Formatting Issues

How to Fix Word Footnotes Moving to Next Page with Double Spacing

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to keep footnotes on the same page as their references while maintaining a double line spacing format required for a dissertation.

How to Fix Word Footnotes Moving to the Next Page with Double Spacing

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting an academic dissertation that strictly requires double line spacing, which causes footnotes to break and move to the following page.
Observed behavior: When double line spacing is enabled, footnotes move entirely to the next page instead of remaining at the bottom of the page containing the footnote reference.

Before you start

Check your institution's formatting guidelines to confirm if an exact point-spacing equivalent (such as 24-point spacing) is legally or academically accepted in place of the standard 'Double' spacing setting.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Fixed Line Spacing (Exactly 24 pt)

Set the main body text to a fixed line spacing value, which serves as a visual equivalent to double spacing without triggering Word's pagination bugs.

Because this is a known pagination issue in Microsoft Word, using the 'Double' line spacing option often miscalculates the space required for footnotes at the bottom margin. Using an 'Exactly' spacing value circumvents this calculation error.

For a standard 12-point font (like Times New Roman), an exact spacing of 24 points is generally accepted as the equivalent of double spacing.

Select the Document Text

Press 'Ctrl + A' to select all the main body text in your document, ensuring you do not select the footnotes.

Open Paragraph Settings

Right-click on the selected text and choose 'Paragraph' from the context menu to open the formatting dialog box.

Apply Fixed Line Spacing

Under the 'Indents and Spacing' tab, find the 'Line spacing' drop-down menu and select 'Exactly'. In the 'At' box next to it, type '24 pt' and click 'OK'.

Visual Equivalence: Setting line spacing to Exactly 24 pt maintains the required double-spaced appearance while keeping your footnotes anchored to the correct page.

Solution 2

Adjust Footnote Pagination Options

Modify the paragraph settings of the footnote text itself to prevent it from splitting or jumping across pages.

Format Academic Documents Easily

Easily Manage Footnotes and Formatting with WPS Writer

WPS Writer provides precise control over document layouts, ensuring your footnotes stay perfectly aligned with your references even when using complex line spacing. It seamlessly handles academic formatting requirements.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your dissertation or essay document.
2. Adjust Paragraph Spacing: Highlight your main text, right-click, and select 'Paragraph'. In the Line Spacing dropdown, select 'Exactly' and enter '24 pt'.
3. Insert and Manage Footnotes: Go to the 'References' tab on the top ribbon and click 'Insert Footnote'. The footnotes will remain cleanly at the bottom of your page.

Perfect compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx and .doc) formats.Advanced paragraph spacing and footnote layout controls to prevent pagination errors.Free, lightweight, and user-friendly interface for seamless document creation.Easily apply fixed line spacing equivalents for dissertations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Word footnotes jump to the next page when double spacing is applied?

This occurs because Word calculates the height of the double-spaced text along with the footnote space. If the combined height slightly exceeds the bottom page margin, Word's pagination engine pushes the footnote to the next page instead of adjusting the body text.

Is 24-point line spacing exactly the same as double spacing?

For most standard 12-point fonts, 24-point spacing is visually and academically accepted as double spacing. Standard 'Double' spacing in Word adjusts dynamically based on font metrics, which can sometimes result in spacing slightly larger than 24 points, causing layout bugs.

Should my footnotes also be double-spaced?

Usually, formatting guidelines like APA or MLA require the main body text to be double-spaced, but footnotes should remain single-spaced. Check your specific institution's style guide to be sure. Ensuring footnotes are single-spaced also helps prevent them from moving to the next page.

How do I stop a long footnote from splitting across two pages?

Right-click the footnote text, select 'Paragraph', go to the 'Line and Page Breaks' tab, and check the 'Keep lines together' option. This forces the entire footnote block to stay unified on a single page.

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