Word pictures move when you edit text: choose wrapping and positioning
Keep a screenshot with its instructions, wrap text around an illustration, or hold a picture at a fixed page position.
Use In Line with Text for a picture that should follow its paragraph. Use a floating layout with Fix Position on Page when its page position matters more. Adding spaces or blank lines to push a picture into place leaves it vulnerable to the next text edit.
In this guide
Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows and macOS. Word for the web has fewer controls for images positioned in the desktop app.
Choose what the picture should move with
A screenshot in a set of instructions usually belongs with the step it illustrates. A cover graphic may need a fixed position. Choose the behavior for that particular image before adjusting the rest of the document.
Set the wrapping and position
Select the picture. In Windows, open Layout Options, or use Picture Format > Wrap Text. Some versions label the ribbon tab Format. Microsoft's wrapping instructions cover the platform differences.
| What you need | Layout to check |
|---|---|
| A screenshot that follows an instruction | In Line with Text |
| An illustration surrounded by text | A wrapping layout and its position settings |
| A graphic at a fixed spot on the page | A floating layout with Fix Position on Page |
For a long report, save a copy and change one picture first. Add a short paragraph above it, then remove that paragraph. Check whether the picture stays with its caption or explanation and whether the next page still looks right.
A fixed position does not freeze pagination
Text added earlier in the document can still change page breaks and the space around a floating image. Check the image, its caption, and the neighboring pages together. Fixing the picture's position will not necessarily keep all three arranged as before.
If a blank final page appears after rearranging the document, see Word blank-page checks.
When the web editor cannot move it
Word for the web has limits when editing pictures with wrapping or fixed positions created in desktop Word. If those controls are unavailable, choose Open in Word, adjust the layout there, save, and check it again in the browser.
There is no need to delete and reinsert the picture simply because the web editor offers fewer controls. For a layout that still will not behave as expected, the support options in Microsoft's guide are the next step.
Sources
Based on official documentation; not independently tested. Sources checked Sep 27, 2026. How we review guides
Something out of date? Let us know.
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