Word: Convert Comments to Footnotes or Endnotes?

Yes, Microsoft Word can convert comments to footnotes or endnotes, but not with a single built-in command. You can achieve this by using Word’s “Insert Footnote” or “Insert Endnote” feature and manually copying the comment text, or by using a macro for bulk conversion. This article explains the manual method, a macro-based approach, and important limitations to know before you start.

Formula

The calculator above estimates the total word count and page count if you convert comments to footnotes or endnotes. The formulas are:

• Total words = (Number of comments) × (Average words per comment)
• Estimated pages = (Total words) ÷ 250 (for double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman)

Variables: t = number of comments, w = average words per comment. The 250 words-per-page figure is a common standard for academic manuscripts.

Worked Example

Using the defaults: 10 comments × 25 words each = 250 total words. Then 250 ÷ 250 = 1 page. So converting 10 comments of 25 words each would add roughly one double-spaced page to your document.

Why Convert Comments to Footnotes or Endnotes?

Comments in Word are typically used for collaboration—editors and reviewers leave notes in the margin. But sometimes you need those comments to appear as permanent, numbered notes in the final document. For example:

• You received feedback on a thesis or manuscript and want to include the reviewer’s remarks as footnotes.
• You wrote annotations for a text and want them to appear as endnotes in a published version.
• You need to submit a document where comments are not allowed, but the notes are essential.

Word does not have a direct “Convert Comments to Footnotes” button. The workaround is to insert a footnote or endnote at the same location as each comment, then copy the comment text into the note. This is straightforward for a few comments, but tedious for dozens.

Manual Conversion: Step-by-Step

1. Open your document in Word (desktop version).
2. Go to the Review tab and click Next Comment to jump to the first comment.
3. Place your cursor at the exact spot in the text where the comment marker appears (the highlighted text or the location the comment is anchored to).
4. Go to the References tab and click Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote.
5. Word adds a note number and takes you to the note area at the bottom of the page (footnote) or end of the document (endnote).
6. Copy the comment text from the comment balloon (or the Reviewing Pane) and paste it into the note.
7. Delete the original comment by right-clicking it and choosing Delete Comment.
8. Repeat for each comment.

This preserves the exact position of the note and uses Word’s automatic numbering. However, if you have many comments, this is time-consuming.

Using a Macro for Bulk Conversion

For large documents, a VBA macro can automate the process. The macro would loop through each comment, insert a footnote at the comment’s anchor range, copy the comment text, and delete the comment. Here is a simplified example:

Sub CommentsToFootnotes()
    Dim cmt As Comment
    For Each cmt In ActiveDocument.Comments
        Dim rng As Range
        Set rng = cmt.Scope
        rng.Select
        Selection.Collapse Direction:=wdCollapseEnd
        Selection.Footnotes.Add Range:=Selection.Range, _
            Text:=cmt.Range.Text
        cmt.Delete
    Next cmt
End Sub

To use this: press Alt+F11 to open the VBA editor, insert a new module, paste the code, and run it. This works in most desktop versions of Word. However, macros are not available in Word Online or the mobile apps. Also, be sure to save a backup copy before running any macro, as it will permanently delete your comments.

What About Word Online and Mobile?

Word for the web and mobile apps do not support macros. You can still manually copy and paste comments into footnotes, but the process is clunkier because the Reviewing Pane is limited. Your best option is to open the document in the desktop version of Word (Windows or Mac) to do the conversion, then save it back to the cloud.

Common Problems and Limitations

• Comment anchors: A comment may be anchored to a range of text, not just a single point. The macro above places the footnote at the end of that range. You may need to adjust the position manually.
• Reply threads: If a comment has replies, the macro will only capture the top-level comment text, not the replies. You’ll need to handle those separately.
• Formatting: Comment text may include formatting like bold or italics. The macro preserves basic text but may lose some formatting. Check the notes after conversion.
• Numbering: Footnotes and endnotes use separate numbering sequences. If you convert some comments to footnotes and others to endnotes, they will be numbered independently.
• Deleted comments: Once you delete a comment, it’s gone. If you need to keep the original comments for reference, copy them to a separate document first.

Alternatives to Conversion

If you don’t strictly need footnotes or endnotes, consider these alternatives:

• Print comments as annotations: In the Print dialog, choose “Print Markup” to include comments in the printed output. This is not the same as footnotes but may suffice for a draft.
• Copy comments to a separate document: Use the Reviewing Pane to copy all comments and their locations into a new document. This is useful for a list of changes.
• Use a third-party add-in: Some commercial add-ins offer one-click comment-to-footnote conversion. Search for “Word add-in comments to footnotes” to find options, but be cautious about installing unknown software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert comments to endnotes instead of footnotes?

Yes, the same methods work for endnotes. In the manual method, choose Insert Endnote instead of Insert Footnote. In the macro, change Selection.Footnotes.Add to Selection.Endnotes.Add.

Will the footnote numbers match the comment numbers?

No. Word numbers footnotes sequentially based on their position in the document, not based on the original comment numbers. If you delete comments after inserting footnotes, the footnote numbers will be renumbered automatically, so they may not match the original comment numbering.

Can I convert comments to footnotes in Google Docs?

Google Docs also lacks a direct conversion feature. You can manually copy comment text into footnotes (Insert > Footnote), but there is no macro support in Google Docs. The process is similar to Word’s manual method.

What if my comments contain images or tables?

Comments can contain images, but footnotes and endnotes can also contain images. However, copying complex content like tables from comments may not work correctly with a simple macro. You may need to manually insert the table into the footnote area.

Is there a way to convert comments to a list at the end of the document?

Yes, you can use the Reviewing Pane to copy all comments and paste them into a new section at the end of your document. This creates a simple list, not numbered footnotes, but it preserves the comment text and the associated page numbers.

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in t | Number of comments | - | 10 | 1 | 1000
in w | Avg words per comment | - | 25 | 1 | 500
out total_words | Total words | words | t * w | 0
out est_pages | Est. pages (double-spaced) | pages | (t * w) / 250 | 1