Footnote numbering

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
March 30, 2025
5 replies
515 views

Hi, I am new to using InDesign software. I have a large book with footnotes. I am using the tool Type>Insert Footnote. I have adjusted the Document Footnote Options. However, the first footnote numbered 1 but the next footnote also numbered 1. I tried to adjust the footnote options on the second page to start numbering at 2 but then the first footnote renumbered to 2.

My first page was set up as a parent page and then I just duplicated that page for page 2. Could this be the problem? If so, how can I change that.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

How to

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Margaret27727918huqa,

As Peter mentioned, footnotes are numbered by story, so if your text is in separate, unthreaded text frames, the numbering will restart at 1 for each frame. Try threading your text frames together by using the Selection Tool, clicking the out port of the first text frame, and then clicking into the next frame. This will allow the footnotes to continue numbering correctly. Ref: Create footnotes in InDesign

Also, as Mike suggested, go back to your Parent page and remove any footnotes from there, as that might be affecting the numbering. Let me know if this helps.

^

Abhishek

M

Margaret27727918huqaAuthor

Participant

Hi Abhishek,
Thank you for answering my question. Since I started this project with not
enough knowledge about how to use the InDesign software, it has been a
struggle. However, please do not judge me, since I am on page 174, I have
found a workaround. When I export the file, I just use my Adobe Acrobat to
edit the PDF. It worked seamlessly so after I finish, I will just use that
workaround.

Do you foresee any problems doing that?

Thank you for your help.

Margaret

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Margaret27727918huqa,

No judgment at all! Getting to page 174 is impressive! Your Acrobat workaround works, but making edits there can be tricky for future changes. If you’d like a fix in InDesign, ensure your text frames are threaded, so footnotes flow correctly.

^
Abhishek

Peter Kahrel

Community Expert

Footnotes are numbered by story. Is your text in separate text frames? If they are you need to thread them. Footnote numbering will then be as expected.