How Do I Put a Picture on Top of a Picture in Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word is designed as a word processor, perfect for creating documents such as letters and resumes. You can include photos in the files you create in Word, but you don't have the control you have with photo-editing software. However, using the built-in photo tools, you can overlap a picture on another picture in Microsoft Word by removing the background of one image, as well as add a text box on top of a picture.

It can help to know why you'd want to insert a picture on top of another picture in the first place. Using this feature, you can combine two separate images into one graphic and remove the background from one of the images so they overlap seamlessly.

To start, gather the two photos you plan to overlap. Insert them in the Word document, side by side. Then:

1. Right-click the larger picture and select Wrap Text > Square.
2. Right-click the smaller picture and select Wrap Text > Square.
3. Drag the smaller photo on top of the larger photo, dropping it where you want it to be.

To eliminate the background on the smaller image so that it reveals the background of the larger one, select the smaller image and then:

• In Word in Microsoft 365, select Picture Format > Remove Background. Use the Pencil tool that pops up to draw around either the area you want to keep or the area you want to delete. Click on the image to show it overlapping the background image.
• In other versions of Word, under Picture Tools, choose Format > Color > Set Transparent Color and select the background color. Make any necessary adjustments and click the image to make the background transparent.

You can also liven up a photo in a document by overlaying text on an image using WordArt or a text box.

To insert text using Word Art:

1. Select an insertion point.
2. Go to the Insert tab and the Illustrations group. Then, click Shapes and New Drawing Canvas.
3. Click on the drawing canvas and select Pictures under Insert and Illustrations.
4. Double-click the photo you want to use.
5. Under the Insert tab and the Text group, click WordArt and choose the text style you want to use.
6. Type the text.
7. Drag the WordArt you created over to the photo. Place and resize it.
8. Hold the Control key on your keyboard and click to select both the photo and the text.
9. Under Picture Tools, find the Format tab and the Arrange Group, select the arrow next to Group and click Group to combine the text and photo.

To insert text using a text box:

• Select an insertion point.
• Go to the Insert tab and the Illustrations group. Then, click Shapes and New Drawing Canvas.
• Click on the drawing canvas and select Pictures under Insert and Illustrations.
• Double-click the photo you want to use.
• Under the Insert tab and the Text group, click Text Box and Draw Text Box.
• Type the text.
• Drag the text box you created over to the photo. Place and resize it.
• Change the font style and size if desired.
• With the text box selected, go to the Format tab and find the Shape Styles group under the Format tab.
• Click Shape Fill and No Fill. Then, click Shape Outline and No Outline.
• Click to select both the text box and the picture.
• Under Drawing Tools, find the Format tab and the Arrange Group. Select the arrow next to Group and click Group to combine the text and photo.