Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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: Copying and Moving Footnotes and Endnotes.

Copying and Moving Footnotes and Endnotes

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 12, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365

Word implements a full-featured footnote and endnote system that allows you total control over where and how notes are printed. If you have previously inserted footnotes or endnotes into your document, and you want to duplicate a note or move one, you can use techniques you already know for editing regular text. To copy or move a footnote or endnote, follow these steps:

Select the footnote or endnote reference mark in your document. (This is within the document itself, not within the actual footnote or endnote.)
If you are copying the note, press Ctrl+C. The footnote or endnote reference mark and the associated note are copied to the Clipboard.
If you are moving the note, press Ctrl+X. The reference mark and the associated footnote or endnote are deleted and moved to the Clipboard. If you are using auto-numbered footnotes or endnotes, all the footnotes or endnotes in your document are renumbered.
Position the insertion point at the location where you want to copy the footnote or endnote.
Press Ctrl+V. The footnote or endnote reference mark is inserted in your document, and the associated note is added to the appropriate notes section. If you are using auto-numbered footnotes or endnotes, all the footnotes or endnotes in your document are renumbered.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10605) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Copying and Moving Footnotes and Endnotes.

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

Creating a Table Using the Keyboard

Want to easily add a table to your document simply by typing a few keystrokes? Here's how you can do it in one easy step.

Discover More

Converting a Table into Text

Word includes a powerful table editor that allows you to create and work with tables easily. At some point, however, you ...

Discover More

Understanding the For ... Next Structure

Spend any time creating Word macros, and sooner or later you will need to repeat some of your programming code a certain ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Controlling Footnote Placement

Footnotes are normally placed at the bottom of the page on which the footnote is referenced. However, Word provides some ...

Discover More

Inserting Footnotes

Footnotes appear at the bottom (or foot) of each page. It is an easy task to insert a footnote at any point you desire, ...

Discover More

Removing Spaces before Footnote References

If you need to remove a space before a footnote reference, doing so may seem an impossible task. However, you can use two ...

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 4 + 2?

2022-11-12 10:37:36

Jean RLachaud

Hi:

I would like to copy a Word text, INCLUDING footnotes, to an Outlook message.

Copy & Paste fails to copy the footnotes. Attempts to copy/paste the footnote marks does not work either.

Do you conform that is to be expected, or am I missing something?

TIA

J L

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.