How to Insert Picture in Word Using Phone (Android and iPhone)

To insert a picture in Word using your phone, open the document in the Word app, tap where the picture should go, tap the Edit icon, switch the ribbon from Home to Insert, and tap Pictures (or Camera to take a new photo). The steps are nearly the same on Android and iPhone. You need the free Microsoft Word app (or the Microsoft 365 app) and a signed-in Microsoft account to edit.

Insert a photo from your gallery

1. Open the Word app and tap the document. If it’s in email or another app, save it to your phone or OneDrive first so you can edit it.
2. If you see only a reading view, tap the Edit icon (a pencil, or an “A” with a pencil) at the top of the screen. The ribbon appears at the bottom.
3. Tap in the document where you want the picture. A blinking cursor marks the spot.
4. On the ribbon, tap the tab name (it usually says Home) and choose Insert from the list.
5. Tap Pictures. The first time, allow Word to access your photos.
6. Choose the photo. Depending on your phone, you may need to tap Done or Add. The picture appears at the cursor, and the Picture tab opens.

Word saves changes automatically for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, so there’s no separate save step unless the file is stored only on your phone.

Take a new photo and insert it

1. Follow steps 1 to 4 above to reach the Insert tab.
2. Tap Camera and allow camera access if asked.
3. Take the photo, then tap the check mark, Use Photo, or Done to keep it, or retake it.

This is handy for adding a receipt, whiteboard, or product shot straight into a report without saving it to your gallery first.

Resize, move, and format the picture

Tap the picture to select it. Circles appear on the corners and edges.

• Resize: drag a corner circle. Corners keep the proportions; side circles stretch the image.
• Rotate: drag the curved arrow above the picture, or use Rotate on the Picture tab.
• Crop: tap Crop on the Picture tab, drag the black handles inward, and tap Crop again or tap outside the picture.
• Wrap text: tap Wrap Text and choose an option like Square or Tight so text flows around the picture. Once it’s no longer In Line with Text, you can drag it to a new spot.
• Styles: tap Styles to add a frame, shadow, or rounded corners.
• Undo everything: tap Reset to return the picture to how it looked when inserted.

The exact buttons on the Picture tab vary a little between app versions and screen sizes. Scroll the ribbon sideways if you don’t see an option.

Add more than one picture

Insert pictures one at a time, placing the cursor before each one. To line up two photos side by side, insert a table with Insert > Table, then insert one picture into each cell. The table keeps them aligned even if the text around them changes.

Get a phone photo into Word on your computer

If you’re working on the document on a computer, you have a few options:

• Cloud storage or email: upload the photo from your phone to OneDrive (or email it to yourself), save it on the computer, then use Insert > Pictures > This Device.
• Android phone with Word for Windows: some Microsoft 365 versions include Insert > Pictures > Mobile Device, which pulls photos from a nearby linked Android phone. Availability depends on your Word version and account.
• iPhone with a Mac: with Continuity Camera, right-click (or Control-click) in the document in Word for Mac, choose your iPhone, and select Take Photo. The photo goes straight into the document. Microsoft’s guide to adding pictures by using your mobile device lists the requirements.

For the full desktop process, including captions and alt text, see inserting a photo in Word.

If you can’t insert a picture

• No Insert tab or the buttons are gray: the document is open read-only or in view mode. Tap Edit. If the file came from an email attachment, save a copy first. Files in older formats may need to be converted before you can edit them.
• Word can’t see your photos: check permissions. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Word > Permissions. On iPhone, go to Settings > Word > Photos and allow access.
• Editing is blocked: make sure you’re signed in. Free editing covers phones; larger tablets require a Microsoft 365 subscription to edit.
• The document gets large or slow: phone photos are high resolution. Crop out what you don’t need, and consider compressing pictures later in desktop Word.
• The picture jumps around: change Wrap Text from In Line with Text to Square, then drag it into place. Our guide to moving a picture in Word explains the wrapping options.

Common questions

Can I insert a picture in Word for the web on my phone’s browser?

Yes. Open the document at office.com, go to Insert > Picture, and choose This Device. Your phone opens its photo picker. The Word app is easier to use on a small screen, though.

Which image types work?

Common formats such as JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP insert without trouble. If a photo won’t insert, save or share it as a JPEG and try again.

Where can I learn the rest of the Word app?

Our guide to using Word on mobile covers opening, editing, and sharing documents on a phone.

Matt Wilmont

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