Formatting Issues

How to Fix Word Endnotes Restarting at 1 Instead of Continuing

Huda Qurayshi Oct 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user's endnotes are unexpectedly restarting at 1 or displaying incorrect formats like Roman numerals instead of maintaining a continuous numbering sequence.

How to Fix Word Endnotes Restarting at 1 Instead of Continuing

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing references, citations, and endnotes in a document that contains multiple section breaks.
Observed behavior: Endnote numbering resets to 1 at the beginning of a new section or displays an undesired number format instead of continuing sequentially throughout the entire document.

Before you start

Before adjusting your endnote settings, identify if your document is divided into multiple sections, as Word section breaks often dictate how numbering behaviors apply by default.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Endnote Numbering Settings to Continuous

Use the built-in Footnote and Endnote dialog box to enforce continuous numbering across all document sections and correct the numbering format.

Microsoft Word often links numbering rules to section breaks. If your document has multiple sections, the endnotes might be configured to restart at the beginning of each one. You can override this globally.

Navigate to References

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

Open the Footnote and Endnote Dialog

Click the small arrow icon (dialog box launcher) in the bottom-right corner of the 'Footnotes' group.

Adjust the Number Format

Under the 'Format' section, click the 'Number format' dropdown and select standard numerals (1, 2, 3) instead of Roman numerals.

Set Numbering to Continuous

Locate the 'Numbering' dropdown menu and change the setting from 'Restart each section' to 'Continuous'.

Apply to Whole Document

At the bottom of the dialog box, set 'Apply changes to' to 'Whole document', then click the 'Apply' button to save your changes.

Change Endnote Numbering Settings to Continuous

Section Breaks Resolved: Applying the changes to the 'Whole document' ensures that any existing or future section breaks will no longer disrupt your continuous endnote sequence.

Solution 2

Convert Endnotes to Footnotes

If your notes are meant to appear at the bottom of each page rather than the end of the document, you should convert your endnotes into footnotes.

Seamless Document Editing

Easily Manage Endnotes and Citations with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides a highly intuitive interface for managing academic references, footnotes, and endnotes. You can easily set your numbering to be continuous or restart per section without navigating through complex and hidden menus.

1. Open Your Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file in the Writer application.
2. Access the References Tab: Click on the 'References' tab located on the top main navigation ribbon.
3. Open Settings: Click the 'Settings' icon (the small diagonal arrow) in the Footnotes group to launch the settings dialog.
4. Configure Continuous Numbering: Select 'Continuous' from the Numbering dropdown menu, ensure it applies to the whole document, and click 'Apply'.

Intuitive Footnote and Endnote dialog for precise numbering control.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats, ensuring your reference numbers stay perfectly formatted.Lightweight, fast, and free alternative to heavy word processors.Clean UI that makes managing large documents with multiple sections effortless.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between footnotes and endnotes in a document?

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the specific page where the reference citation is made. Endnotes, on the other hand, are grouped together at the very end of the document or at the end of a specific section.

Why do my endnotes show Roman numerals by default?

Word often defaults endnote formatting to lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) to distinguish them visually from footnotes, which generally use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). You can change this by opening the Footnote and Endnote dialog box and modifying the 'Number format' setting.

How do section breaks affect endnote numbering?

By default, Word may set endnote or footnote numbering to restart at the beginning of each new section break. If your document utilizes multiple section breaks for styling or layout purposes, you must change the reference numbering setting to 'Continuous' to override this section-by-section reset behavior.

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