Question

Maximun Height to footnote

Forum|Forum|5 months ago
December 20, 2025
3 replies
546 views

Currently, InDesign’s footnote algorithm is too aggressive. Even with "Allow Split Footnotes" enabled, the program prioritizes keeping the footnote text on the same page as the reference until it hits the bottom margin. This often results in the footnote occupying 80-90% of the page, leaving only one or two lines of the main body text at the top.

We need a way to constrain the footnote area, such as:

A "Maximum Height" field (in mm/pt) for the footnote container per page.

A "Maximum Page Percentage" option (e.g., limit footnotes to 25% of the text frame).

When this limit is reached, the footnote should automatically split and continue on the next page, regardless of how much space is left in the current frame. The current workarounds (changing Keep Options or adjusting Bottom Insets manually) are inefficient for long documents and prone to errors during reflow.

Peter Kahrel

Community Expert

I wouldn't even use a script for that. I was going (but forgot) to mention to Lula that you can change the number of footnote line by setting/changing the Keeps in the footnote paragraphs (which is probably how @FRIdNGE's script works). Varying footnote lines on a page/spread is a good way to avoid widows and orphans and can help in other ways to compose pages. So you're probably not always (if ever) after perfectly balanced footnotes on a spread.

FRIdNGE

Hi Peter,

That won't work!

Take a look on the first page on my first screenshot: the entire footnote is on that page.

Playing with the "Keeps" option will give no result if the deal is to place, e.g., the last middle of the footnote on the following page.

[Beetwen us, I have no script, just an idea! 😉 ]

(^/)

Peter Kahrel

Community Expert

True -- if a note is on a single page, keeps won't work.

So, Michel, tell us all about your idea.

FRIdNGE

[For guidance purposes] It would take more time to make tests and script such a result, but it might be feasible… Maybe! [without any real guarantee!]

Before/After (here with just 2 clicks).

Before …

After …

(^/) The Jedi

L

Lula BorgesAuthor

sory peter, I am justa an old designer that used page maker (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and ( I think) that had this function, but, after changed to indesign, any changes not help.
(sorry don't know about scripts)

Barb Binder

Community Expert

I am justa an old designer that used page maker (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and ( I think) that had this function

FWIW, I don't think PageMaker ever offered automated footnote support, and for sure not through Pm 7. I have very clear memories of running two concurrent stories and manually adjusting the note story after entering edits in the main story to keep the notes on the same page as the reference numbers. And it certainly didn't offer a "max page percentage" feature. But like @Peter Kahrel, I think it's a great feature request for InDesign.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training