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Presentation citations or references in the body of text on a slide are either explained in footnotes at the bottom of a slide or in endnotes following the presentation. When you add a footnote to a slide you have to manually add a reference number to the slide and footnote.

Add the footnote text

Here's an example of a footnote in PowerPoint. Follow the steps below to add your own footnote. After adding your footnote, you can make the footnote indicators superscript.

Slide with a footer in PowerPoint

  1. Place the cursor where you want to add a footnote, and type a number or symbol, like "1".

  2. Select Insert > Header & Footer.

  3. On the Slide tab, select Footer, and in the Footer box, type the number or symbol you added in step 1, and then type the text that you want to appear in the footnote at the bottom of your slide.

    Shows Footer dialog box in PowerPoint

    Note: The Preview box highlights the area on the slide where your footnote will appear.

  4. Select Apply.

Make the footnote indicators superscript

The keyboard shortcut for superscript is Ctrl+Shift+=. You can select each symbol in turn that you added to the slide, then apply that shortcut. Or you can follow this procedure:

  1. Select the number or symbol you added to the footnote text at the bottom of the slide.

  2. Click Home, and in the Font group, select the dialog box launcher  Dialog box button.

  3. On the Font tab, under Effects, select Superscript. Superscript makes the number or symbol smaller and slightly above the normal line of text.

    Foornote with superscript number

    Tip: You can raise the number or symbol higher by entering a higher percentage in the Offset box. For example, the following shows the footnote with superscript format applied and an offset of 70%.

    Shows Font dialog box in PowerPoint

  4. Now, select the number or symbol you added to the body of the slide, and follow steps 2 and 3 to apply superscript formatting.

    Superscript footnote in body of slide

Remove a footnote

  1. Go to the slide with the footnote you want to remove. (If you applied a footnote to all slides, go to any slide.)

  2. Click Insert > Header & Footer.

  3. Clear the Footer check box.

Related topics

Add the footnote text

Here's an example of a footnote in PowerPoint. Follow the steps below to add your own footnote. After adding your footnote, you can make the footnote indicators superscript.

Slide with a footer in PowerPoint

  1. Click the place in the body of the slide where you want to add a footnote, and type a number or symbol, like "1".

  2. On the Insert tab, click Header & Footer.

  3. On the Slide tab, select Footer, type the number or symbol you added in step 1, and then type the text that you want to appear in the footnote at the bottom of your slide.

    Footer check box on the Slide tab in the Header & Footer box

    Note: The Preview area above highlights the area on the slide where your footnote will appear.

  4. Click Apply.

Make the footnote indicators superscript

  1. Select the number or symbol you added to the footnote text at the bottom of the slide.

  2. On the Home tab, select Superscript Superscript button. (Superscript makes the number or symbol smaller and slightly above the normal line of text.)

  3. Now, select the number or symbol you added to the body of the slide, and repeat step 2 to apply superscript formatting.

    Superscript footnote in body of slide

Remove a footnote

  1. Go to the slide with the footnote you want to remove. (If you applied a footnote to all slides, go to any slide.)

  2. On the Insert tab, click Header & Footer.

  3. Clear the Footer check box.

  1. Place the cursor where you want to add a footnote, then type the footnote character.

  2. Select the character. On the Home tab, select (More Font Options) > Superscript.

    Or select the character and go to Home > Font > The Superscript button on the Home tab in PowerPoint for the web. Superscript.

  3. Select Insert > Footer > Footer.

  4. Select the Footer checkbox, then type the footnote text. 

  5. Close the Footer pane; when you do so, the footnote will be added to the current slide.

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