How to Insert and Position Graphics in Word Documents

Summary

Step-by-step instructions for working with graphics in Microsoft Word

Overview

Graphics can add interest and impact to your Word documents. Suppose you've completed a letter telling your friends about the great party you threw for your cat's birthday. The words capture the festive mood of the event, but a page of only text can look lifeless and dull. Graphics can help enliven your document.

Insert Clip Art

1. Place the insertion point in your document where you want to insert clip art, and then select the clip you want.

2. On the Insert tab in the Illustrations group, click Online Pictures.

3. In the Insert Pictures dialog box, you can search either the Office.com site, or do a Bing image search. Type a word or phrase that describes the clip art that you want. Click the search button or press enter.

4. The results will produce both clip art and photographs. In the list of results, click the clip art to select it. You can hold the Ctrl button while clicking other illustrations to make multiple selections. Click the insert button to insert your selection(s).

Insert a Picture From a File

1. Click in the document where you want to insert the picture.

2. On the Insert tab in the Illustrations group, click Pictures.

3. Locate the picture that you want to insert.

4. Double-click the picture that you want to insert. After you insert a graphic, you can use wrapping styles to modify the layout of the text in relation to the graphic.

Wrap Text Around a Picture

1. Click the picture in your document to select the picture. When the picture is selected, you will see the Picture Tools tab appear on the right end of the Tab Bar.

2. Click the Picture Tools Tab to see the Picture Tools Ribbon.

3. In the Arrange Group, click the Wrap Text button.

4. You will see a drop-down list of Wrap Styles to choose from. Click the Wrap Style you want. Click off the picture to de-select it.

Wrapping Styles

You may now have a nice graphic, but that gap of white space to the right is probably not what you want. Don't worry; you can further refine the layout of the graphic and text. Using the five wrapping styles below, you can create documents with just the look you want.

Wrapping Style	Result
The In line with text style insets the graphic in the text at the location of the insertion point. The graphic moves as you add or delete text. The text does not wrap around the graphic; white space extends to the margins on either side of the graphic.
The Square style wraps the text around all sides of a square bounding the graphic. The graphic moves as you add or delete text.
The Tight style wraps the text around the graphic in an irregular shape bounding the actual image. The graphic moves as you add or delete text.
The Behind text style has no border around the graphic. The graphic floats on its own layer behind the text.
The In front of text style has no border around the graphic. The graphic floats on its own layer in front of the text.

In most cases, you can get the results you want by using these choices from the Layout tab. If you want even more control in positioning your graphic, see Help on how to use the advanced layout options.

Keywords: graphics, Microsoft Word, image position