How to Wrap Text in Word: Quick Beginner's Guide

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Everything to know about Word text wrapping
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To wrap text in Microsoft Word, you'll need to add an image to your document. Once you have text and an image, you can easily apply text wrap to change its position on your document. This is helpful if you have to write a newspaper article, a journal, or another project. Here's how to wrap text in Word using your Windows or Mac computer, plus tips for efficient word wrap.

Wrapping Text Around an Image in Word

To wrap text in a Word Document, insert an image and text. Click the image and select the Picture Format tab. Click Wrap Text , and select a style, such as Square , Tight , Through , or another.

Section 1 of 4:

Using Wrap Text

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  1. 1
    Insert the picture into Microsoft Word. Open your Microsoft Word document. If you don't already have a picture added , click the Insert tab at the top and select Pictures . You can select a picture from your device, a stock image, or an image from the web.
    • Keep in mind that Word’s default setting is to put the image "in line". This means it will treat it as if it is a large letter or a tall line of text. [1]
  2. 2
    Click the picture. This will select the picture and open the Picture Format tab in the top toolbar.
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  3. 3
    Click Wrap Text . This is in the Arrange section of the Picture Format tab. A drop-down menu will open with the different types of wrap text.
    • You can also access this menu by right-clicking (or control-clicking) the image and selecting Text Wrap .
  4. 4
    Select a wrap text option. Word has different text wrapping options, which you can pick according to your needs:
    • Choose Square if your image is square and you want to wrap the text around the square border of your image.
    • Choose Top and Bottom if you want the image to stay on its own line, but be between text on the top and bottom.
    • Choose Tight to wrap text around a round or irregularly shaped image.
    • Choose Through to customize the areas that the text will wrap. This is best if you want the text to be incorporated with your image in some way, or not follow the borders of the image file.
    • Choose Behind Text to use the image as a watermark behind the text.
    • Choose In Front of Text to display the image over the text. You may want to change the color, or it can make the text illegible.
  5. 5
    Reposition the image (optional). After you have selected your text wrapping option, you can click and drag your image to reposition it on the page. The program will allow you to place it where you want it now, with the text flowing around it.
    • To change the wrap text, select the object and return to the Picture Format menu. Select Wrap Text , and then select a new setting.
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Section 2 of 4:

Using Layout Presets

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  1. 1
    Insert the picture into Microsoft Word. Open your Microsoft Word document. If you don't already have a picture added, click the Insert tab at the top and select Pictures . You can select a picture from your device, a stock image, or an image from the web.
    • Microsoft Word offers a few layout presets to automatically position text and objects on your page. This can be helpful if there's a common style you want to achieve without applying all the settings yourself.
  2. 2
    Click the picture. This will select the picture and open the Picture Format tab in the top toolbar.
  3. 3
    Click Position . This is in the Arrange section of the Picture Format tab. A drop-down menu will open with the different position presets.
  4. 4
    Select a position. Before you choose, you can hover over an option to see a preview of how it will look on your document. When you find one, click it.
    • The position will be applied to your Word document.
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Section 3 of 4:

Text Wrap Tips

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  1. 1
    Use the Undo shortcut when needed. It can be difficult to find the exact format you need on the first try. Take advantage of the "Undo" feature by pressing CTRL + Z (Windows) or CMD + Z (Mac). This will undo the last change to your document.
  2. 2
    Brainstorm your layout first. Before you try to make a layout in Word, it's best to have an idea of how you want your document to look. This can save you a lot of time and trouble when going through Word's many options.
  3. 3
    Add other features. If you're creating a project, you can utilize other visuals, such as graphs , charts , and even WordArt . This can make your document stand out much more.
  4. 4
    Proofread your document before printing or uploading. It may be harder to proofread words with text wrap as opposed to normal lines and paragraphs. Take some extra time to make sure you don't have any incomplete sentences or other mistakes.
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Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    What is wrap text? Wrap text allows you to automatically adjust text in a way that fits without exceeding the designated boundaries. This helps keep your text neat and controlled.
  2. 2
    How does wrap text work? Wrap text can automatically break up lines so they fit within a designated space, such as within the document's margins or text box.
  3. 3
    What are the different wrap text styles in Word? There are a few styles of wrap text you can apply to your Microsoft Word document:
    • In line with text : text wraps around the object, never going over or under the object
    • Square : text wraps around the object, leaving a square border between
    • Tight : text wraps tightly around the object with fewer borders in between
    • Through : text wraps around the object and appears to flow through it
    • Top and bottom : text wraps above or below the object, never on the sides
    • Behind text : object will appear behind the text
    • In front of text : object will appear in front of the text
  4. 4
    Why can't I wrap text in Word? Your text could already be wrapped. Or, if you're trying to wrap text inside of a cell, make sure that "shrink to fit" is not enabled, as this will shrink the text's font size to fit the cell, and the text won't wrap.
  5. 5
    How do I wrap text in a Word table? First, select the cell(s) you want to wrap text in. Then, you can either click Wrap Text in the Format section of the Table tab or right-click the cell and click Wrap Text in the contextual menu.
  6. 6
    How do I warp text in Word? To warp text (not wrap), click WordArt in the Insert tab and select a style. Replace the WordArt text with your text, then select Text Effects > Transform in the Shape Format or Drawing Tools Format tab. You can then select one of the styles under the Warp heading to warp your text.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    I inserted a picture, chose "text wrapping," and selected "tight." How do I unwrap it?
    Community Answer
    Select the "In Line with Text" option in the same text wrapping menu. This will return the image to the default text wrapping setting -- the same as when you initially added the image.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 7
  • Question
    How do I get two images next to each other?
    Community Answer
    Just insert one picture right after the other (or put a space in-between if you want). If they don't both fit on the same line, then resize them by clicking one of the corner squares and moving it inward.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    How do I select which text will wrap around the picture?
    Community Answer
    Highlight the paragraph/words you would like to use and then select "Wrap text."
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/wrap-text-around-a-picture-in-word-bdbbe1fe-c089-4b5c-b85c-43997da64a12

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      "When you insert an object, such as an image or shape, into your Word document, you can choose how your text wraps around it. First, insert an object. To do this, click the place in your document where you'd like it to appear, click the ""Insert"" tab, and then select the object you want to include. By default, the object will be placed in line with the text, which means it'll probably interrupt the document's text flow. To make text wrap around the object instead, click the object once to select it, and then click the Layout Options icon at its top-right corner—it's the half-circle surrounded by a bunch of lines. Now you'll see several text-wrapping options under ""With Text Wrapping."" Each option has an icon which illustrates how the text will wrap around the object. Click the first icon in this section to wrap the text around the object in a nice clean manner that adds a little space between the object and text. Or, click through the other options to see if they better suit your needs. If you drag the object to another location in the text, the text will continue to wrap around it using your selected text-wrapping setting. Click anywhere outside the object to close your Layout Options and return to editing your document. "

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