options and on Mac, pick Footnote from the shortcut menu.
3. Then, make your changes to any of the below options and click Apply.

Location: For footnotes, you can select the Bottom of page or Below text. For endnotes, you can pick from the End of section or End of document.

Footnote Layout: By default, the layout will match the section layout of your document. But if you would like your footnotes or endnotes in columns, you can choose from one to four columns in the dropdown box.

Format: This area gives you the ability to pick the Number format, use a Custom mark or Symbol, choose a Start at number, and select continuous Numbering or restart it on each page or section.

Change or Remove a Separator

The separator is the line that appears in the footnote and endnote areas that “separates” the notes from the text. By default, you’ll see a simple line, but you can change it or even remove it if you like.

1. Select the View tab and in the Views group, pick Draft.
2. Go to the body of your text and double-click the footnote or endnote.
3. When the Footnotes Pane appears at the bottom of the page, select Footnote Separator in the dropdown box.
4. To remove the separator, select it and hit your Backspace or Delete To change its appearance, select it, and then use the Word formatting features on the Home tab.

You’ll notice that you can also select other options in the Footnote Pane dropdown box. So if you’d like to format the text for your notes differently, for example, pick an option in the box and make your formatting changes.

When you finish using the Footnotes Pane, you can use the X on the top right to close it and continue working in Draft view. Or, simply select the view you were using, such as Print Layout, on the View tab.