Formatting Issues

How to Change Word Endnote Numbers to Plain Text with Periods

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to change the default superscript format of endnote numbers in Microsoft Word to plain text numbers followed by a period, and ensure this custom formatting can be reused in new documents.

Customize Endnote Text style formatting in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting academic or professional documents that require a specific endnote numbering style (plain numbers with periods instead of default superscripts).
Observed behavior: Endnote numbers appear as superscript numbers (often in parentheses) by default, but the user requires them to be plain numbers with a trailing period, applied consistently across current and future documents.

Before you start

Before running a VBA macro to change your endnote formatting, ensure you have saved a backup copy of your document, as macro changes cannot always be undone with the standard Undo function.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a VBA Macro to Format Existing Endnotes

Run a custom VBA script to quickly loop through all endnotes in your document, remove the superscript formatting, and append a period to the endnote numbers.

This method uses a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro to automate the tedious process of manually updating every endnote reference.

The macro will loop through the ActiveDocument.Endnotes collection, reset the paragraph font to remove the superscript, and insert a period after the number.

Open the VBA Editor

Open your document in Word and press ALT + F11 on your keyboard to launch the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Editor.

Insert a New Module

Click on 'Insert' in the top menu bar of the VBA Editor and select 'Module' to create a blank workspace for your macro.

Paste the Macro Code

Paste the following code into the module window: Sub CustomizeEndnotesInDoc() Dim e As Endnote For Each e In ActiveDocument.Endnotes e.Range.Paragraphs(1).Range.Font.Reset e.Range.Paragraphs(1).Range.Characters(1).InsertAfter "." Next e End Sub

Run the Macro

Close the VBA Editor to return to your Word document. Press ALT + F8 to open the Macros dialog, select 'CustomizeEndnotesInDoc' from the list, and click 'Run'.

Modification Complete: All endnotes in your current document will instantly update to plain numbers followed by a period. Note that this macro works specifically on endnotes; a separate collection (Footnotes) is needed for standard footnotes.

Solution 2

Modify Styles to Re-use Formatting in New Documents

Update the built-in Endnote Reference and Endnote Text styles and save the document as a template so that new documents automatically use plain numbers with periods.

Manage Endnotes Easily in WPS Writer

Customize Footnotes and Endnotes Seamlessly with WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers an intuitive interface for managing document references. You can easily insert, customize, and format footnotes and endnotes to meet standard academic or professional requirements without needing complex code.

1. Access the References Tab: Open your document in WPS Writer and navigate to the 'References' tab on the top ribbon.
2. Open Endnote Settings: Click the small dialogue box launcher icon in the bottom right corner of the 'Footnotes' group to open the comprehensive Footnote and Endnote settings.
3. Apply Preferred Formatting: Under the 'Location' section, select 'Endnotes'. Then choose your preferred number format from the dropdown menu and click 'Apply' to instantly update the numbering style throughout your entire document.

Full compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx, .doc) endnote and footnote formats.User-friendly interface for visually managing reference styles and numbering sequences.Free, lightweight, and fast document processing alternative to Microsoft Office.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove the parentheses around endnote numbers?

If your endnotes have parentheses around the superscript numbers, you can use Word's Find and Replace feature. Press Ctrl+H, enter '(^e)' in the Find what box, and replace it with '^e' to remove the parentheses, or use a VBA macro to systematically clear them from the document.

Why do my endnote numbers remain superscript after changing the paragraph font style?

Endnote numbers are controlled by the specific 'Endnote Reference' character style, which is hard-coded to superscript by default. To change this, you must explicitly modify the 'Endnote Reference' style in the Styles pane and uncheck the Superscript font option, rather than just changing the paragraph font.

Can I apply this plain text endnote formatting to just one section of my document?

Yes. When modifying endnote formats via the Footnote and Endnote dialog box, you can select 'Apply changes to: This section' instead of 'Whole document'. However, if you are using the VBA macro, it will process the entire ActiveDocument unless the VBA code is specifically modified to target only a highlighted selection.

Will the VBA macro affect my footnotes as well?

No, the provided macro specifically targets the 'ActiveDocument.Endnotes' collection. If you also want to format standard footnotes, you will need to create a duplicate macro that loops through the 'ActiveDocument.Footnotes' collection instead.

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