> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.autype.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Footnotes

> Define reusable footnotes and reference them from editable document text

Footnotes are stored separately from the document body and numbered by their
first appearance. The stable ID is never shown to readers, so moving or adding
a reference renumbers the document automatically.

## Document JSON

Add definitions to the top-level `footnotes` array and use `[^id]` wherever
inline formatting is supported:

```json theme={null}
{
  "document": { "type": "docx", "size": "A4" },
  "footnotes": [
    {
      "id": "annual-report",
      "content": "**Annual report 2026**, page 42."
    }
  ],
  "sections": [
    {
      "type": "flow",
      "content": [
        {
          "type": "text",
          "text": "Revenue was independently verified[^annual-report]."
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

| Property  | Type   | Required | Limits                                                                          |
| --------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id`      | string | Yes      | 1-80 characters; starts with a letter, followed by letters, digits, `_`, or `-` |
| `content` | string | Yes      | 1-5,000 characters; supports inline Autype Markdown                             |

The document may contain up to 500 definitions. IDs must be unique and every
`[^id]` reference must resolve to a definition. One definition may be referenced
multiple times; all occurrences share the same content.
Footnote definitions cannot contain nested footnote references.

## Extended Markdown

For a short note used once, write its text directly beside the reference:

```markdown theme={null}
Revenue was independently verified^[**Annual report 2026**, page 42.].
```

Autype gives the note a stable internal ID and normalizes it to the canonical
form when the document is converted or saved. Compact notes are single-line
and support inline formatting and links.

Use a named definition when a note is reused or spans multiple lines:

```markdown theme={null}
Revenue was independently verified[^annual-report].

[^annual-report]: **Annual report 2026**, page 42.
```

Definitions may appear anywhere in the source and are serialized after the
document body. Neither compact nor named notes may contain another footnote.
Footnote syntax is distinct from citations (`@[citeKey]`) and internal
references (`[text](#anchor)`).

Longer notes use four-space or tab-indented continuation lines:

```markdown theme={null}
[^annual-report]: **Annual report 2026**, page 42.
    Independently reviewed on 10 August 2026.
```

## Editor and output behavior

In the RichText editor, choose **Add → Footnote**, enter the note in the modal,
and insert it. Clicking the numbered token reopens the same modal for editing or
deleting the reference. Numbers update automatically in document order.

DOCX import and export use native Word footnotes. PDF output renders normal
document footnotes through the DOCX conversion pipeline. A DOCX imported and
rendered again retains both the reference and editable definition.

<Note>
  Footnote IDs are technical identifiers. Do not use hard-coded visible numbers
  such as `[^1]` because IDs must begin with a letter and numbers are assigned
  automatically.
</Note>