Formatting Issues

How to Add a Bibliography and Index After Word Endnotes

Phi Hung Vo Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to place a bibliography, index, or author biography after the endnotes in a Word document.

How to Add a Bibliography and Index After Endnotes in Word

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing the final pages of an academic or professional document where standard endnote placement pushes references to the absolute end.
Observed behavior: Word automatically places all endnotes at the very end of the document, preventing any other text or sections from being added after them.

Before you start

Ensure your document's main text is complete and locate the exact point where the main content ends and the bibliography should begin.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Endnotes to Display at the End of the Section

By converting endnotes to appear at the end of a section instead of the document, you can use section breaks to add content after them.

To fix this issue, you must separate your document into sections and change the default endnote behavior. This allows your references to display at the end of the main body, leaving room for a new section dedicated to your bibliography or index.

Insert a section break

Place your cursor at the end of your main document body (do not place it inside the endnote area). Go to the 'Layout' or 'Page Layout' tab, click on 'Breaks', and select 'Next Page' under Section Breaks.

Open endnote settings

Navigate to the 'References' tab and click the small dialog box launcher arrow in the bottom right corner of the Footnotes group.

Set location to end of section

In the Footnote and Endnote dialog box, select 'Endnotes' and change the location dropdown from 'End of document' to 'End of section'.

Apply changes

Ensure that the 'Apply changes to' dropdown is set to 'Whole document', then click 'Apply'. Your endnotes will now appear right before your new section break.

Add your bibliography

Move your cursor to the new blank page created by the section break (after the endnotes). You can now type or insert your bibliography, index, or author information here.

Configure Endnotes to Display at the End of the Section

Suppressing Endnotes: If you have multiple sections in your main text and want all endnotes grouped together before the bibliography, you may need to open the Page Setup dialog (Layout tab), go to the Layout tab, check 'Suppress endnotes' for earlier sections, and leave it unchecked for the final main-text section.

Advanced Document Formatting

Format Academic Papers Easily with WPS Writer

WPS Writer provides powerful and intuitive tools for managing endnotes, footnotes, and bibliographies. You can easily adjust document sections and reference placements to meet strict academic formatting guidelines.

1. Open document: Launch WPS Writer and open your academic or professional document.
2. Insert section break: Go to the 'Page Layout' tab, click 'Breaks', and choose 'Next Page Section Break' where you want your bibliography to start.
3. Adjust endnote settings: Go to the 'References' tab, click the Footnote/Endnote Settings icon, and set the Endnotes location to 'End of section'.

Full compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsIntuitive interface for managing footnotes and endnotesPrecise control over section breaks and page layoutsCompletely free and lightweight office suite

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I type below my endnotes in Word?

By default, Word places endnotes at the absolute end of the document. To type below them, you must change their placement to 'End of section' and insert a section break to create a new page for additional content.

How do I group all endnotes together if my document has multiple sections?

You can group them by going to the 'Page Setup' dialog for the earlier sections, clicking the 'Layout' tab, and checking the 'Suppress endnotes' option. This forces the endnotes to skip to the end of the next section.

Can I automatically generate a bibliography in Word?

Yes, if you use the built-in Citation tool. Go to the 'References' tab, ensure your sources are managed under 'Manage Sources', and click 'Bibliography' to insert it into your newly created section.

Document & File Issues