How to add a picture to a Word document

Adding a picture to a Word document can be as simple as copying and pasting it from a website.

Alternatively, you might download and insert images into your document or add pictures that are already on your device.

You can also use Word’s Bing search to find suitable stock images. 

Inserting images to make your Word document pop doesn’t have to be difficult.

However, with multiple solutions and image sources to pick from, it can get confusing.

So, if you’ve been wondering how to add a picture to a Word document, you’ve come to the right place. On this page, we cover how to insert images and more besides.

How to insert a picture in Word: Step-by-step

Comparing Word documents with pictures to those without brings a stark realization: the former are far more interesting and informative.

So, how do you go about adding images to uplift your content?

From files

One way to insert a picture in Word is by importing it from your files. Just follow these steps to do so.

1. Click on where you want the image to be inserted. The bottom left corner will align with this point in the doc. 
2. Look for the “Insert” tab at the top of your document. 
3. Click on the “Pictures” button. A box will appear that gives you various options:
4. This device
5. Stock images
6. Online pictures

To add a picture from your files, click on “This device” or press “D” on the keyboard. A file browser will pop up.

Find the image you wish to add, or add multiple images by holding “Ctrl” when you click on a file. When you’re happy with your selection, click “Insert”.

4. The image will appear where the cursor was placed. 

Online

Another option is to follow the steps below.

1. Click on “Insert”.
2. Click on “Pictures”.
3. From the three options that appear, select “Online pictures”. A dialog box will appear (this will be named Bing Image Search). Type in a word or phrase to describe what you’re looking for, such as “electric guitar.”
4. Filter images by size, type, color, and layout, and then select the image you want to insert.

Alternatively, you can copy and paste images you find online from most websites.

Either right-click to do this or use Ctrl + C followed by Ctrl + V to copy and paste.

How to edit an image in Word

Now you know how to add pictures to a Word doc — but part of good document management is having the ability to manipulate these images too.

So, how do you edit them in Word?

You can resize a picture by clicking on it.

Six dotted points connected by lines will appear around it. You can then click the corner and drag to resize the image as you see fit.

Clicking the curved arrow above the picture will rotate it.

You can also double-click on the image to bring up the “Picture format” tab at the top of Microsoft Word. Useful tools here are “Wrap text” and “Crop”.

The former lets you change how the text aligns relative to the picture.

The latter allows you to slice the image down to your liking. You can also add an image border.

Learn how to add pictures to a Word document and bring your files to life

That’s it — you now know how to add pictures to a Word doc.

This means you can captivate your readers with stunning visuals and use these to help them gain a greater understanding of your content.

So, what’s next? Well, how about breezy document generation with PandaDoc?

This document management software comes with templates and automation to help you decrease creation time by 50%. 

Additionally, you only need to add an image in PandaDoc once.

After it’s been used for one doc, you can then find it in your image library forevermore, allowing you to seamlessly add it to any or all of your future documents.

This means you never have to worry about how to add pictures to Word again.