OmniDocAdjust Footnote Spacing and Height in Word
Fix too much space above footnotes in Word by changing the footnote text style, spacing, and separator, with checks to confirm the result.
If your footnotes sit too far below the page text, or the gap above the notes looks wider than the notes themselves, the problem is almost always paragraph spacing rather than the page layout. Many people search for how to increase footnote space in Word when they actually want less space, or they want more room for a long note without pushing the body text off the page. Both fixes come from the same few settings.
This guide covers the general Word method for changing the space before and after footnotes, the line spacing inside them, and the separator paragraph that sits above the notes. You will end up with a footnote area that is the height you want, and with a document that behaves the same way after you edit it.
Word does not offer a single "footnote height" control. The notes area grows to fit whatever text and spacing it contains, so you change the height by changing those inputs. The steps below work in any recent version of Word on Windows or macOS.
Why is there too much space above footnotes in Word? The short answer
The gap usually comes from the Footnote Text style or from extra empty paragraphs in the footnote area, so fix the style first and then clean up the notes themselves.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Large gap above the first note | Set space before to 0 pt in the Footnote Text style | The space before applies to the first note on each page |
| Notes are spread too far apart | Lower space after in the Footnote Text style | Space after adds a gap between every note |
| Notes look cramped or superscripts are cut off | Use single or "at least" line spacing | An "exactly" setting can clip the top of raised numbers |
| Gap stays after changing the style | Delete empty paragraphs in the footnote area | Blank lines add height that style settings do not remove |
| Gap is between the line and the first note | Check the separator paragraph's spacing | The separator is its own paragraph and has its own spacing |
Before you start
Check these points first. Each one prevents a common reason the change does not appear.
- Confirm the document uses Word footnotes. Footnotes created by typing numbers and a line by hand will not respond to style changes. Insert a test footnote to see whether the numbering updates automatically.
- Work in the Word file, not a PDF. A PDF is a fixed layout. Change the spacing in the original document, then export again.
- Note your page setup. Changing the bottom margin or the footnote position can shift the notes, so compare your fix against the same page size and margins you will print or share.
- Keep one style for all notes. Editing a single note by hand makes the rest of the document inconsistent and is harder to undo. A style change applies to every note at once.
- Save a copy. Spacing changes are easy to reverse with undo, but a copy protects you if you change several settings across sections.
Changing footnote spacing in Word, step by step
- Open the document and find a page with footnotes. Switch to Print Layout view so the notes appear at the bottom of the page where they will print.
- Open the Footnote Text paragraph style. This style controls the text of every footnote. Changing it updates all notes, including new ones you add later.
- Set the space before to 0 pt. This removes the gap above the first note on each page. If you want a small gap, use 2 to 4 pt.
- Set the space after to a small value. Space after controls the gap between notes. A value of 2 to 3 pt usually keeps notes readable without spreading them out.
- Set line spacing to single or "at least." Avoid "exactly" with a value that is smaller than the font size, because it can cut off superscript numbers and the tops of letters.
- Check the separator and remove empty paragraphs. In Normal view, look at the footnote area, which appears as a separate pane. Click into any blank line in the notes and press Backspace to delete it. Also check the separator paragraph, the short line above the notes, for extra spacing.
- Scroll through the pages with footnotes. Confirm that each page shows the spacing you set and that no note has been pushed onto the next page in an odd way.
Check the result
Once the spacing is set, check the output for the problems below. Use Print Layout for the final review, because Normal view does not show the page bottom the same way.
| Check | How to see it | If it's wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Gap above the first note | Look at the bottom of a page with footnotes in Print Layout | Confirm space before is 0 or small in the Footnote Text style |
| Spacing between notes | Compare two adjacent notes on the same page | Lower space after, then check that no blank lines remain between notes |
| Superscripts and numbers | Zoom in on the note numbers and the reference marks in the body | Change line spacing from "exactly" to single or "at least" |
| Notes on the next page | Scroll through the document and see if notes split across pages | Adjust the note length or spacing, or shorten long notes so they fit |
| Separator line | Look at the short line above the notes | Check the separator paragraph's spacing and remove extra empty lines |
| PDF copy | Open the exported PDF and compare it with the Word page | Export the file again after the Word fix, because the PDF will not update itself |
If you need to change text inside an exported PDF, OmniDoc's PDF editor can edit paragraph text in place. It does not re-lay out pages, so fix footnote spacing in the Word source and export again.
❓ FAQ
1. Can I make the footnote area taller without changing the page margins?
Yes. Increase the space after and the line spacing in the Footnote Text style, or lengthen the notes themselves. The notes area grows with its content, so adding space or text makes it taller without touching the margins.
2. Why does my spacing change not appear on one page?
The page may contain a note that uses different direct formatting, such as manually set spacing applied to that single paragraph. Select that note, clear its direct formatting, and make sure it uses the Footnote Text style.
3. Will these changes affect footnotes I add later?
Yes, if the new footnotes use the Footnote Text style, which is the default. Check one new footnote after your change to confirm it matches the others.
4. How do I reduce space between the notes and the body text?
The gap between the body and the notes is controlled by the space above the notes area and the separator. Reduce the space before in the Footnote Text style, then check the separator paragraph for extra spacing after it.
📝 Summary
Footnote spacing in Word comes from the Footnote Text style, the separator paragraph, and any empty lines in the notes area. Adjust those settings in the source Word file, use single or "at least" line spacing, and check the result in Print Layout before you export a PDF.
