The fastest way: drag and drop from your computer

Open your Word document and the folder containing your picture at the same time. Click and hold the picture file, then drag it directly into the document where you want it to appear. Release the mouse button. The picture lands in the document when ready, and you can resize it by dragging the corners.

This works on both Windows and Mac. The picture stays in your document even after you close the folder. If you only have one monitor, this method takes longer because you have to switch windows back and forth — in that case, use the Insert menu instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Drag and drop works fastest when you can see both your document and your picture folder at the same time on screen.
  • The Insert menu method works on any screen setup and gives you more control over where the picture lands.
  • After inserting a picture, you can resize it by dragging the corner handles, and move it by clicking and dragging the picture itself.
  • Word stores the picture inside your document file, so the document gets larger and you do not need to keep the original picture file.

Using the Insert menu on Windows

Click the Insert tab at the top of Word. In the ribbon that appears, find the Pictures button — it usually shows a small mountain icon. Click it, then select This Device from the dropdown menu.

A file browser window opens. Navigate to the folder where your picture lives, click the picture you want, then click the Insert button at the bottom right. The picture appears in your document at the spot where your cursor was blinking.

If you have multiple pictures to add, you can select more than one at once by holding Ctrl and clicking each picture before you hit Insert. Word adds them all in a row.

Using the Insert menu on Mac

Click the Insert menu at the top of the screen (not the ribbon — the actual menu bar). Select Pictures, then Picture from File.

A file browser window opens. Find your picture, click it once to select it, then click Insert. The picture appears in your document. On Mac, you cannot select multiple pictures at once this way — add them one at a time.

Resizing and moving your picture

After the picture is in your document, click it once to select it. Small squares appear at the corners and edges. Drag a corner square to resize the picture while keeping its shape correct. Drag an edge square to stretch it in one direction only.

To move the picture, click it and drag it to a new spot in the document. The text around it shifts to make room. If you want the picture to stay in one place and text to wrap around it, right-click the picture, select Wrap Text, then choose Square or Tight depending on how close you want the text to come.

Cropping and rotating your picture

Click the picture to select it. On Windows, the Picture Format tab appears in the ribbon at the top. On Mac, a toolbar appears above the document. Look for the Crop button — it looks like two overlapping right angles.

Click Crop. Black handles appear around the edges of the picture. Drag these handles inward to remove parts of the picture you do not want. Click outside the picture when you are done cropping. To rotate the picture, click it and look for a Rotate button in the same toolbar or ribbon, or right-click and select Rotate from the menu.

What happens to the picture file

When you insert a picture into Word, the picture becomes part of your document file. You do not need to keep the original picture file on your computer for the picture to stay in the document. If you delete the original picture folder, the picture in Word remains.

However, inserting many large pictures makes your Word file very large, which can slow down saving and sharing. If file size matters, keep pictures smaller than 2 megabytes each, or compress them after inserting. Right-click the picture, select Compress Pictures, and choose a quality level.

Inserting pictures from the internet

Click Insert, then Pictures. Instead of This Device, select Online Pictures (Windows) or Picture from Web (Mac). Type what you are looking for — a dog, a sunset, a specific landmark — and Word shows results from Bing Image Search.

Click a picture to preview it, then click Insert. The picture downloads and appears in your document. Make sure you have the right to use the picture before inserting it. Most school and work documents require you to use pictures that are free to reuse or that you own yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I insert a picture without it pushing my text down?

Yes. Right-click the picture after inserting it, select Wrap Text, then choose Square or Tight. The text now flows around the picture instead of moving below it. You can then drag the picture to sit beside your text.

Why is my picture blurry after I insert it?

You probably stretched it too large. Click the picture, then drag a corner handle back inward to make it smaller. If the original picture file is low quality, making it smaller will not fix the blur — you need a higher-quality version of the picture.

How do I delete a picture from my document?

Click the picture once to select it, then press the Delete key on your keyboard. The picture disappears and the text shifts to fill the space. You can undo this by pressing Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) when ready after.

Can I insert a picture in a specific size?

Yes. Right-click the picture and select Size and Position. Enter the exact width and height you want in inches or centimeters. Click OK and the picture resizes to those measurements.