Word Insert Footnote Shortcut (Ctrl+Alt+F / ⌘⌥F)
Put your cursor where the reference mark should go and press Ctrl+Alt+F on Windows or ⌘⌥F (Command+Option+F) on the Mac. Word adds a superscript number and jumps you to the footnote area at the bottom of the page, ready to type.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insert footnote | ⌘⌥F | Ctrl+Alt+F | |
| Insert endnote | ⌘⌥D | Ctrl+Alt+D | |
| Jump between note and reference mark | Double-click the number | Double-click the number |
Add a footnote without the menu
Click in the text where you want the little superscript number, then press Ctrl+Alt+F (Windows) or ⌘⌥F (Mac). Word inserts the reference mark and moves your cursor straight to the footnote pane at the foot of the page so you can type the note. Use Ctrl+Alt+D / ⌘⌥D for an endnote, which collects at the end of the document instead.
Windows vs Mac
Windows uses Ctrl+Alt; the Mac uses ⌘ (Command)+⌥ (Option) with the same F and D letters. If Ctrl+Alt+F does nothing, check that a graphics-card utility hasn’t claimed that combo — then re-run it from Word.
FAQ
What is the insert footnote shortcut in Word?
Press Ctrl+Alt+F on Windows or ⌘⌥F (Command+Option+F) on the Mac. Word adds the reference number and jumps to the footnote area.
How do I insert an endnote instead?
Use Ctrl+Alt+D on Windows or ⌘⌥D on the Mac. Endnotes gather at the end of the document rather than the bottom of each page.
The footnote shortcut does nothing — why?
Another app (often a GPU control panel) may have grabbed Ctrl+Alt+F system-wide. Disable that hotkey, then the shortcut works inside Word.