To convert every footnote in a Word document to an endnote, open the desktop Word app, choose References, open the Footnotes dialog launcher, select Convert, and choose Convert all footnotes to endnotes. You do not need to highlight the notes first. Save a copy and inspect the note references and endnote placement after conversion.
Convert all footnotes to endnotes
- Open the document in desktop Word and save a copy if the original layout matters. If the document is in Word for the web, use Open in Word.
- Choose the References tab. In the Footnotes group, select the small dialog launcher in its lower corner to open the Footnote and Endnote settings.
- Select Convert. In the Convert Notes dialog, choose Convert all footnotes to endnotes, then confirm with OK.
- Close or confirm the Footnote and Endnote dialog as your version of Word prompts. Scroll to the endnote area and check several in-text reference marks against their notes.
- Save the document after checking the layout and numbering.
The Convert dialog also offers the reverse operation and an option to swap footnotes and endnotes. Choose the all-footnotes option carefully when the document already contains both kinds of notes.
What changes after conversion?
Footnotes normally sit at the bottom of the page containing the reference. Endnotes collect at the end of the document or a section. Word keeps the note text associated with its reference, but placement, page flow, and displayed numbering can change. A document with many footnotes may gain room on its body pages while the endnote area becomes longer. Check print preview rather than assuming the pagination will stay the same.
When a document has multiple sections, inspect where the endnotes appear. The Footnote and Endnote settings can control endnote location and number format; use those settings if your editorial style requires notes at the end of each section or a particular numbering pattern. If you have a table of contents or cross references, update fields and inspect them after the layout changes.
When you want to convert only a few notes
The Convert all footnotes command changes every footnote in the document. If only selected references should move, stop before using that command. Desktop Word has note-level controls, but their location differs by platform and version. Locate the individual note in the notes area, use its Convert to Endnote command if available, and check that reference immediately. Keep the saved copy until you have reviewed every changed note.
If the Convert command is missing
- Using Word for the web: Microsoft’s web guidance says to open the file in desktop Word for footnote-to-endnote conversion.
- Cannot find the dialog: In Windows desktop Word, References opens the Footnotes group; the small diagonal-arrow launcher opens the Footnote and Endnote window. The Windows keyboard sequence Alt+S, then Q is another route documented by Microsoft.
- Nothing converts: Confirm the document contains actual Word footnotes, not manually typed superscript numbers and text boxes. A typed imitation is not linked to Word’s note system.
- Numbering looks different: Review the endnote number format and whether numbering restarts by section. Compare several references with the original copy before delivery.
Review before sharing or printing
Check the first, middle, and last converted notes; confirm each mark points to the expected text. Look for a crowded endnote section, unexpected blank pages, and references after tables or captions. If the change was unintended, Undo immediately or reopen the saved original. For details on note placement and the desktop conversion command, see Microsoft’s footnote and endnote guide and conversion steps.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com