How to Align Pictures in Word (In Line, Floating and Side by Side)

Pictures in Word can be aligned in two different ways, depending on their text wrapping. In Line with Text pictures behave like a character, so you align them with the paragraph alignment buttons. Pictures with any other wrapping float on the page, so you use the Align menu to line them up with the page, the margins, or each other. This guide covers both, plus tables for side-by-side pictures, alignment guides and exact positioning, in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021/2019/2016 and Word for Mac.

Quick Answer

One picture in line with text: click it and press Ctrl + E to center it (Ctrl + L left, Ctrl + R right). Several floating pictures: set their Wrap Text to Square or In Front of Text, Shift-click to select them, then choose Picture Format > Align and pick an option such as Align Top or Align Center.

Method 1: Align an In-Line Picture

1. Click the picture.
2. On the Home tab, click Align Left, Center or Align Right (or press Ctrl + L, Ctrl + E or Ctrl + R).

This is the default wrapping for inserted pictures and the most reliable for simple documents, because the picture moves with the text.

Method 2: Align Floating Pictures With the Align Menu

1. Select a picture and click the Layout Options icon beside it (or Picture Format > Wrap Text) and choose Square, Tight, Behind Text or In Front of Text.
2. Repeat for each picture you want to align.
3. Hold Shift (or Ctrl) and click each picture to select them together.
4. Go to Picture Format > Align (in the Arrange group).
5. Make sure Align Selected Objects is checked to align them to each other. Choose Align to Page or Align to Margin to align to the page instead.
6. Choose an option:
   • Align Left / Center / Right for vertical lines of pictures.
   • Align Top / Middle / Bottom for a row of pictures.
   • Distribute Horizontally / Vertically for even spacing (three or more pictures).

Tip: once aligned, press Ctrl + G (or Group in the Align area) to group the pictures so they move together.

Method 3: Use a Table for Side-by-Side Pictures

1. Go to Insert > Table and create a table with one column per picture (for example 1 row × 3 columns).
2. Click in each cell and insert a picture (keep it In Line with Text).
3. Select the table, go to Layout (Table Layout) and use the Alignment buttons to center pictures in their cells.
4. Remove the borders: Table Design > Borders > No Border.

Tables keep pictures neatly aligned even when text changes, and you can add captions in a second row.

Method 4: Exact Positioning

1. Right-click a floating picture and choose Size and Position (or More Layout Options).
2. On the Position tab, set Horizontal and Vertical alignment or an exact position relative to the page, margin or column.
3. Uncheck Move object with text if the picture should stay put, or check Lock anchor to keep it with a specific paragraph.

Alignment Guides and Gridlines

• Turn on Picture Format > Align > Use Alignment Guides. Green guides appear as you drag pictures near margins, the page center or other objects.
• For finer control, choose Align > View Gridlines or Grid Settings.
• Nudge a selected picture with the arrow keys; hold Ctrl for smaller steps.

Troubleshooting

• Align menu options are grayed out: the pictures are In Line with Text. Change their wrapping first.
• Can’t select several pictures: in-line pictures can’t be multi-selected as objects. Change the wrapping, or use the Selection Pane (Home > Select > Selection Pane).
• Pictures jump when typing: they’re anchored to a paragraph that moves. Use Fix Position on Page in Wrap Text, or a table.
• Picture won’t center: the paragraph may have an indent. Check Layout > Indent settings.

Word for Mac

The same options are under Picture Format > Arrange > Align. Hold Shift to select multiple pictures, and use Wrap Text to switch from in-line to floating.

Related: Add icons in Word.

Related: Align text boxes in Word.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I put two pictures side by side?

Use a two-column table, or set both to Square wrapping, place them next to each other and use Align Top.

How do I center a picture on the page vertically?

Set wrapping to In Front of Text, then choose Align > Align to Page and Align Middle.

Does alignment work for shapes too?

Yes. The Align menu works for shapes, text boxes and pictures together.

Summary

1. In-line pictures: use Home alignment buttons.
2. Floating pictures: set Wrap Text, select them, and use Picture Format > Align.
3. Use a table for tidy side-by-side layouts.
4. Use Size and Position for exact placement.