An object anchor in Word shows which paragraph a floating picture, shape, or text box is associated with. You cannot remove the anchor while keeping that object floating. If you only want the symbol out of view, hide object anchors in Word’s display settings. If you want the object to behave like a character instead, change its wrapping to In Line with Text; that changes the layout as well as removing the floating-object anchor.
Why the anchor appears
Select a picture that uses Square, Tight, Top and Bottom, Behind Text, or another floating wrap style. Word associates it with a paragraph, and the anchor icon marks that relationship. The icon is an editing aid; it does not normally print. Pictures set to In Line with Text have no floating-object anchor because they occupy a position in the text flow like a character.
For example, a photo using Square wrapping can sit to the right of a paragraph while its anchor remains associated with that paragraph. Changing it to Tight or Top and Bottom still leaves it floating and anchored. Changing it to In Line with Text places the image in the paragraph itself. Decide which layout you need before changing the wrapping.
Hide the symbol without changing the layout
If the picture is already placed correctly and you simply dislike seeing the anchor, leave its wrapping alone. In Word for Windows, go to File > Options > Display and clear Object anchors. You can also use Home > Show/Hide ¶ to toggle formatting marks. Hiding the symbol does not detach the picture from its paragraph or change how it moves.
Change a floating object to inline
- Select the picture or other object and open its Layout Options.
- Choose In Line with Text. Word places the object at an insertion point in a paragraph, so it may move from its former page position.
- Put the picture in the intended paragraph, adjust paragraph alignment if needed, and inspect the surrounding text and page breaks.
This is a useful choice for a screenshot that should stay between two steps of a procedure. It is less suitable when text must wrap around the image or the image must sit at an exact location on a page.
To compare In Line with Text with the other layout choices, read how text wrapping works in Word.
Keep the floating object but control its movement
For a picture beside a paragraph, use a wrap style such as Square and choose Move with text when it should follow its related paragraph. For a fixed brochure layout, Fix position on page may be more appropriate. Microsoft’s Layout Options also offers See more > Lock anchor for a floating picture. Locking the anchor keeps its paragraph association from being moved casually; it is different from fixing the picture’s page position. Check both the anchor and the displayed position after editing text above the object.
See our guide to moving a picture in Word for the wrapping and placement choices.
For the exact settings that keep a picture at one spot on the page, see how to lock an image in Word.
When the layout still changes
- No anchor icon is visible: The picture may be inline, or object anchors may be hidden in display settings. Select the picture and inspect Layout Options before changing anything.
- The picture jumps after switching to inline: This is expected because it now sits in text flow. Move its insertion point to the right paragraph, or return to a floating wrap style if page placement matters.
- The object covers text: A Behind Text or In Front of Text choice can make the object hard to select or read. Try Square or Top and Bottom and inspect the page again.
- Lock anchor is unavailable: It applies to floating objects, not inline pictures. Select the actual picture and confirm its wrapping style.
Microsoft explains what anchors mean, how to show them, and when they can be locked. Use the option that solves your actual layout problem rather than removing a symbol that is only a visual indicator.
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