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To move a footnote to a different point in your text, move its superscript reference mark—the number or symbol in the body—not the footnote paragraph at the bottom of the page. Word links that mark to the note. Deleting the mark removes the associated footnote, so make sure the relocated mark is in place before removing anything.
Move one footnote to a new point in the text
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Save a copy of the document, or be ready to use Undo if the note changes unexpectedly.
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In the main text, find the superscript number or symbol for the footnote. This is the footnote reference mark.
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Select and cut the reference mark, place the cursor at the intended location, and paste the mark there. This practical cut-and-paste approach follows Word’s link between the body mark and its note; Microsoft does not document a separate command specifically called “move a footnote.”
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Check that the note remains in the document and that its numbering is correct. If the note disappears or the numbering is wrong, use Undo and try again.
Microsoft explains that deleting a body-text reference mark removes its corresponding note. Word for the web also notes that deleting a footnote or endnote can renumber the remaining notes. See Microsoft’s instructions for deleting a footnote, endnote, or separator and deleting a footnote or endnote.
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Change where footnotes appear
If you mean moving the notes from one location in the document to another—not changing which sentence a note refers to—use Word’s footnote placement settings. In the documented Mac interface, open the References tab, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog using its launcher, and choose the desired location. You can apply the change to the whole document or the current section. Microsoft’s Word for Mac instructions describe these settings.
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Microsoft’s desktop deletion instructions cover Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. The placement controls described above are documented for Word for Mac; available controls can vary by edition. Microsoft cautions that some table features may not be available in Word for the web or mobile apps, so do not assume those versions have the same controls. For the general distinction between a footnote and an endnote, see Microsoft’s guide to inserting footnotes and endnotes.
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