Footnotes Showing Double Spacing and Unpredictable Rule Placement After Import from Word in InDesign

Hi ​@Joseph374224441v8g,

Just checking in to see if the suggestions shared by the expert helped resolve the issue on your end, or if you’re still facing the same behavior with the footnotes.

Whenever you get a chance, please update the thread with your current observations so we can assist you further accordingly.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Abhishek

Hi Joe,

Transitioning a Word document with complex citations into a professional layout can be tricky because InDesign treats the footnote area as a semi-autonomous space.

Fixing the "Double Spacing" Issue
If you set your Space Between to 0.00 and it still looks double-spaced, the culprit is likely the Leading in your Paragraph Style.

Check the Paragraph Style: Open your "Footnote Paragraph Style." Under Basic Character Formats, ensure the Leading is set to a specific number (e.g., 10 pt) rather than "Auto."

Check for Extra Returns: Sometimes Word imports include an extra paragraph return at the end of each note. Turn on Hidden Characters (Type > Show Hidden Characters) to see if there are extra ¶ symbols.

Space Between vs. Space After: In InDesign

Go to Type > Document Footnote Options. Under the Layout tab, look at Space Between Notes. If your Paragraph Style also has a Space After value, these will add together. It's usually best to keep the Paragraph Style's "Space After" at 0 and control the gap entirely within the Document Footnote Options.

Footnote Rule (Line)
The "unpredictable location" of the rules usually happens because InDesign uses two different rule settings: one for the start of the notes and one for when notes continue onto a new page (like your transition from page 4 to page 5 ).

Go to Type > Document Footnote Options and select the Footnote Help / Layout (or Rule) tab:

Rule Above: This is the line that appears above the first footnote on a page. Set its Weight, Colour, and Length (e.g., 25%).

Rule Above (Continued): Select this from the dropdown menu. This controls the line that appears if a footnote from a previous page spills over. Often, designers make this rule "Text Width" or 100% to visually signal that it’s a continuation.

Offset: If the line is touching your text or the footnotes, adjust the Offset value to push it up or down.

Dealing with the "Guerilla" Formatting
Your document has several instances where citations are grouped or split (e.g., footnotes 1, 2, 8, 14).

Standardise the Style: Ensure your Footnote Character Style is only being applied to the Reference Number in the main text and the Footnote Number in the footer.

The "First Line Indent" Trick

To get that clean look where the second line of a footnote aligns under the text (not the number), set a Left Indent (e.g., 12 pt) and a First Line Indent of the negative version of that same number (e.g., -12 pt) in your Paragraph Style.

Recommended

• Select All your footnote text.
• Clear all overrides (Alt+Click the Paragraph Style name).
• Go to Type > Document Footnote Options and ensure the Paragraph Style is set to your "Footnote Paragraph Style."
• Adjust the Minimum Spacing Above Footnote to control the gap between your story text and the beginning of the citations.
• Since you've got a lot of "Ibid" and multiple citations per note, keeping the Leading tight is your best bet for fitting everything onto those 44 pages.

Do you notice the spacing issue happening on every page, or only on pages where a footnote is particularly long and carries over?