This tutorial shows how to restart footnote numbers in Microsoft Word. You can restart the numbers on every page or within every section or chapter.
Important Note: These steps assume you have already inserted section breaks at the end of your sections or chapters. For a full tutorial on section breaks, please see my previous tutorial “How to Insert Section Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC and Mac).”
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The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word for Microsoft 365 (Word for Mac), Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013. These steps don’t apply to Word for the web (Word online).
How to Restart Footnote Numbers
This process works for existing and future footnotes. Please see “How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word” for information about inserting footnotes.
Mac users, please skip to the highlighted section below.
- (PC only) Select the References tab in the ribbon.
- (PC only) Select the Footnotes dialog box launcher.
Word for Mac
- Select the Insert menu.
- Select Footnote from the drop-down menu.
- Ensure that Footnotes is selected in the Footnotes and Endnotes dialog box.
- If you want to start with a number other than 1, enter that number in the Start at text box.
- Select Restart each section or Restart each page from the Numbering menu.
- Select This section or Whole document from the Apply changes to menu.
- Select the Apply button.
Your existing and future footnote numbers should now be restarted according to your settings in the Footnotes and Endnotes dialog box.
Related Resources
How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
How to Add and Modify Heading Numbers in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)