Word provides several features that make inserting graphics into your document a breeze. However, having text and graphics on the same page can get a bit tricky. The following articles explore many of the issues you may run into when working with graphics and how to resolve them.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Graphics' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Nothing beats a screen shot when you are trying to convey information about using the computer. With just a couple of easy shortcuts, you can add screen shots to your documents.

   Absolutely Positioning a Graphic
Want a graphic to appear at a precise place on the page? It's easy to gain control by following the steps in this tip.

   Adding a Background to Your Document
Document backgrounds come in handy if you plan on converting the document to a Web page. Here's how you can add a background of your choice to your document.

   Adjusting Shadow Settings
Insert a graphic into a document and Word allows you to add a shadow behind the graphic. You can also adjust the properties of the shadow, as described in this tip.

   Anchoring Objects by Default
When you position objects (such as text boxes or graphics) on a page, one of the things you can do is to anchor the object so it won't move as freely. Want the object to be anchored by default? You'd be out of luck, as described in this tip.

   Automatically Formatting Graphics and AutoShapes
Want to change the graphics formatting defaults in Word? You can customize some of these defaults, saving yourself some time.

   Best Quality for High Resolution Graphics
You want your documents to look as good as they can. If those documents include graphics, then you also need to make sure that they look as good as they can. Here are some ideas on how to get the best quality you can.

   Can't Select and Edit Graphics Elements
Adding graphics to your documents can make them livelier and easier to understand. What if you can't select and edit the graphics, though? Here's something to check that may make editing the graphics easier.

   Cannot View Graphics in a Document
Got a problem where you can't view any of the graphics you insert in your document? The solution could be simple, or you could be seeing a symptom of a more complex problem. This tip explains some of the things you can check out.

   Capturing a Screen
Windows provides a way of "capturing" the image on the screen into the clipboard. You can then paste the image from the clipboard into your document.

   Changing Compression Print Resolution
The resolution at which Word compresses graphics in a document may be bothersome. If it is, your options are very limited, and you will probably get better results by looking toward a solution other than Word.

   Changing Defaults for Text Boxes and Callouts
Do you find yourself frequently creating text boxes and callouts? This tip describes how to change the default settings and how you can easily create text boxes that exactly meet your common requirements.

   Changing the Size of a Drawing Object
Documents are often made up of more than just text. If you have drawing objects in your document, you will doubtless need to change their sizes from time to time. Here's how to easily make the changes you need.

   Changing the Size of a Graphic
Word allows you to add more than text to your documents; you can also add graphics. Once added, you can modify the size of those graphics by using the techniques in this tip.

   Choosing an Insert Method for Pictures
The way that you choose to add pictures to your document can have an effect on the file size of those documents. It is best not to paste pictures, but to insert them instead.

   Clip Art Sizing Difficulties
A discussion of problems a reader was having resizing clip art in Word.

   Converting Tables to Charts
Put numeric information in a table and you can then convert that information to a graphical chart using Microsoft Graph Chart. Here's how to create the chart object.

   Counting All Graphics
Need to know how many graphics a document contains? Getting at the true number may take a little more work than it first appears.

   Creating a Drawing Object
Word documents can contain more than just words. They can also contain drawing objects such as lines and simple shapes. Word provides an easy way to add such objects to a document.

   Creating Oval Pictures
A couple of ways to create oval shaped pictures in a Word document.

   Creating Usable Figure Captions
Many people add both images and figure captions within text boxes so they can be easily positioned within a document. Doing so, however, has drawbacks as the figure captions are not as easily accessible for cross referencing or for inclusion in a Table of Figures. This tip describes how you can rectify this situation so that the captions are again usable.

   Cropping Graphics
Need your hide some of the outside edges of a graphic? You can instruct Word to crop (or hide) those outside edges by following the steps in this tip.

   Default Picture Location
When you insert pictures into a document, the first folder that Word opens up is normally the My Pictures folder. You can change the starting folder by making a change on the Files tab of the Options dialog box.

   Default Picture Settings
Place enough pictures, and sooner or later you start wondering if there is a way to set up some default settings for those pictures. The short answer is that you can't, but there are things you can do to make the picture-formatting process much easier.

   Determining Picture Size in a Macro
When processing a document using a macro, you may need for your macro to figure out the sizes of the images in your document. This information can be accessed by using the techniques described in this tip.

   Disappearing Graphics Groups
Grouping graphics together can be a great way to manage them easier. Doing the grouping, however, could have unintended consequences. Word handles grouped graphics differently than the individual graphics that make up the group. This tip explains how that can affect your document.

   Displaying Thumbnails and Full-Size Images
Sometimes images can be just too big to display in a document. Instead you may want to display a smaller, thumbnail-size version of the graphic that people can click on in order to see the full-size version. Word doesn't have a built-in function to do this, but you can devise your own display method using the hyperlink capabilities of the program.

   Dragging and Dropping Pictures in a Document
Do you like to add pictures to your document just by dragging and dropping? What are you to do if it appears the capability just stops one day? Here's an idea for a fix you can check.

