Word 2013 can insert a picture stored on your computer directly into a document. After insertion, you can resize, crop, and control how text flows around the image. Keep the original image file if you may need a full-resolution copy later.
Insert a picture from your computer
- Click in the document near where you want the picture.
- Open the Insert tab.
- Select Pictures.
- Browse to the image file and select it.
- Choose Insert.
- Use the sizing handles and Layout Options to position the picture appropriately.
Resize from a corner
Dragging a corner handle generally preserves the picture’s proportions better than dragging a side handle. If the image needs a different shape, use Crop instead of stretching faces, screenshots, or diagrams.
Choose how text wraps
In Line with Text makes the image behave like a large character in a paragraph and is predictable for simple reports. Square, Tight, Behind Text, and In Front of Text allow more flexible layouts but can cause the picture to move as surrounding content changes.
Watch document size
Large camera photos can make a Word file much larger than necessary. Word’s picture compression tools can reduce resolution for email or on-screen documents, but keep an uncompressed original outside the document if image quality matters.
Office 2013 reached end of support in April 2023. Word 2013 can still perform these basic editing tasks, but Microsoft no longer supplies normal security updates for the suite. For documents received from untrusted sources or regular online collaboration, use a currently supported Office or Microsoft 365 release.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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