How to Add Footnotes to a Google Docs

Footnotes are a useful way to provide additional context, citations, or commentary without interrupting the flow of a document. In Google Docs, adding footnotes is easy whether you’re on a desktop computer, phone, or tablet.

This guide will walk through the step-by-step instructions for adding footnotes in Google Docs on different devices.

Highlights show

Why Footnotes are Useful in Google Docs

There are a few key reasons why you may want to use footnotes in a Google Doc:

Cite sources or references for facts and quotes
Provide commentary or additional details without cluttering up the main text
Add links to other websites as references
Annotate parts of a document with extra information

Footnotes keep all these supplemental details organized at the bottom of the page. This helps maintain readability and flow for the reader of the main text.

How to Add Footnotes in Google Docs on a PC

Via Google Docs Menu to Add Footnotes

Open the Google Docs document you want to edit
Click where you want the footnote reference number to appear in the text
Select Insert > Footnote from the Google Docs menu
Type your footnote text into the box that pops up
Click outside the footnote text box to return to the document

The footnote number will appear in superscript where you placed your cursor. The footnote text will show at the bottom of the page.

Use HotKeys to Add Footnotes to Google Docs

You can also use these keyboard shortcuts to insert footnotes:

Place the cursor where you want the footnote number to appear
Press Ctrl + Alt + F (Windows) or ⌘ + Option + F (Mac)
Type your footnote text into the box
Click outside the box to exit

The footnote will be inserted immediately using this shortcut method.

How to Add Footnotes in Google Docs on an iPad

Adding footnotes on an iPad only takes a few taps:

Open the Google Docs app and select the document
Tap the pencil icon to start editing
Tap where you want the footnote number inserted
Tap the + symbol and choose Footnote from the pop-up
Type your footnote text
Tap outside the text box to return to the document

You’ll then see the footnote number in the document and the text at the bottom of the page.

How to Add Footnotes in Google Docs on an Android Device

It only takes a few taps to add footnotes in the Android Google Docs app too:

Open the Google Docs app on your Android device
Tap the pencil icon to start editing
Tap where you want to insert the footnote number
Tap the + symbol and select Footnote
Enter your footnote text in the pop-up
Tap outside the text box to exit

You’ll then see the footnote number and text inserted properly in the document.

FAQs

How to remove footnotes in Google Docs

To delete a footnote:

Find the footnote number in the body text of your document
Select the footnote number and press Delete/Backspace to remove it
The corresponding footnote text at the bottom will disappear too

How to export footnotes from Google Docs

Exporting Google Docs documents with footnotes is easy. The footnotes will remain intact in the exported document file. To export:

Go to File > Download
Choose document file format (DOCX, PDF, etc)
Open the downloaded file to see the footnotes included

Conclusion

Adding footnotes in Google Docs on any device only takes a few taps or clicks. This guide covered the steps for desktop, Android, iOS, iPad, and more. Use footnotes to annotate your documents without cluttering up the main text.

They make it easy to cite sources, add commentary, and provide reference links right within your Google Docs workflow. Just tap that + or Insert menu and start adding helpful footnotes today.