   Easily Changing Links in Documents
You may have a lot of linked images in a document, and then one day need to change the links if the location of the images changes. Here's how you can make the necessary changes quickly.

   Editing Wrap Points
If you have a graphic that has text wrapping around it, you might want a way to modify the wrapping path used by Word. You can easily do that by modifying the points that define the wrapping path. This tip shows how easy it is to monkey with the wrap points around an image.

   Extracting INCLUDEPICTURE File Names
If you use the INCLUDEPICTURE field to add images to your document, you may love the macro in this tip. It allows you to pull all the filenames used in the field, resulting in a handy image file list.

   Extracting Pictures from a Document
Word allows you to easily insert pictures into your documents. Getting the pictures back out of your documents can be another story, however. Here's a description of what happens to your pictures once they are inserted and what your options are for getting them out.

   Faster Picture Displaying
If you have a document with many graphics, you know that Word can sometimes be slow in displaying all those graphics. This tip examines why this occurs and discusses some things you can try to speed up the display of those pictures.

   Filling A Drawing Object
Creating a drawing object can be just the first step in putting together your masterpiece drawing. This tip explains how you can fill the object with a color of your choosing.

   Flipping a Drawing Object
Place a drawing object in your document, and it doesn't have to stay that way. You can flip a drawing object in either of two directions, as discussed in this tip.

   Freezing Cell Size when Inserting Pictures
Insert a picture into a table cell, and you may quickly find that the table is no longer the size you expected. Here's how to make sure that the cells in your table don't resize themselves when you insert an image.

   Graphics and Line Height
If the inline graphics in your document appear "chopped off," it could be directly related to the formatting within the paragraph containing the graphic. This tip explains why this chopping happens and how you can adjust formatting so that the entire graphic shows up.

   Grouping Drawing Objects
Drawing objects are easily added to a document. You can group these objects so they are easier to manage by following the steps in this tip.

   Hanging Indents in Wrapped Text
If you use hanging indents for some of your paragraphs, you may wonder why they don't look right when they wrap on the right side of a text box or graphic. Here's the reason and what you can do to correct the formatting.

   Hiding Graphics
Do you need a printout where graphics can be turned on and off? This tip provides some concrete ways you can get just want you need in such a printout.

   Horizontal Alignment Errors for Graphics
Discussion of alignment differences for graphics in Word 97 and Word 2000.

   Inserting from the Clip Art Gallery Doesn't Work
Ever insert a picture and it won't display in your document? It could be due to some of the display settings in Word. Here's how to check them out.

   Inserting Multiple Graphics in a Document
Word allows you to easily place graphics in a document. Placing one or two graphics is easy, but placing many graphics in a single document can easily become tedious. Here are some ways that you can insert a large number of graphics into a document quickly and easily.

   Keeping a Picture Title with the Picture
Pictures and their titles go together like peanut butter and jelly. (Wow, did I just say that?) Seriously, pictures and titles belong together, and keeping them on the same page can be a challenge at times. Here are some things to check.

   Keeping Callouts Positioned
Using graphics to add callouts to your graphics is a common occurrence in Word. Here's how to stop all those graphics from moving to places other than where you originally place them.

   Merging Graphics from Access
An Access database can store all types of data, including graphic images. Merging most data from Access into Word is relatively easy, except when it comes to graphics. This tip explains why this is the case and ways you can work around the problem.

   Merging Graphics into Word Documents
Ever want to expand the mail merge feature to include graphics? Merging graphics into your document is easy but requires some know-how. This tip explains how Word handles the process.

   Missing Left Border
Ever wonder why a border around a graphic doesn't print the way it looks on the screen? There are several ways to add and edit borders. Here's where to look to find the problem, along with other useful information about printing.

   Moving Captions with Pictures
Put a caption with a picture and you'd probably like the two elements to behave like they belong together. If you are tired of your captions getting separated from their pictures, here are some ideas you can use.

   Moving Drawing Objects
When you need to move a drawing object around your document, you use the mouse after you select the object. This tip shows how you can make the move.

   Moving Object Anchors
When you insert an object into your document, it is anchored to a paragraph. If you want to change the paragraph to which the object is anchored, you can do so by using the technique in this tip.

   Nudging a Graphic
If you need to move a graphic just a little bit in one direction or another, you can do so by using the techniques in this tip. (Hint: Using the keyboard to nudge a graphic is easiest.)

   Only Inline Figures Can be Seen and Printed
Insert a graphic into a document and you expect to be able to see it. What do you do if it isn't displayed, however? Here are some things to check out.

   Permanent Watermarks in a Document
Need to add a graphic watermark to a document? It's not that hard to do, but making the watermark permanent can be a bit more vexing.

   Placing Many Graphics in a Document
Word documents can contain more than just text. You can even create documents that contain almost no text at all. This would be the case if you have a document in which you want to insert a large number of graphics. This tip explains how you can easily do the insertion and make the graphics printable.

