How to Add Footnotes and Endnotes in MS Word

In today’s post, we’re diving into the practical uses of Microsoft Word, specifically focusing on how to use the Insert Footnote and Insert Endnote options. Whether you’re composing academic papers, creating professional reports, or adding detailed references to your documents, understanding these features is crucial for ensuring your content is accessible and well-documented.

Video Guide

Using this feature will ensure your document is accessible by screen readers. It will also remain accessible should you convert your Word document to PDF.

Adding Footnotes

I’m working on a document where I need to reference one of my YouTube videos. Here’s how you can do it: First, locate and select the ‘Insert’ button in Microsoft Word. From there, choose the ‘Footnote’ option. If this option isn’t immediately visible, you might need to use the search menu to find it. Upon selecting ‘Footnote’, Word automatically assigns a number to it, links it, and provides a specific location at the bottom of the current page for you to add content.

In my case, I’m referencing a video on how to use the crop tool. Here’s what I do: I type the reference, highlight it, right-click, select ‘Link’, and then paste the URL of the YouTube video. Just like that, the footnote is inserted. This is not only straightforward but ensures that the footnote is accessible to screen readers, smoothing out potential accessibility issues when converting the document to PDF.

Adding Endnotes

These are similar to footnotes but appear at the end of the document or section, rather than at the bottom of each page. I’m summarizing steps from another YouTube video in my document, so an endnote is appropriate here. To insert an endnote, simply select the ‘Insert Endnote’ option. This action places the endnote at your designated location. For this example, I’m adding it at the very end of the document.

Moreover, Microsoft Word allows you to customize how endnotes appear. By right-clicking the endnote number, you can access ‘Endnote Options’. Here, you can decide whether endnotes should appear at the end of each section or the document’s end. You can also modify the numbering format — for instance, changing from numerical to alphabetical. In my document, I choose to set the numbering to restart at each section and apply these changes to the entire document. This updates my endnote to the letter ‘A’, neatly listed under the heading content.

Understanding and utilizing these features not only enhances the readability of your documents but also ensures compliance with accessibility standards. Check out more of The Accessibility Guy’s MS Word tips and short cuts:

Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!