Document Editing Problems

How to Renumber Footnotes After Deleting Them in Word

Huda Qurayshi Sep 30, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to properly remove a footnote in Word so that the subsequent footnotes automatically update their sequence.

How to Renumber Footnotes After Deleting Them in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Modifying document citations and removing unwanted references in a Word file.
Observed behavior: Deleting the footnote text at the bottom of the page directly leaves the reference number in the text and prevents the remaining footnotes from updating correctly.

Before you start

Before you begin, ensure you are editing the main body text of your document, not the footnote section at the bottom of the page.

Solution 1Recommended

Delete the Footnote Reference in the Document Body

The correct way to remove a footnote and trigger automatic renumbering is to delete the in-text citation mark rather than the text at the bottom of the page.

Microsoft Word handles footnotes as dynamic fields linked to a specific location in your text. When you only delete the text at the bottom of the page, Word still recognizes the footnote as existing, which breaks the numbering sequence.

Locate the reference number

Scroll through the main body text of your Word document to find the superscript footnote reference number corresponding to the footnote you want to remove.

Highlight and delete

Place your text cursor just after the reference number and press the Backspace key twice, or highlight the number and press the Delete key.

Verify automatic renumbering

Once the reference mark is deleted from the body text, Word will automatically remove the corresponding footnote text at the bottom and sequentially renumber all subsequent footnotes in the document.

Delete the Footnote Reference in the Document Body

Avoid Direct Text Deletion: Never delete just the text inside the footnote area at the bottom of the page. This leaves a blank footnote, retains the reference number in your paragraph, and disrupts your document's numbering sequence.

WPS Writer Solution

Effortlessly Manage Footnotes with WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers a seamless, built-in footnote management system that perfectly mirrors Microsoft Word. You can easily insert, delete, and automatically renumber footnotes while maintaining full formatting compatibility.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing document containing the footnotes.
2. Locate the reference: Find the superscript number within your document's main text paragraphs.
3. Delete to renumber: Press the Backspace or Delete key to remove the superscript number. WPS Writer will instantly remove the footnote and renumber the rest automatically.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats and existing footnote structures.Automatic and accurate numbering for academic, legal, and professional documents.Free, lightweight, and features an intuitive user interface for stress-free editing.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Word footnotes not renumbering automatically?

This usually happens if you only deleted the footnote text at the bottom of the page instead of removing the superscript reference number in the main body paragraph. You must delete the reference mark in the text to trigger the automatic renumbering.

Can I change the footnote numbering format in Word?

Yes. Navigate to the References tab, click the small dialog box launcher arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Footnotes group, and select a new format (such as i, ii, iii or A, B, C) from the Number format drop-down menu.

How do I restart footnote numbering on each page?

Open the Footnote and Endnote dialog box by clicking the launcher icon in the References tab. Locate the 'Numbering' option, change it from 'Continuous' to 'Restart each page', and click Apply.

Document & File Issues