   Positioning Graphics Evenly
If you have some graphics inserted in your document, you may want to adjust the horizontal space between those graphics. Here's the easiest way to make that adjustment.

   Problems Pasting Large Pictures
If you insert a large picture in your document and your text jumps all around and the picture seems to disappear, don't worry. The information in this tip will help you get matters back to normal in record time.

   Resize Graphics Outside of Word
Need your graphics to be larger or smaller than they first appear when you insert them in a document? Your best bet may be to resize them using a program other than Word. Here's why.

   Rotating a Drawing Object
You can add all sorts of drawing objects to a document. Once placed, you can then rotate them to your heart's content. This tip explains a couple of ways you can perform the rotation.

   Rotating Fractions in a Text Box
Rotating graphics in Word is not always straight-forward, but it can be done. The tools on the Drawing toolbar allow you to modify the graphics in your document to your needs.

   Rotating Graphics Around a Different Center Point
You use the rotation handle in Word 2002 and Word 2003 to, well, rotate graphics around a center point. But if you hold down the Ctrl key while you use the handle, you can rotate the graphic around a center point that is even lower in the graphic.

   Scaling Graphics in a Macro
If you need to make sure that the graphics in a document are all scaled similarly, you'll love the macros presented in this tip. Use them to scale individual graphics or all the graphics.

   Searching and Replacing Graphics
Got a bunch of graphics in a document that need replacing? (Perhaps you need to replace an old logo with a new one.) Word doesn't provide a direct way to do it, but there are ways to get what you want.

   Searching for Floating Graphics
Graphics can be added to a document so that they are either inline with the text or floating over the text. You can use Word's Find and Replace tool to locate the inline graphics, but not the floating ones. This tip provides ways you can find the latter type of graphics.

   Selecting a Graphic Behind a Text Box
How to select a graphic that is obscured by a text box can be perplexing. Here's an overview of the different ways you can select just the graphic and nothing else.

   Selecting a Graphic that is Behind Text
Position a graphic so that it is "behind" your text, and it may seem like you can no longer select the graphic. Here's how you can get to that graphic, even if it is obscured by your text.

   Selecting Drawing Objects
Word allows you to create all sorts of drawings using a wide assortment of tools. When you need to take an action upon those drawing objects, you need to know how to select them. Here's how.

   Stopping Text from Jumping Around
Do you struggle with getting your graphics and surrounding text to appear just the way you want it? Here are some techniques you can use to make the task a bit easier.

   Turning On Picture Placeholders
Displaying graphics in a document requires a great deal more computer processing than displaying simple text. A document that has "too many" graphics in it scrolls very slowly. If switching from Print layout to Draft view does not speed up scrolling to a satisfactory point you can also tell Word to display the graphics as simple empty box placeholders.

   Understanding Fill Effects
Want to fill a drawing shape with more than just a color? Word allows you to use all sorts of fills, as described in this tip.

   Understanding Graphic Linking
Word provides a couple of different ways that graphics can be linked to your document. How you control the method used depends on the choices you make in the Insert Picture dialog box.

   Understanding Grayscale Images
Word allows you to easily add images to your documents. For documents intended for monochrome printers, grayscale images are the most common type of graphic you can use. This tip explains exactly what a grayscale image is.

   Understanding Object Anchors
Do you have documents that contain objects? Understanding how Word handles objects and the way they are anchored can make a big difference in the final look of your document. This tip explores object anchors and why they are important.

   Understanding Page Border Art
Add some artwork around the border of your printed page, and you may not know where that artwork comes from. You may also want to add your own graphics to be used as page borders. Because Word uses a proprietary format for this type of graphic, adding your own artwork may not be possible.

   Understanding the Drawing Canvas
Need to keep your drawing shapes together in one place? The drawing canvas may be exactly what you are looking for.

   Unwanted Graph Paper Effect
When you open a document or start to use Word, do you see a background that looks like graph paper? It could be because of any number of reasons, as described in this tip.

   Using Callouts
If you want to put comments in your document, you can use Word's built-in comment feature. Another way is to use callout graphics (which function like text boxes) to add your comments.

   Using MPF Graphic Files
There are all sorts of file formats used to store graphics. You might think that one of those formats is the MPF format, described in this tip.

   Using the Drawing Grid
One of the lesser-known drawing tools provided in Word is the drawing grid. You can easily turn this feature on and use it to help you create drawing objects that are uniformly sized and placed.

   Vertical Alignment of an Inline Graphic
Word allows you to insert graphics in two ways: either inline or floating. If you use inline graphics, you may want to adjust the vertical position of the graphic in relation to the text to the left or right of the graphic. Here's how to do it.

   Vertical Lines in Word
Lines can help to organize the data on a page or make certain points clearer. Word provides several different ways you can add vertical lines to your page layout.

   Working With OLE Graphics
An explanation of the way Word imports graphics.

   Wrapping Text Around a Graphic
Place a graphic in your document, and you may want to make sure that your document text "wraps" around the edges of the graphic. There are several wrapping methods you can instruct Word to use; here's how to do it.