4 Ways to Quickly Convert All Comments to Footnotes/Endnotes and Vice Versa in Word

In this article, we will show you 4 ways to quickly convert all comments in your Word document to footnotes /endnotes and vice versa.

Comments, footnotes and endnotes are helpful elements in Word to hold revisions and detailed explanations. While some prefer the use of comments for the side by side layout, others would go with footnotes or endnotes. It is therefore, we want to provide you 4 methods to convert between comments and footnotes / endnotes.

Method 1: Convert All Comments to Footnotes

Before all, we want you understand we target all comments in a document as to convert them into a designated note form. Thus, macro comes out first choice.

1. First and foremost, press “Alt+ F11” to open VBA editor in Word.
2. Next create a new module by clicking “Normal” in the left column.
3. Then click “Insert” tab and choose “Module”.
4. Double click on new module as to open it.
5. And paste the following macro there:

Sub ConvertCommentsToFootnotes()
  Application.ScreenUpdating = False
 
  Dim objComment As Comment
  Dim objRange As Range
  Dim objDoc As Document
 
  Set objDoc = ActiveDocument
 
  With objDoc
    For Each objComment In .Comments
      Set objRange = objComment.Range
      .Footnotes.Add Range:=objComment.Scope, Text:=objRange.Text
      objComment.Delete
    Next objComment
  End With
  Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

6. Lastly, click “Run” or hit “F5”.

You will find all comments are replaced with footnotes, put at the bottom of each page.

Method 2: Convert All Comments to Endnotes

In case you like using endnotes, you can run the following macro.

1. Firstly, install and run a macro with steps in method 1.
2. Then replace the macro with this one:

Sub ConvertCommentsToEndnotes()
  Application.ScreenUpdating = False
 
  Dim objComment As Comment
  Dim objRange As Range
  Dim objDoc As Document
 
  Set objDoc = ActiveDocument
 
  With objDoc
    For Each objComment In .Comments
      Set objRange = objComment.Range
      .Endnotes.Add Range:=objComment.Scope, Text:=objRange.Text
      objComment.Delete
    Next objComment
  End With
  Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Method 3: Convert All Footnotes to Comments

As said, some people prefer the use of comments in document, so here is the ways to convert footnotes to comments.

1. Similarly, install and run macro following steps in method 1.
2. Next change the codes as follows:

Sub ConvertFootnotesToComments()
  Application.ScreenUpdating = False
 
  Dim objFootnote As Footnote
  Dim objRange As Range
  Dim objDoc As Document
 
  Set objDoc = ActiveDocument
 
  With objDoc
    For Each objFootnote In .Footnotes
      Set objRange = objFootnote.Range
      .Comments.Add Range:=objFootnote.Reference, Text:=objRange.Text
      objFootnote.Delete
    Next objFootnote
  End With
  Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

As you see, the footnote references in main document disappeared. Instead, there is a vertical red bar at the place of the reference. See the example:

Method 4: Convert All Endnotes to Comments

1. Still, install and run macro with descripted steps in method 1.
2. And replace the macro with the following one:

Sub ConvertEndnotesToComments()
  Application.ScreenUpdating = False
 
  Dim objEndnote As Endnote
  Dim objRange As Range
  Dim objDoc As Document
 
  Set objDoc = ActiveDocument
 
  With objDoc
    For Each objEndnote In .Endnotes
      Set objRange = objEndnote.Range
      .Comments.Add Range:=objEndnote.Reference, Text:=objRange.Text
      objEndnote.Delete
    Next objEndnote
  End With
  Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Just like the result in method 3, you will find no endnote references in main document anymore.

Keep a Repairing Tool in Advance

As time goes by, problems and errors tend to occur in the use of Word. Unfortunately, this is inevitable, for Word is no foolproof. Therefore, to seize every valuable minute in times of stuck with a collapsed Word, keeping a docx repair tool around can be time effective.

Author Introduction:

Vera Chen is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including corrupt Excel and pdf repair software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com