The fastest way to add text to a picture in Word
Open your document in Word, right-click the picture, and select Add Text from the menu. A text box will appear directly on the image where you can type. When you finish typing, click outside the text box to lock it in place. This method works in Word for Windows, Word for Mac, and Word online.
If you do not see an Add Text option in the right-click menu, your version of Word may be older. In that case, use the alternative method: go to the Insert tab at the top, click Text Box, draw a box over your picture, and type inside it. Both approaches produce the same result — text that sits on top of your image.
Key Takeaways
- Right-click any picture in Word and select Add Text to place a text box directly on the image without extra steps.
- You can change the text color, size, and font using the formatting tools that appear when the text box is selected.
- Text boxes can be moved, resized, or deleted at any time by clicking and dragging them or pressing Delete.
- If Add Text does not appear in your right-click menu, use Insert > Text Box instead.
Using the Insert Text Box method for older Word versions
If your version of Word does not have the Add Text option, the Text Box tool works just as well. Click the Insert tab at the top of the ribbon, then find and click Text Box. Your cursor will change to a crosshair.
Click and drag over the picture to create a box where you want the text to appear. Release the mouse, and you can start typing immediately. The text box behaves the same way as one created with Add Text — you can format it, move it, or delete it whenever you need to.
Formatting text on your picture
Once you have typed text into a text box on your picture, click inside the text box to select it. The formatting toolbar will appear at the top. You can change the font, size, and color using the same buttons you use for regular text in Word.
To change the text color specifically, click the small arrow next to the Font Color button (usually marked with an "A" with a colored line underneath). Select a new color from the palette. If you want the text to stand out more, you can also add a background color to the text box itself by right-clicking it, selecting Shape Fill, and choosing a color.
You can also make text bold, italic, or underlined by selecting the text and clicking the corresponding buttons in the toolbar. These same formatting options work whether you created the text box with Add Text or with the Insert menu.
Moving and resizing text boxes on your picture
Click once on the text box to select it — you will see a border with small squares at the corners and edges. Click and drag the border itself to move the entire text box to a new location on the picture. Click and drag one of the corner squares to resize the box. Dragging a corner square keeps the text box proportional, while dragging an edge square stretches it in one direction only.
If the text box is in the way and you want to see what is underneath, you can send it backward or bring it forward. Right-click the text box, select Arrange, and choose Send Backward or Bring Forward. This is useful when you have multiple text boxes or other objects layered on top of each other.
Removing text from a picture
To delete a text box, click once on its border to select it (not the text inside — the border itself), then press the Delete key. The entire text box will disappear. If you only want to delete the text but keep the box, click inside the text box, select all the text with Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac), and press Delete.
If you delete a text box by mistake, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) immediately to undo the action and bring it back.
Text boxes versus WordArt for pictures
Word also has a feature called WordArt that adds stylized text with effects like shadows, glows, and curved text. WordArt is found under Insert > WordArt. However, WordArt is harder to position precisely on a picture and is better suited for decorative text like titles or headers rather than labels or captions on images.
For most situations — adding a caption, label, or simple text to a picture — a regular text box is clearer and easier to control. Use WordArt only if you want a special visual effect that a plain text box cannot provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add text to a picture without creating a text box?
No. Word does not allow you to write directly on a picture the way some other programs do. You must use either the Add Text option or the Text Box tool, both of which create a text box that sits on top of the image. The text box is separate from the picture itself.
What if my text box is behind the picture and I cannot see it?
Right-click the picture, select Arrange, and choose Send Backward. This moves the picture behind the text box so you can see and edit the text. You can also click on the text box border directly if you can see any part of it sticking out from behind the picture.
Can I save a picture with text on it as a new image file?
Word does not merge the text and picture into a single image file. If you need a picture with text baked into it, you must copy the picture and text box together, paste them into an image editor like Paint, and save as an image file. Alternatively, take a screenshot of the Word document showing the picture with text, then save the screenshot as an image.
Why does my text look blurry on the picture?
This usually happens when the picture is very small or the text is very small. Try increasing the font size of the text or enlarging the picture itself. If the picture is low resolution, the text may appear fuzzy no matter what you do — the picture quality is the limiting factor, not Word.
Can I rotate text on a picture in Word?
Regular text boxes cannot be rotated in Word. If you need rotated text, use WordArt instead — right-click the WordArt object, select Arrange, and look for rotation options. Keep in mind that WordArt text is harder to position precisely on a picture than a regular text box.