# Word:  how do I update cross-references in footnotes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-how-do-i-update-cross-references-in-footnotes/606302>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 15, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-how-do-i-update-cross-references-in-footnotes/606302 "2011-12-15T15:37:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-how-do-i-update-cross-references-in-footnotes/606302/1 "2011-12-15T15:37:20Z")

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i’m using Word 2007. It says that there’s a way to update cross-references in footnotes (e.g., “25. See Smith, cited at footnote 15, above.”)

However, I can’t find out to do it. When I try the so-called Help function, it is particularly unhelpful.

Gaah!

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-how-do-i-update-cross-references-in-footnotes/606302/2 "2011-12-15T16:11:07Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> i’m using Word 2007. It says that there’s a way to update cross-references in footnotes (e.g., “25. See Smith, cited at footnote 15, above.”)
> 
> However, I can’t find out to do it. When I try the so-called Help function, it is particularly unhelpful.
> 
> Gaah!

To my knowledge, if you used the citation feature when you wrote the cross-reference in note 25, then the cross reference will automatically be updated any time footnote 15 has its number changed.

If you didn’t use the citation feature, though, I don’t think there’s a way to automatically update references like the one found in footnote 25.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-how-do-i-update-cross-references-in-footnotes/606302/3 "2011-12-15T20:05:21Z")

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well, but I did use it on a previous paper I was writing, without useing the citation feature. it was something about selecting all and a function key, but when I tried to do it again, it didn’t work - inserted codes for all of the footnote numbers.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-how-do-i-update-cross-references-in-footnotes/606302/4 "2011-12-16T18:03:37Z")

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Here’s what [About.com](http://About.com) says on [working with footnotes and cross-references in Word](http://wordprocessing.about.com/od/microsoftword2007/a/07footnote.htm):

> [@](#):
>
> To insert a footnote or endnote, follow these steps:
> 
> 1. Position the cursor where you would like to insert the reference number
> 
> 2. Open the References ribbon
> 
> 3. Click Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote
> 
> If you add or remove footnotes or endnotes in earlier portions of the document, the numbering will update automatically.

However, it doesn’t. I inserted some new footnotes at the beginning of the paper, and the subsequent cross-references didn’t update automatically.