In desktop Word, add a source through References > Insert Citation > Add New Source, then insert a bibliography or update the one already in your document. Word for the web preserves an existing bibliography but does not provide a way to create one.
Add and cite a new source in desktop Word
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Open the document in desktop Word and select the References tab.
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Choose the required citation style from Style. Microsoft lists APA, Chicago, GOST, IEEE, ISO 690, and MLA among the available styles; the options and controls can vary by Word version and platform. See Microsoft’s citation instructions.
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Place the insertion point at the end of the sentence or phrase that needs the citation.
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Select Insert Citation > Add New Source.
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In the Create Source dialog, choose a Type of Source, such as a book section or website. Enter the available bibliographic details and select OK. Select Show All Bibliography Fields to reveal additional fields when needed.
Word inserts the citation at the cursor and makes the source available for reuse. Microsoft’s guidance is that “To add a citation to your document, you first add the source that you used.”
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Insert the bibliography or update an existing one
To add the reference list, put the cursor where it should appear and select References > Bibliography, then choose a format. If you add another source after the bibliography is already in place, click inside the bibliography and select Update Citations and Bibliography. Microsoft explains these steps in its bibliography and references guide.
Reuse, edit, or find a source
Reuse a source in another passage
Place the cursor at the passage and select the source from References > Insert Citation. To add details such as a page number for a book citation, use Citation Options > Edit Citation, where available.
Manage source entries
Open References > Manage Sources to search, sort, or edit entries. The Current List contains sources cited in the open document; the Master List contains sources used in current or prior documents. The Browse control can import sources from another master list. Microsoft documents the source manager and editing workflow in Add citations in a Word document.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Desktop Word and Word for the web
| Task | Desktop Word | Word for the web |
|---|---|---|
| Create a citation source and bibliography | Microsoft documents the citation and bibliography workflow for desktop versions, including Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. | Microsoft says Word for the web does not provide a way to create a bibliography. |
| Keep an existing bibliography | Insert or update it through the References tab. | An existing bibliography is preserved in the document. |
| Controls covered by Microsoft’s guidance | Insert Citation, Add New Source, Bibliography, and Manage Sources. | The desktop creation controls should not be assumed to appear identically online. |
If the bibliography command is unavailable online, open the file in desktop Word, create or update the bibliography, save the document, and reopen it online as needed. See Microsoft’s bibliography-formatting guidance.
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