Footnotes & Endnotes: Academic & Professional Citations
When authoring research papers, legal briefs, technical documentation, or historical accounts, providing source citations, clarifications, and copyright acknowledgments is essential. Microsoft Word manages footnotes and endnotes automatically.
Footnotes vs. Endnotes
Footnotes: Placed at the bottom of the current page where the reference mark appears. Separated from body text by a short horizontal divider rule.
Endnotes: Grouped together at the very end of the document (or end of the active section).
Keyboard Shortcuts for Instant Insertion
Reference Type
Default Location
Shortcut
Insert Footnote
Bottom of active page
Alt + Ctrl + F
Insert Endnote
Very end of entire document
Alt + Ctrl + D
How Automated Numbering Works
1
Place your cursor immediately after the word or punctuation mark you wish to cite.
2
Press Alt + Ctrl + F (or click References > Insert Footnote).
3
Word automatically:
Inserts a superscript reference number (e.g. $^1$) in the body text.
Jumps your cursor to the bottom of the page next to matching number $1$.
Types your citation or explanatory note.
1
Dynamic Renumbering: If you later insert another footnote earlier on the page, Word automatically renumbers all subsequent footnotes ($1$ becomes $2$, $2$ becomes $3$) across the entire document without any manual effort!
Customizing Footnote Settings
Click the Dialog Box Launcher (↘) in the References > Footnotes group to customize:
Location: Bottom of page vs. Below text; End of document vs. End of section.
Number format: 1, 2, 3..., a, b, c..., i, ii, iii..., or special symbols (*, †, ‡).
Numbering rules: Continuous across the whole file, or Restart each page, or Restart each section.
Interactive Quiz• Knowledge Check
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1
What is the keyboard shortcut to insert a Footnote at the bottom of the current page in Word?
Question 2
What is the keyboard shortcut to insert an Endnote at the very end of the document?
Question 3
What happens to footnote numbering if you insert a new footnote prior to existing ones?
Question 4
Where are Endnotes placed by default in a Microsoft Word document?
Question 5
Under which Ribbon tab are the Insert Footnote and Insert Endnote tools located?
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