OmniDocHow to renumber Word footnotes on each page
Explain clearly the setting position, option meaning and operation steps for renumbering Word footnotes on each page, and explain the difference between it and the renumbering style, helping you to make the footnotes on each page start from 1.
Key points of this article
- Renumbering each page is a "restart" rule for footnote numbering, and adapting numbering styles (such as 1, 2, 3 to i, ii, iii) are two separate settings.
- Only footnotes support "renumbering per page". Endnotes are usually numbered continuously or renumbered per section. Please confirm the comment type before setting.
- Choose the right setting range: whether it applies to the entire document or this section. If you choose the wrong setting, some pages will not take effect.
- After setting, you should switch to page view for verification. The position and number of footnotes in draft view may be different from the printed result.
When writing papers, bids, or legal documents, footnotes often require "Number each page starting with 1." Many people have changed the numbering format in Word and found that the page numbering style has changed, but the footnote numbers on each page are still arranged downwards from the previous page, so they wonder whether the setting is in the wrong place.
These two things are actually two different settings. The numbering format determines what the numbers look like, such as Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, or symbols; the numbering method determines when the numbers are re-counted, such as continuous throughout the article, restarting each section, or starting again on each page. To achieve that each page starts from 1, what needs to be changed is the numbering method.
This article is suitable for paper authors, report writers who need to make footnotes start from 1 on each page, and office workers who need a unified format. After reading, you can decide which numbering method you should use, complete the settings, and check whether the results are correct.
How to set footnotes to be renumbered on each page in Word? One sentence conclusion
Open the settings window for footnotes and endnotes, change the numbering method from "continuous" to "renumber each page", select the correct application range, and then check page by page in the page view. Which method to choose depends on your document structure and comment type. You can refer to the following table.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| Footnotes on every page of the entire document must start with 1 | Select "Renumber every page" for footnote numbering to apply to the entire document. | This is a setting that directly corresponds to your needs, with less changes. |
| Only one section needs to be renumbered on each page | Break into sections first, then apply settings to that section only | Prevent other chapter numbers from being changed simultaneously |
| Need endnotes not footnotes | Check the numbering method of the endnotes, usually choose continuous or renumber each section | The numbering options for endnotes are not exactly the same as for footnotes, and renumbering on each page is not usually provided. |
| I just want to change the style of numbers | Modify the numbering format but not the numbering method | Styles and recounting are two different things, and it’s easy to get confused when mixed together |
| The footnote numbers on the page remain unchanged. | Check section breaks, custom tags, and view modes | These reasons may make the settings appear to be ineffective. |
Before you start: Confirm these points first
Check the following things before taking action to avoid many detours.
- Confirm whether you want to change footnotes or endnotes. Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page, and endnotes are concentrated at the end of the text or section. The two are separated in the settings window. If you change the wrong type, the option to renumber each page may not be found, or changing it will not affect the effect you see.
- Confirm whether there are sections in the document. Section breaks affect the scope of "applies to". If the document is divided into multiple sections and you only set it for one section, the footnote numbers of other sections will still be calculated according to the original rules.
- Make sure you want "per page" and not "per section". Renumbering each section is suitable for long chapters and starting from 1; renumbering each page is suitable for footnotes at the bottom of each page starting from 1. The two are often confused, and the page may not look right if you choose the wrong one.
- Check if custom tags are used. If the footnotes use custom marks such as asterisks and symbols, the effect of renumbering each page may not be intuitive and needs to be checked separately.
- Prepare a test page with footnotes. If your document is very long, you can copy one or two pages for testing first, and then apply it to the official document after confirming the effect of the settings.
Steps to set up footnote renumbering on each page in Word
- Position the cursor. Place the cursor on any footnote in the document, or within the section you want to set. Doing so will make subsequent"application scope"selections more accurate.
- Open the settings window for footnotes and endnotes. Find the footnote-related commands in the Reference tab of the ribbon to enter the setting interface for footnotes and endnotes. The entry location of different versions of Word is slightly different. You can search for "footnotes" in the ribbon to find it.
