Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Restart Footnote Numbers in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

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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.

  1. (PC only) Select the References tab in the ribbon.
References tab in Word 365
Figure 1. References tab
  1. (PC only) Select the Footnotes dialog box launcher.
Footnotes dialog box launcher in the References tab in Word 365
Figure 2. Footnotes dialog box launcher

Word for Mac

  1. Select the Insert menu.
  2. Select Footnote from the drop-down menu.
Footnote option in the Insert menu in Word for Mac 365
Figure 3. Footnote option in the Insert menu (Mac)
  1. Ensure that Footnotes is selected in the Footnotes and Endnotes dialog box.
Footnotes location in the Footnote and Endnote dialog box in Word 365
Figure 4. Footnotes option
  1. If you want to start with a number other than 1, enter that number in the Start at text box.
Start at text box in the Footnote and Endnote dialog box in Word 365
Figure 5. Start at text box
  1. Select Restart each section or Restart each page from the Numbering menu.
Numbering menu in the Footnote and Endnote dialog box in Word 365
Figure 6. Numbering menu
  1. Select This section or Whole document from the Apply changes to menu.
Apply changes to menu in the Footnote and Endnote dialog box in Word 365
Figure 7. Apply changes to menu
  1. Select the Apply button.
Apply button in the Footnote and Endnote dialog box in Word 365
Figure 8. 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 Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)

How to Add and Modify Heading Numbers in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)