How to Stop Beamer Footnotes Overlapping Navigation Symbols

Beamer can place navigation symbols in the same bottom area where it sets frame footnotes. If a footnote runs into those symbols, the easiest fix is to remove the symbols. Put the template command after your theme declaration so the theme does not override it.

Hide the navigation symbols

Add this to the preamble:

\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}

For example, this complete presentation uses the Madrid theme and includes a footnote:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usetheme{Madrid}

\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{A frame with a footnote}
Here is a statement with a note.\footnote{This is the footnote text.}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

No extra package is needed. The empty braces tell Beamer to use an empty navigation-symbol template. The footnote remains, but the onscreen navigation buttons disappear.

Why the overlap happens

Beamer themes can place navigation symbols—such as buttons for moving between slides—near the bottom-right edge of a frame. Footnotes also occupy space along the bottom of the frame. Depending on the theme, the footnote’s length, and the available width, these elements can overlap.

The command removes the symbols rather than moving the footnote. That is usually the cleanest fix because it avoids changing the footnote’s font, position, or usable width. It does not affect navigation using presentation software or the keyboard; it only removes Beamer’s onscreen buttons.

If you need to keep the buttons

Keep the navigation symbols and change the layout instead. The robust approach is to customize the theme’s footline or footnote template so the footnote area and the symbols occupy separate regions. The exact adjustment depends on the theme, since themes can define their own footlines and place the symbols differently.

For a presentation that only needs a slide count, another option is to replace the navigation buttons with a compact frame-number display in a custom footline. Beamer provides \insertframenumber and \inserttotalframenumber for that purpose. Avoid copying a footline template from a different theme without checking it: it may remove other elements, such as the author, title, or section information.

Common mistakes

• Setting the template before the theme: A later \usetheme command may replace the setting. Load the theme first, then set navigation symbols to empty.
• Changing \vspace to push the footnote: This can move content without fixing the overlapping layout, and may cause clipping or inconsistent spacing on other frames.
• Expecting this command to shorten the footnote: It only removes the navigation symbols. If the footnote itself is too wide or too close to the frame edge, that needs a separate layout adjustment.
• Assuming every theme has the same placement: If the symbols remain or the collision continues, check whether the theme defines a custom footline or footnote template that needs adjustment.