Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Cross-Reference Bookmarks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

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This tutorial shows how to cross-reference bookmarks in Microsoft Word. These steps build upon our recent tutorials “How to Use Bookmarks in Microsoft Word” and “How to Use Bookmarks in Word for Mac.”  We will also look at how to update cross-references to bookmarks.

Table of Contents:

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The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 and Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. These steps don’t apply to Word for the web.

How to Cross-Reference Bookmarks

Important Note: These steps assume you have already created your bookmark, as shown in “How to Use Bookmarks in Microsoft Word” or “How to Use Bookmarks in Word for Mac.”
  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the cross-reference.

Pro Tip: Place a space between your cursor and the immediate text because the cross-reference command will insert text and/or a page number or paragraph number.

Cursor placed in text in Word 365
Figure 1. Cursor placed in text
  1. Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.
  2. Select Cross-reference in the Links group.

Pro Tip: The Cross-reference option is also available in the References tab.

Cross-Reference command in the Insert tab in Word 365
Figure 2. Cross-reference command
  1. Select Bookmark from the Reference type menu in the Cross-reference dialog box.
  2. Select Insert as hyperlink to give your readers the ability to select the cross-reference and move to the bookmark.
  3. Select the bookmark from the For which bookmark menu.
Reference type, insert hyperlink, and for which bookmark menu in the Cross-reference dialog box in Word 365
Figure 3. Reference type menu, Insert as hyperlink option, and For which bookmark menu
  1. Select an option from the Insert reference to menu:
    • Bookmark text inserts all the text you selected when creating your bookmark.
    • Page number inserts the page number where the bookmark is located.
    • Paragraph number, Paragraph number (no context), Paragraph number (full context) insert the paragraph number where the bookmark is located. These options only work if you have already numbered your paragraphs.
    • Above/below inserts the word “above” or “below” with no additional text related to your bookmark.
Insert reference to menu in the Cross-reference dialog box in Word 365
Figure 4. Insert reference to menu
  1. (Optional) Select Include above/below if you want to include the word “above” or “below” with the paragraph number. Important Note: This option also inserts the words “on page” with the page number.
  2. Select the Insert button.

Pro Tip: You can move your cursor and insert additional cross-references while the Cross-reference dialog box is open.

Include above/below option and Insert button in the Cross-reference dialog box in Word 365
Figure 5. Include above/below option and Insert button
  1. Select the Close button.
Close button in the Cross-reference dialog box in Word 365
Figure 6. Close button

Your cross-reference should now be inserted into your text.

Cross-reference in the text in Word 365
Figure 7. Cross-reference in text

How to Move from Cross-References to Bookmarks

To move from the cross-reference to the bookmark, PC users will normally have to press the Ctrl key while selecting the cross-reference.

Mac users can normally select the cross-reference without selecting additional keys.

How to Update Cross-References to Bookmarks

Cross-references don’t update automatically when your bookmarks move as you add or remove text from your document. However, you can update all the cross-references simultaneously.

  1. Select one of the cross-references in your text.
Selected cross-reference in Word 365
Figure 8. Selected cross-reference in text
  1. Select the Home tab in the ribbon.
  2. Select Select (PC) or Styles Pane (Mac).
  3. Select Select Text with Similar Formatting (PC) or Select All (Mac). (PC users see figure 9. Mac users see figure 10.)
Select All Text with Similar Formatting option in Word 365
Figure 9. Select All Text with Similar Formatting option (PC)
Select All button in Word for Mac 365
Figure 10. Select All button (Mac)

All your cross-references should now be selected.

  1. Right-click or Control-click one of the cross-references and select Update Field from the shortcut menu.
Update Field option in the text shortcut menu in Word 365
Figure 11. Update Field option

Your cross-references should update immediately.

Pro Tip: How to Update Individual Cross-References

If you don’t want to update all your cross-references, select an individual one, right-click (PC) or Control-click (Mac), and then select Update Field from the shortcut menu, as shown in figure 11.

Related Resources

How to Cross-Reference Tables and Figures in Microsoft Word

How to Link to Part of Another Microsoft Word Document