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: Jumping to a Footnote.

Jumping to a Footnote

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 3, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

You can use the Go To function of Word to jump to a specific footnote in your document. This is done in the following manner:

Choose Go To from the Edit menu, or press F5. Word displays the Go To tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
In the left side of the dialog box, choose Footnote. This informs Word what you want to go to. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Go To tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.

In the Enter Footnote Number box, enter the footnote number to which you want to jump. If you want to go to the next footnote, leave the box blank.
Click on the Go To button or the Next button. (This is the same button. The name changes depending on whether you entered a footnote number in step 3.)

If you want to go to a footnote relative to the one you are currently viewing, you can enter a + or - in step 3. For instance, if you want to jump ahead three footnotes, you would enter +3 in the Enter Footnote Number box. Likewise, if you wanted to jump back 2 footnotes, you would enter -2.

If there are no footnotes in the document, or if you enter an invalid footnote number, Word positions you at the beginning of the 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 (9191) 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: Jumping to a Footnote.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Removing Dashes from ISBN Numbers

ISBN numbers are used to denote a unique identifier for a published book. If you remove the dashes included in an ISBN, ...

Discover More

What is a Desktop.ini File?

When browsing through your system, you might see several files named Desktop.ini. This tip explains what these files are ...

Discover More

Converting HSL to RGB

When working with colors in Excel you can specify them using either RGB or HSL values. Converting from HSL to RGB can be ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Restarting Footnote Numbering after Page Breaks

Footnotes can be handled many different ways in a document. If you want to restart the numbering of your footnotes every ...

Discover More

Footnote Numbers Missing on Printout

When you add footnotes to a document, you expect the footnote reference numbers to be visible when you print the ...

Discover More

Jumping to a Relative Footnote

Footnotes can be a great addition to any document that needs detailed referencing of citations. You can navigate from one ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is seven more than 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

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.