In Word, “attach a document” can mean three different things. Use Text from File when the other document’s words should become part of the current document. Use Insert > Object > Create from File when you want a clickable embedded file. Use a link when you want readers to open a separate source. Choose the result before you insert anything, because the three methods behave differently when you share the finished file.
Choose the right result
- Readable, editable text in the main document: Insert Text from File. The imported text becomes part of the destination document; it is not a separate attachment.
- A separate file stored inside the Word document: Embed an object. You can display it as an icon. Embedding increases the Word file size and does not keep updating from the original file.
- A connection to a file stored elsewhere: Link an object or add a hyperlink. The recipient needs access to the source; a link to a file on your own computer may not work for them.
Insert another document’s text
- Open the destination document in desktop Word and click where the imported text should begin. Save a copy first if the original layout matters.
- Choose Insert, select the arrow next to Object, then select Text from File.
- Find the Word document, select it, and choose Insert. Review the result in the destination document rather than assuming its formatting transferred perfectly.
Imported text can bring headings, tables, and page breaks that affect the destination layout. If you need to retain a different header or footer, Microsoft recommends inserting a new section before the imported content. For a longer manuscript, also check heading levels, page numbering, and the table of contents after insertion. If you are combining complete files, our guide to merging two Word documents offers related layout checks.
If the imported text suddenly uses different fonts or heading sizes, the two documents probably share style names such as Normal or Heading 1 with different definitions. Word applies the destination document’s version of those styles, while text formatted by hand keeps its formatting. Modify or reapply the styles in the destination document to get the look you want.
Embed a clickable document or other file
- Place the cursor where the object should appear and choose Insert > Object.
- Choose the Create from File tab and Browse to the document or other supported file.
- Leave Link to file clear if the file itself should be embedded. Select Display as icon if you want a compact icon rather than a preview, then choose OK.
- Save the Word document, reopen that saved copy, and test the icon. The receiving computer may need a compatible application to open the embedded content.
An embedded object becomes part of the Word file. Changes to the separate source file do not automatically replace it. If the source contains private material, inspect the embedded file before distributing the document; hiding the icon or exporting a PDF does not make sensitive content safe to share.
If what you want to add is a YouTube or other web video rather than a file, see how to insert an online video in Word.
For a closer look at the Insert Object steps and how the embedded file behaves, see how to embed a document in Word.
Link to the source instead
In the same Create from File dialog, selecting Link to file creates a connection to the source rather than storing a separate copy. Microsoft notes that linked objects can be updated from the original. This is useful within a shared environment where everyone can reach the source path. It is unreliable for email recipients if the source is a local drive or a folder they cannot access. If the goal is simply to let someone open a shared document, a hyperlink to a file in a shared location may be clearer. Test the recipient’s permissions, not only the link on your own computer.
Open, edit, or remove an embedded file
- Open it: Double-click the icon or preview. The file opens in its own program, such as Word, Excel, or a PDF reader.
- Edit it: Changes you make to an embedded Word or Excel file and then save are stored inside the host document, not in the original file on your computer.
- Remove it: Click the icon once to select it, then press Delete.
Insert a PDF or a different kind of file
Create from File also works with PDFs, spreadsheets, and presentations. Select Display as icon if you want readers to open the file rather than see a preview of its first page.
If you want the PDF’s text to become editable content in your document, don’t embed it. Open the PDF in Word with File > Open, let Word convert it, check the layout, and then copy the parts you need into your document.
For step-by-step options including pasting pages as images, see how to insert a PDF into Word.
Word for Mac and Word for the web
Word for Mac also has Insert > Object for embedding a file and Text from File for inserting a document’s text. Word for the web doesn’t support either command. In a browser, add a link to the shared file with Insert > Link, or select Editing > Open in Desktop App to embed the file.
If your goal is to combine several complete documents into one file, follow our guide to merging Word documents. It covers inserting many files at once, keeping formatting, and combining reviewers’ versions.
Check the final file before sharing
- Did you expect pages of text but see an icon? You inserted an object. Use Text from File if the content should be readable in the current document.
- Did you expect an attachment but see its text in the body? The text was imported. Undo and use Create from File with Link to file cleared.
- Does the object fail to open on another computer? Confirm that it was embedded rather than linked and that the recipient has software for that file type. Send the original file separately when that is simpler.
- Is the Word file unexpectedly large? Check embedded objects and images. Links can reduce file size, but only when the recipient can access the source.
- Does the imported section look wrong? Inspect styles, section breaks, and page layout; do not assume the source document’s headers and numbering will transfer unchanged.
Microsoft provides the exact commands for inserting a document’s text and for embedding or linking an object.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com