How to Add Footnotes in Markdown
Write Markdown footnote references and definitions, check GitHub support, and understand the difference between end notes and native Word footnotes.
Markdown footnotes need support from the renderer. The familiar [^label] notation is an extension rather than part of the original Markdown syntax. This site's preview supports labeled references and a note list at the end of the document, but its Word exporter does not create Word's native footnote objects.
Write a reference and its definition
The review uses the approved source revision.[^revision]
[^revision]: Record the source filename and revision before exporting.
The marker in the paragraph and the definition must use the same label. Use a label you can recognize while editing, such as revision or method, instead of relying on the visible display number.
Paste this sample into the Markdown viewer. The expected preview has a superscript reference and a linked note near the end. Clicking the reference should take you to the note. If the marker stays literal, check the definition and whether your target renderer supports footnotes.
Add a second paragraph to a note
Indent continuation blocks so the parser keeps them within the note:
The estimate depends on the input size.[^scope]
[^scope]: The sample covers one short document.
Larger files and remote images may behave differently.
Keep notes concise. If a footnote needs several lists or a large code sample, a separate section is usually easier to read and easier to check after document conversion.
An inline form such as ^[A short aside] is supported by some other Markdown dialects, including Pandoc's Markdown. It is not supported by this site's renderer; use the labeled reference-and-definition form here.
GitHub support and the GFM specification are different
GitHub's current documentation describes footnotes, including labeled references and multi-line definitions. That does not mean every renderer implementing the published GFM specification includes the same feature. GitHub also notes that footnotes are not supported in wikis. Check the destination where the document will be read. See GitHub's footnote documentation.
What this site's exports actually contain
| Output | Footnote behavior |
|---|---|
| Preview and HTML | Linked references with a note list at the end |
| DOCX | Superscript reference text and note content in the document body; not native Word footnotes |
| Direct PDF | A visual capture of references and the end-of-document notes; no clickable links or text layer |
This distinction matters for a journal, thesis, or legal template that requires notes at the bottom of each page. The presence of a superscript in DOCX does not establish that Word recognizes it as a footnote. This exporter does not create native footnote numbering, page placement, or reference links.
For a document requiring native Word footnotes, use a conversion workflow that explicitly supports them, or recreate the notes through Word's footnote controls after exporting. If recreating them, remove the old body-level note list and superscript references so you do not leave duplicate citations. Keep a copy of the original Markdown while making that change.
Troubleshoot before handing over the file
A reference stays as [^name]. Check for a matching definition, a blank line before the definition, and correct indentation. Confirm that your renderer supports the extension.
A continuation paragraph appears in the main text. Indent it beneath the definition and inspect the preview again.
Notes are at the end instead of the bottom of each page. That is the current export behavior. Moving paragraphs by hand does not create native footnotes; use the destination editor's note feature when that structure is required.
PDF references are not clickable. The direct PDF output is image-based. Choose a workflow that retains links and text if readers need navigable citations.
Verify one complete reference-and-note pair in the downloaded file before exporting a long manuscript. Use Markdown to HTML for web notes, or Markdown to Word for an editable document whose note structure you will review and, if necessary, rebuild.