Named footnotes
The label can be a word instead of a number. It still shows as a number on the page, counted in the order the notes are used.
You write
This needs a source.[^source] So does this.[^study]
[^source]: The 2024 annual report.
[^study]: A survey of 500 readers.Words are easier to keep track of in a long document than numbers.
A footnote with several paragraphs
Indent the following paragraphs by four spaces to keep them in the note.
You write
A claim.[^long]
[^long]: The first paragraph of the note.
A second paragraph, indented four spaces.Where to put the notes
Anywhere in the file. Many people put each note right under the paragraph that uses it, which keeps them together while editing. They always appear at the end of the page.
Where footnotes work
| App | Footnotes |
|---|---|
| GitHub | Yes, but not in wikis |
| MarkdownPaper | Yes |
| VS Code preview | Only with an extension |
| Obsidian | Yes |
Footnotes come from GitHub Flavored Markdown and a few other flavors. In an
app without them, [^1] shows as plain text.
Common problems
- The note shows as text. There is no
:after[^1]on the note line, or the app does not support footnotes. - A note never appears. It is not used anywhere in the text. Unused notes are left out.
- The numbers are out of order. They follow the order the notes are used, not the labels you typed.
Questions
How do I add a footnote in Markdown?
Write [^1] where the mark should go, and [^1]: The note. on its own line
anywhere in the file.
Can footnotes have links and formatting?
Yes. Links, bold, italic and code all work inside a note.
Do footnotes work on GitHub?
Yes, in README files, issues and comments. GitHub's documentation notes that they are not supported in wikis.
Next
- Markdown links, including reference links, which work in a similar way.
- Print a document with footnotes to PDF.