Cannot View Graphics in a Document

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 3, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Elizabeth ran into a problem with Word after updating to Word 2003 SP2. For some reason she can no longer see any graphics in her document. She knows they are still there because the text wraps around them, but they are not visible. They do print OK, however.

The first thing to check is to make sure that picture placeholders has not somehow been turned on. You do this by following these steps:

Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
Make sure the View tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The View tab of the Options dialog box.

Clear the Picture Placeholders check box.
Click OK.

If the check box was selected, then Word doesn't display graphics. Clear the check box, and they reappear, as you would expect. The problem could also have to do with how you are pasting images in your document and the viewing mode you are using. Basically, if you pare pasting images as anything other than "inline" and you are using Normal or Outline viewing modes, you won't be able to see the pictures. Microsoft discusses this problem in their Knowledge Base:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285957

If this doesn't fix the problem, then it could be related to problems with a device driver or conflicts between your device drivers. Chances are good it is not a problem with the printer driver (you can print the graphics without problem), so it is probably a video card driver. You'll want to determine what type of video card you have and then visit the Web site of the manufacturer to procure the latest download.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (323) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Shifting Margins Evident in Word 2002

When you open a document in one version of Word and compare it to what you see for the same document in a different ...

Discover More

Determining an Integer Value

When creating macros, you often need to process numbers in various ways. VBA allows you to convert a numeric value to an ...

Discover More

Dates Copied Incorrectly

Under the right circumstances, you may notice problems when copying dates from one workbook to another. This tip explains ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (menu)

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 ...

Discover More

Understanding Object Anchors

Do you have documents that contain objects? Understanding how Word handles objects and the way they are anchored can make ...

Discover More

Disappearing Graphics Groups

Grouping graphics together can be a great way to manage them easier. Doing the grouping, however, could have unintended ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is six more than 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.