Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Formatting Footnotes and Endnotes.
You can format footnotes and endnotes in the same manner in which you format regular text. If you have a large number of notes in your text, however, it could get tedious to manually format every one. Instead, consider changing the styles that Word automatically applies to footnotes and endnotes.
When you add your first footnote to a document, Word automatically creates a style called Footnote Text. Similarly, the addition of your first endnote creates the Endnote Text style. Change these styles according to your needs, and you footnotes and endnotes will look great.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1374) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Formatting Footnotes and Endnotes.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2019. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2019 For Dummies today!
The reference marks used for endnotes are, by default, formatted "good enough" for most people. If you are one of those ...
Discover MoreWhen you are done typing a footnote or endnote in your document, you may want a way to return to the main document text ...
Discover MoreAutomatic footnotes are easy to insert in Word documents. The default settings are usually fine for most projects. ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
Comments