To delete a Word footnote, remove its reference mark in the document body—the small superscript number or symbol beside the text. Word then removes the matching note at the bottom of the page and renumbers the remaining notes. Deleting only the note text is not the same operation.
Remove one footnote
- Find the superscript reference mark in the main text, next to the sentence that cites the note.
- Select only that reference mark. Avoid selecting the surrounding words or punctuation.
- Press Delete or Backspace. Check that the corresponding footnote text disappeared and later references renumbered.
Microsoft’s footnote deletion instructions show this method. If you remove the wrong mark, use Undo while the edit is still available or restore from a saved copy or version history.
Remove all footnotes
Save a copy first. In desktop Word for Windows, press Ctrl+H to open Find and Replace. Enter ^f in Find what, leave Replace with empty, and choose Replace All. On a Mac, open Find > Advanced Find and Replace and use the same code. This removes footnote reference marks and their notes throughout the document. Use ^e instead if you intend to remove endnotes. Review the result before saving over the original.
If the footnote will not go away
If the reference mark turns into struck-through or colored text instead of disappearing, Track Changes is on. Word is recording the deletion rather than completing it. To finish removing the footnote:
- Click the deleted reference mark.
- Choose Review > Accept to accept that deletion. The footnote and its number disappear.
- If you do not want future edits tracked, select Review > Track Changes to turn it off.
If the note sits at the end of the document or section instead of the bottom of the page, it is an endnote. Delete its reference mark the same way, or use ^e in Find and Replace to remove all endnotes.
If you want to change the note instead
Edit the note text at the bottom of the page while leaving its reference mark in place. To add a new footnote, place the cursor in the body and choose References > Insert Footnote; our insert-footnote guide covers that task. A separator line is a separate element; Microsoft’s deletion guide also explains how to edit or remove it.
If the note is fine but sits in the wrong spot, move the footnote instead of deleting it.
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