- Confirm the comment type. Differentiate footnotes and endnotes in the window. If you want to set a comment at the bottom of the page, do it in the footnote section.
- Select the numbering method. Select "Renumber each page" in the numbering method drop-down option. This step determines where the numbers restart, regardless of the numbering style.
- Check number format. If you also need to change the number format, such as from Arabic numerals to Roman numerals, make separate adjustments in the numbering format. Note that this step only changes the appearance and does not make each page start from 1 again.
- Select the application scope. Select "Entire document" or "This section" according to your needs. If the document is divided into sections, selecting the wrong range will result in some pages remaining unchanged.
- Confirm and apply. Click OK to close the window. Now go back to the document and observe whether the footnote on the first page has started from 1.
- Switch to page view for verification. Switch to page view in view settings and check footnote numbers page by page. Draft view displays footnotes differently, and the actual page effect may not be visible.
# check item by item after completion
After the setting is complete, don't just look at the first page, it is recommended to check according to the list below.
| Check item | What do you think? | What if there's a problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Does the footnote on each page start at 1? | Turn to several different pages and look at the number of the first footnote at the bottom of the page | If it is still a serial number, check whether "whole document" is selected in the scope of application. |
| Is the citation mark in the text correct? | Compare the superscript numbers in the text with the comments at the bottom of the page | If the numbers do not match, the footnote insertion position may have been moved and need to be re-checked. |
| Is the section in line with expectations? | View the pages on both sides of the section break | If a section does not take effect, reset the scope of application for that section separately |
| Whether the endnote has been mistakenly changed | Check the endnote number at the end of the text or section | If the endnote is changed by mistake, go back to the settings window and return to the original numbering mode. |
| Whether the print preview effect is consistent | View the page using print preview | If it is inconsistent with the page view, save the file first and then reopen it for check |
If you check and find that some pages remain unchanged, it's usually because they are in another section, or because the footnotes use different types of comments. Locate page by page, find out where the rules are inconsistent and then modify them.
# Core comparison
There are three main ways of numbering footnotes in Word, and their effects are obviously different, so you can choose according to your needs.
| Numbering mode | Effect. | Suitable for the scene |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous | The footnote number is incremented from the beginning to the end of the document | Ordinary articles, documents that need a uniform citation serial number in the full text |
| Renumber each section | The number goes back to 1 at the beginning of each section. | A paper or report that is clearly structured and independently cited in each chapter. |
| Renumber each page | The footnote at the bottom of each page starts at 1. | Files whose pages are read independently and footnotes on each page need to be marked separately |
All three methods only change the counting rules and do not change the content and position of the footnotes.
# frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. What is the difference between renumbering and adapting the format of each page?
The numbering format determines what numbers look like, such as Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, or symbols. Renumbering each page determines where to start counting again. The two can be set separately and do not affect each other.
2. Why did I renumber each page, footnote or line it up next?
There are three common reasons: the scope of application is "this section" rather than the entire document; there are multiple sections in the document, only some of which take effect; or you change endnotes instead of footnotes. If you check these three points one by one, you can usually find the problem.
3. Can endnotes be renumbered per page?
In general, the numbering options for endnotes are mainly consecutive or renumbering each section, and endnotes are not displayed at the bottom of each page like footnotes, so renumbering per page is not a common option. If you need an effect that starts at 1 on each page, make sure you really need endnotes, or use footnotes instead.
4. What if the number seen in the draft view is not the same as the one printed?
The draft view does not display the footer position at the bottom of the page, and the numbering order may be different from that of the page view. The reliable way is to switch to the page view or print preview and check it page by page.
5. I use a custom symbol mark, the effect after setting is strange, do you want to change it?
Custom tags (such as asterisks, symbols) are not necessarily incremented in numerical order, and the effect of renumbering each page may not be intuitive. If regular numbering is required, it is recommended to use the standard numbering format and renumber each page.
# Summary
The renumbering of Word footnotes per page is a separate numbering setting that does not affect the renumbering style. When setting up, first confirm the comment type and section, then select each page to renumber and check the scope of application, and finally check page by page in the page view. In this order, the footnotes on each page can start with 1.
