In desktop Word, add a source from References > Insert Citation > Add New Source, then insert or update the bibliography so the reference appears. Word for the web preserves an existing bibliography but does not provide a way to create one; use the desktop app for that step.
Add and cite a source in desktop Word
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Open the document in desktop Word and go to the References tab.
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Choose the required citation style from Style before adding the source. Microsoft lists APA, Chicago, GOST, IEEE, ISO 690 and MLA among the available styles; the choices and controls can vary by Word version and platform. See Microsoft’s citation instructions.
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Place the insertion point at the end of the sentence or phrase that needs a citation.
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Select Insert Citation > Add New Source.
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In the Create Source dialog, choose a Type of Source, such as a book section or website. Enter the available bibliographic details and select OK. Choose Show All Bibliography Fields to reveal additional fields.
Word inserts the citation at the cursor and makes the source available to reuse. Microsoft Support’s guidance is: “To add a citation to your document, you first add the source that you used.”
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Reuse or edit a source
To cite the same source elsewhere, place the cursor at the new passage and choose the source from References > Insert Citation. For details such as a page number, select Citation Options > Edit Citation when that option is available. To find or revise source entries, open References > Manage Sources. Microsoft describes Current List as sources cited in the open document and Master List as sources used in current or prior documents. Search or sort the lists, select an entry to edit it, or use Browse to import from another master list. See Microsoft’s bibliography and citation guide.
Insert the bibliography or update an existing one
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Place the cursor where the bibliography should appear.
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Choose References > Bibliography, then select a format.
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If you add a source after creating the bibliography, click within the bibliography and choose Update Citations and Bibliography.
Desktop Word and Word for the web
| Word version | Create a bibliography | Existing bibliography | Documented controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop Word | Yes. Microsoft documents adding sources and creating a bibliography. | Update it after adding a source by clicking in the bibliography and choosing Update Citations and Bibliography. | References > Insert Citation > Add New Source, References > Bibliography and References > Manage Sources. |
| Word for the web | No. Microsoft says the web version does not provide a way to create a bibliography. | It preserves a bibliography already in the document. | Microsoft’s guidance does not document the desktop source-creation controls for the web version. See Microsoft’s bibliography-formatting page. |
If the bibliography command is unavailable online, open the file in desktop Word, create or update the bibliography there, save the document, and reopen it online if needed. Microsoft’s support pages cover desktop Word versions including Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019 and Word 2016; they do not establish that the same controls appear identically across platforms.
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