Footnotes vs. Endnotes
Footnotes and endnotes can both hold explanatory or reference material. Their central layout difference is placement: footnotes stay with the page, while endnotes are gathered later, so the choice is editorial rather than a grammar rule.
Footnotes normally appear at the bottom of the page; endnotes are collected at the end of the document or section. Choose according to the governing style and the reading experience you need.
Key details
Important caveats
Style Boundary
Citation systems, publishers and templates may prescribe one system or restrict how it is used; follow that authority rather than a universal preference.
Further guidance
Placement
Use footnotes when notes should remain near the relevant page; use endnotes when the document or style calls for notes collected at the end.
Practical Application
Choose footnotes when readers benefit from seeing notes on the same page; choose endnotes when the style or document design calls for notes collected at the end. Both systems need stable links between reference marks and note text.
Reader Check
Is the placement choice driven by the publisher/style requirement and reading experience rather than an assumption that one system is grammatically superior?
Shared Function
Both systems use an in-text reference mark linked to note text and can serve explanatory or reference purposes.
Worked Example
For a report whose template requires endnotes, collect the numbered notes in the required end section; for a document that uses page-bottom source notes, use footnotes instead and keep the numbering system consistent.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Add footnotes and endnotes — Microsoft Support (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Support · Footnote/endnote placement, reference marks and formatting options