Easy Tech TutsHow to Create a Footnote in Google Docs Easily 2026
By Impran M N
Footnotes are essential for academic papers, legal documents, and anything requiring precise source attribution. This guide shows how to place a footnote marker at your cursor, use the keyboard shortcut for speed, and format the citation text that appears automatically at the bottom of the page, all without breaking your document's existing layout.
01Position your cursor
Click exactly where you want the footnote marker to appear within your paragraph text.
02Insert the footnote
Go to Insert, then Footnote, to place a sequential superscript number at your cursor's location.
03Use the keyboard shortcut
Press Ctrl+Alt+F on Windows/ChromeOS or Command+Option+F on macOS to add footnotes faster without navigating the menu each time.
04Add your citation text
Type your source reference or note into the automatically generated space at the bottom margin of the page.
05Format footnote typography
Adjust font size and paragraph spacing for your footnote text so it matches your document's citation standards.
06Manage or remove footnotes
Delete a footnote marker to remove both the number and its corresponding note, and remaining footnotes will renumber automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Do footnote numbers update automatically if I add more?
Yes, Google Docs automatically renumbers footnotes sequentially as you add or remove them throughout the document.
Can I use footnotes for something other than academic citations?
Yes, footnotes work well for any supplementary note, definition, or reference you want to keep separate from the main text.
What happens if I delete a footnote by mistake?
Deleting the superscript marker in the text removes the corresponding footnote entirely, and you'd need to reinsert it if that was accidental.
Can I change the footnote font without changing my body text?
Yes, footnote text can be formatted independently, so you can set a smaller size or different font just for citations.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
