Positioning Images in Word
Inserting a picture into Word is relatively straightforward since you just select Insert and then
Positioning the picture within your content is not so obvious. To adjust how the picture is positioned within your document you need to select the context menu for the picture you want to position (either by right clicking on it or giving it the focus and pressing the contextmenu key on your keyboard) and then select Format Picture.
The Layout tab is the one that allows you to specify how the image is to be positioned relative to the surrounding text. The options it provides are:
- In line with text which means that the image will appear within the text at whatever position you have placed it. The row of text that contains the image will be expanded downwards to make space to display the image and a gap will be left below the text to the left and above the text to the right of the image.
- Square means that the text will wrap around the image. A rectangular area will be used to display the image and text will fit as many rows alongside the image as would normally fit there if the image wasn't there. You can then select whether the image should be left, center, right or at some other position within the text of thise rows.
- Tight works the same as square except that if the image has an irregular shape the text can actually come in closer on either side to tightly wrap around the image itself.
- Behind Text and In Front of Text do not interrupt the flow of the text at all. Instead the picture either forms a background behind the text or the picture is in front of the text. In the first of these the picture needs to be one that contrasts with the text or the text will be unreadable. In the second instance the image needs to be at least partly transparent so that the text can be seen through it. Neither of these options will be used anywhere near as frequently as the other three.
Word actually allows even more control of picture placement than this. Where selecting an option and alignment from this dialog is insufficient you can select the Advanced button at the bottom right which will present a further range of options for more accurately positioning the picture relative to the rest of the page.
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