Formatting Issues

How to Change Word Citations from Square Brackets to Parentheses

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 872 views

Question details

The user wants to format citations in a Word document so they appear with parentheses instead of square brackets.

Product: Word Processing Software
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting academic, research, or professional documents according to a specific citation standard that requires parenthetical author-year references.
Observed behavior: Inserted references and in-text citations are displaying within square brackets, which does not match the desired author-year format.

Before you start

Identify the required citation standard for your document (such as APA or MLA) before modifying your reference settings, as different styles dictate different bracket types.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Built-In Citation Style

The most effective way to change citation brackets globally is to select a citation style that natively uses parentheses, such as APA or MLA.

Microsoft Word automatically applies formatting based on the chosen citation style. Styles like IEEE use square brackets, while styles like APA use parentheses. Changing this setting will instantly update all linked citations in your document.

Navigate to the References Tab

Open your document and click on the 'References' tab located on the top ribbon.

Locate the Style Dropdown

Find the 'Citations & Bibliography' group and click on the 'Style' dropdown menu.

Select a Parenthetical Style

Choose 'APA' (American Psychological Association) or 'MLA' from the list. Your citations will automatically update to use parentheses instead of square brackets.

Using External Reference Managers: If you are using third-party software like Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote, changing the native Word style will not work. You must change the document style preference inside the specific add-in tab for your reference manager.

Solution 2

Convert Citations to Static Text for Manual Editing

If you are required to use a specific style that defaults to square brackets but need a custom parenthetical format, you can manually override the fields by converting them to static text.

Easy Citation Management

Manage Academic Citations Effortlessly with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides an intuitive and free word processing tool that makes handling academic citations a breeze. You can easily insert, format, and manage your references, quickly switching between styles like APA, MLA, and IEEE without formatting errors.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your .docx file containing the citations.
2. Go to the References Tab: Click on the 'References' tab on the top menu bar to access the citation tools.
3. Adjust the Citation Style: Click the 'Style' dropdown in the Citations section and select a parenthetical style like APA. Your document will update instantly.

Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsBuilt-in reference and citation management tools for automatic formattingEasily toggle between parenthetical and bracketed citation stylesLightweight, fast, and free to use for students and professionals

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my Word citations default to square brackets?

Your document is likely set to a citation style that requires square brackets by default, such as IEEE, ISO 690, or certain numeric styles. Switching the document's citation style to APA or MLA will change them to parentheses.

Will changing the citation style update my bibliography automatically?

Yes, if you are using the built-in Word citation manager, changing the style from the References tab will dynamically update the formatting for both your in-text citations and your generated bibliography.

What if my external reference manager still shows square brackets?

Native Word style menus do not control external add-ins like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote. You must navigate to your reference manager's specific tab on the Word ribbon and change the document preference style there.

Can I permanently change the default brackets of a specific style like IEEE?

Modifying the default formatting of a built-in citation style requires editing complex XML files located in Word's installation folder. For simpler, one-off modifications, it is recommended to convert the final citation to static text and edit it manually.

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