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 Relative Endnote.

Jumping to a Relative Endnote

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 29, 2025)

If you are using endnotes in your document, you may have a need to jump from one endnote to another. Word makes it easy to jump to an endnote relative to the endnote at which you are currently located. You do this in the following manner:

Press F5. Word displays the Go To tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
In the list of items at the left side of the dialog box choose Endnote. This action 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 Endnote Number box, enter a plus or minus sign followed by the number of endnotes you want to jump. Plus is forward; minus is backward. For instance, you could jump backward three endnotes by entering -3. Word changes the Next button to a Go To button.
Click on the Go To button.

Obviously this approach to navigating among endnotes will be valuable only if you have a document that has many endnotes. If you only have a few (perhaps up to a page or two of endnotes), then it may be easier to just move among them by using the arrow keys on the keyboard or scrolling with the mouse.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10914) 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 Relative Endnote.

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

Where Are Word's Settings Stored?

Ever wonder where Word stores all its settings and configuration information? There are only three places where this ...

Discover More

Converting Coded Dates into Real Dates

Sometimes the format in which you receive data is not the same format that would be optimal for Excel. For instance, you ...

Discover More

Modifying the Color Scheme

Windows maintains what it calls a color scheme to control how the various elements of Windows appear. Here's how to ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Returning to Your Document after Adding an Endnote

Endnotes are a required element in some types of writing. When you add an endnote, Word moves you to the end of your ...

Discover More

Where Do You Want Your Endnotes?

Endnotes can be placed in a couple of different places in your document, not just at the very end. Here's how you can ...

Discover More

Comments in Endnotes

Able to add comments everywhere, except in endnotes? This seems to be a limitation in Word, but here are some ways to ...

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 six minus 5?

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.