OmniDocAdd, Remove or Change the Footnote Separator Line in Word
Learn how to add a line above footnotes in Word, remove it, or restyle it by editing the footnote separator in Draft view. No extra tool needed.
Footnotes at the bottom of a Word page usually sit above a short horizontal line. If your footnotes have no divider, or the one you see is the wrong length, weight or position, you are dealing with the footnote separator. Word stores that line as its own paragraph in the notes area, so it can't be changed by clicking on the page text.
This guide is for anyone writing a thesis, report, legal brief or manuscript in Word who needs to add a line above footnotes, remove the line, or change how it looks. It also covers the separate continuation line that appears when a footnote runs onto the next page. You don't need any extra tool; every step happens inside Word.
The work is the same whichever job you have: find the separator in the right view, then delete it or format it. The sections below walk through each part, along with a few checks to confirm the result.
How do you add a line above footnotes in Word? The short answer
Open the footnote separator in Draft view, then select, delete or format the separator paragraph there. Editing it in Print Layout won't work, because the separator is a separate element from the page text.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No line appears above your footnotes | Open the separator in Draft view and check whether the separator paragraph still has content; re-create it if it is empty | Word draws the line from the separator paragraph, so an empty one draws nothing |
| You want no divider at all | Select the separator paragraph in the notes area and delete it | With no separator content, no line is drawn above the notes |
| The line is too thick, short or dark | Select the separator and change its paragraph border or font formatting | Formatting changes the look of the line without altering the footnote text |
| Footnotes continue from the previous page | Edit the continuation separator in the same view | It is a different line with its own formatting |
| You are working from a PDF | Edit the original Word file and export again | A PDF usually stores the line as part of the page drawing, so it can't be changed as a separate item |
Before you start
- Work on the Word file, not a PDF. A PDF usually flattens the line into the page, so the separator can't be selected. Keep the editable source file and make changes there.
- Save a copy first. Deleting or reformatting the separator is easy to undo while the file is open, but a copy protects your original if you make several changes.
- Plan on Draft view. Print Layout shows the notes at the bottom of each page, but it does not let you select the separator. Draft view gives you the notes area where the separator lives.
- Decide which line you need. Word has a main separator (above the notes on a page) and a continuation separator (above footnotes that carry over from the previous page). Knowing which one you want saves you from editing the wrong line.
- Make sure the page has a footnote. The separator only appears on pages that contain at least one footnote, so test on a page where notes exist.
Editing the footnote separator in Word, step by step
- Open the document and switch to Draft view. Draft view places the notes area in a separate pane, which is where you can reach the separator paragraph.
- Find the notes pane and choose the separator. Use the drop-down list in the notes pane to show the footnote separator. If the list shows only footnotes, you're looking at the notes text and need to switch to the separator entry.
- Select the whole separator paragraph. The line is a short paragraph that contains the line itself. Selecting the entire paragraph ensures that any formatting you apply covers the full line.
- To remove the line, delete the separator content. An empty separator paragraph draws no line above the notes. Your footnote text is not part of the separator, so it stays where it is.
- To restyle the line, change its formatting. Apply a different paragraph border, alignment or font size to the separator paragraph. If the line is made from characters, changing the font size also changes its length and thickness.
- Edit the continuation separator if needed. Use the same drop-down list to choose the continuation separator, then remove or format it the same way. Leave it alone if your footnotes don't continue across pages.
- Switch back to Print Layout and check the page. Confirm the new look on several pages, not just one, before you save.
Check the result
Once you've edited the separator, check the output in Print Layout and on a few pages with footnotes.
| Check | How to see it | If it's wrong |
|---|---|---|
| The line appears on every page with footnotes | Scroll through the pages that have notes in Print Layout | Go back to Draft view and confirm the separator paragraph still has its content |
| Line length and weight match your intent | Compare two pages side by side in Print Layout | Reapply the border or font formatting to the separator paragraph |
| Continuation line on split footnotes | Find a footnote that runs onto the next page | Edit the continuation separator in Draft view |
| Footnote text is unchanged | Read the notes at the bottom of several pages | If text moved or disappeared, undo and reselect only the separator paragraph |
🎯 Which approach fits you?
- You want to remove the line completely: delete the separator content and check that no line remains on any page.
- You want a different look: change the separator's formatting and compare it against the body text width.
- Your footnotes split across pages: adjust the continuation separator so the carried-over notes match the main line.
❓ FAQ
1. Why is there no line above my footnotes in Print Layout?
The separator paragraph may be empty, or the page may not contain any footnotes. Switch to Draft view, check the separator paragraph, and confirm that the page has at least one note.
2. How do I put the default line back after deleting it?
Word's built-in line is restored through the separator paragraph, so start by checking whether that paragraph still exists in Draft view. If it's gone, a close substitute is a paragraph with a bottom border, or a short run of underscore characters, though the look won't match the built-in line exactly.
3. Can I change the line in a PDF?
Not usually. Open the original Word file, edit the separator there, and export the PDF again.
4. What is the difference between the separator and the continuation separator?
The separator is the line above the notes on a page. The continuation separator is the line that appears above a footnote that continues from the previous page. You can format them separately.
📝 Summary
To add a line above footnotes in Word, work in Draft view and edit the separator paragraph rather than the page text. Deleting that paragraph removes the line, and formatting it restyles the line without changing your footnotes. Always check several pages in Print Layout before you save.
