Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Formatting Endnote Reference Marks.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 13, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Whenever you insert an endnote in your document, Word puts endnote reference marks in two places: at the location in your document where you indicated, and at the beginning of the endnote itself.
Endnote reference marks can be formatted in the same way that you format regular text. If you have a large number of endnotes in your text, however, it could get tedious to manually format every reference mark. Instead, consider changing the style that Word automatically applies to endnote reference marks.
When you add your first endnote to a document, Word automatically creates a style called Endnote Reference. You can change this style the same as you would change any other style in your document. (Exactly how to change styles has been covered in other issues of WordTips.) Changing the style affects the appearance of all endnote reference marks in your document.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3580) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Formatting Endnote Reference Marks.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
Able to add comments everywhere, except in endnotes? This seems to be a limitation in Word, but here are some ways to ...
Discover MoreWord is flexible on how it numbers your endnotes. This tip shows how easy it is to make the changes to the numbering system.
Discover MoreAre there unexplained (and unwanted) paragraph marks before your endnotes? Here's how to get rid of them so they don't ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments