How to Delete Citations in Word

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Remove in-text sources from a Word document
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This wikiHow teaches you how to remove citations in Microsoft Word. A citation is a reference to an external source that is surrounded by parentheses and imbedded within text.

Quick Steps

  1. Click inside of the citation.
  2. Click the grey dots on the side of the citation.
  3. Press Del on your keyboard.
  4. Click Manage Sources and select the source.
  5. Click Delete.

Steps

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  1. Step 1 Click anywhere inside the citation.
    The citation is stored as a text box; once you click into it, between the parentheses, the text box will become visible.
  2. Step 2 Click on the 3 gray dots on the left side of the text box.
    This will select the entire text box rather than just the text inside it.
    • The text box will change from gray to blue when it is selected.
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  3. Step 3 Hit Delete or ← Backspace.
    This will delete the citation from the document text.
  4. Step 4 Click Manage Sources.
    This is in the "Citations & Bibliography" sections of the References tab.
  5. Step 5 Click on the source from the "Current List" on the right.
    This is a list of all added citations, even if they have been deleted from the document text.
  6. Step 6 Click the Delete button in the middle.
    This removes the citation from the Sources list so that it does not appear in the "Insert Citation" drop-down.
    • If this button is grayed out, it means that you have not deleted all instances of that citation from the document text. Any currently cited sources must be removed before deleting them from the list.
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Tips

  • Hit Ctrl+F to find all instances of a citation in the document. Type in the citation with its parentheses to get better results. If you do not remember what the citation is exactly, go to Manage Sources, select the citation from the "Current List", and note down the citation in the "Preview" section at the bottom.
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About This Article

KD
Co-authored by:
Katie Double
Tech Specialist
This article was co-authored by Katie Double. Katie Double is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has over five years of experience in technical support, IT process analysis, and quantitative research. Katie loves exploring the application of various technological tools, from data analysis and visualization to music production and performance. Though originally from Denver, Colorado, she currently resides in New Zealand. She has a BA in Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder. This article has been viewed 107,102 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: November 7, 2024
Views: 107,102
Categories: Microsoft Word
Article SummaryX

1. Click into the citation to show the text box.
2. Click on the 3 gray dots on the left of the text box.
3. Hit Delete or Backspace.
4. Click Manage Sources.
5. Select the citation from the "Current List" on the right.
6. Click Delete.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 107,102 times.

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