Adding Images in Microsoft Word

From company logos to detailed scientific illustrations, there are many occasions for adding an image to a Microsoft Word document. But how does this work? And how can you ensure your finished document looks professional? Check out our guide below for a few tips.

Adding Images in Microsoft Word

You have three main options for adding images and illustrations in Microsoft Word. These are as follows:

1. Adding an image from your computer
2. Adding an image from the internet
3. Using the ‘Shapes’ and ‘SmartArt’ available via Word itself

You can access all these options via the Illustrations section of the Insert tab on the main ribbon. This tab is also where you can find options for adding charts and tables to your document.

1. Adding an Image from Your Computer

To insert an image from your own computer in a document:

• Place the cursor where you want to add a picture
• Go to Insert > Illustrations
• Click Pictures to open a new window
• Find and select the image you want to use on your computer
• Click Insert

This will add the picture (full size) in the place selected. You can also add an image from your computer by clicking and dragging the image file from its folder into the document.

2. Adding an Image from the Internet

To import an image directly from the internet, simply:

• Select where the image should go with the cursor
• Go to Insert > Illustrations
• Click Online Pictures
• Search for a picture using Bing Image Search (keep Creative Commons Only selected if you will be using the image for commercial purposes)
• Select the image(s) you want to use and click Insert

This will add the selected image to your document. It will even add a makeshift caption, including the licence for the picture. However, make sure you’re familiar with the rules about using copyrighted and Creative Commons images before you add other people’s images to your document.

3. Shapes and SmartArt

For simple images, such as flow charts or arrows, it may be easier to use the ‘Shapes’ and ‘SmartArt’ options in Microsoft Word. These are pre-set graphics that you can add at the click of a button:

• The ‘Shapes’ include arrows, boxes, speech bubbles and other basic geometrical shapes and graphics. You can access these by going to Insert > Illustrations > Shapes. You will then need to click and drag to set the dimensions of the shape selected.
• ‘SmartArt’ comprises pre-designed combinations of the graphics available in the ‘Shapes’ menu. This allows you to add an entire flowchart in one go, for example, which you can then adjust to suit your own requirements.

These options offer a simple way to add visual elements to your document.

Formatting Images

We won’t go into all the image formatting options available in Microsoft Word here. However, there are two key factors to consider whenever you add an image to a document:

• Image size and position – You can resize an image by clicking and dragging the circles at its edges. To move an image, moreover, you can click it and drag it around the document.
• Text wrapping – This controls how the image is positioned in relation to the text. You can access these settings by clicking the image and going to Format > Arrange > Wrap Text.

Using these options will help ensure the image looks tidy on the page. To remove an image from a document, meanwhile, simply select it and hit delete or backspace on your keyboard.