How to Restart Word Endnote Numbering for Each Chapter
Question details
The user needs to restart endnote numbering at 1 for every new chapter in a document, but the numbers continue sequentially from the previous chapter.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting a multi-chapter document with academic or professional endnotes.
- Observed behavior
- Endnote numbering continues without resetting because the chapters are currently separated by standard page breaks instead of section breaks.
Turn on paragraph marks in your document to easily identify whether your chapters are currently separated by Page Breaks or Section Breaks.
Convert Page Breaks to Section Breaks and Update Endnote Settings
Word requires section breaks to recognize where a new chapter begins so it can restart the endnote numbering.
A standard page break only forces text to the next page, while a section break creates a structural division in the document, allowing you to apply independent formatting rules, such as new numbering sequences.
Right-click the status bar at the bottom of the Word window and check 'Section'. This displays your current section number, helping you confirm that each chapter belongs to a new section.
Scroll to the end of your first chapter. If you see a 'Page Break', delete it. Then, go to the 'Layout' tab (or 'Page Layout'), click 'Breaks' in the Page Setup group, and select 'Next Page' under Section Breaks. Repeat this for all chapters.
Click anywhere inside the endnote area where the numbering is continuing incorrectly. Navigate to the 'References' tab and click the small diagonal arrow icon in the bottom right corner of the Footnotes group.
In the Footnote and Endnote dialog box, locate the 'Numbering' drop-down menu. Change it from 'Continuous' to 'Restart each section', ensure 'Apply changes to' is set to 'Whole document', and click 'Apply'.
Easily Manage Chapters and Endnotes with WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface for managing complex multi-chapter documents. You can easily insert section breaks and customize endnote numbering with just a few clicks.
- 1. Open Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your multi-chapter document.
- 2. Insert Section Break: Place your cursor at the beginning of a chapter, go to the 'Page Layout' tab, click 'Breaks', and choose 'Next Page Section Break'.
- 3. Adjust Endnote Options: Navigate to the 'References' tab, click the Settings icon in the Footnotes section, set the 'Numbering' option to 'Restart each section', and click Apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my endnotes appearing at the very end of the document instead of the end of the chapter?
By default, endnotes are placed at the end of the entire document. To place them at the end of each chapter, open the Footnote and Endnote dialog from the References tab, and change the Location setting from 'End of document' to 'End of section'.
How can I easily see where section breaks are in my document?
You can view hidden formatting marks, including section breaks, by navigating to the Home tab and clicking the 'Show/Hide Editing Marks' button (the ¶ symbol). Section breaks will appear as a double dotted line with the text 'Section Break'.
Will restarting endnote numbering affect my footnotes?
No. Footnote and endnote numbering settings are managed independently in the Word References tab. Changing the endnote numbering to restart per section will not interfere with your footnote numbering sequence.
