Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Scaling Graphics in a Macro.

Scaling Graphics in a Macro

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 8, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


You may have a need to routinely scale graphics in your document by a certain percentage. Using the ribbon tools to do the scaling can get tiresome, so you may want to do the scaling by using a macro you can assign to the Quick Access Toolbar button or to a shortcut key. The following macro will handle doing the scaling very nicely:

Sub PictSize()
    Dim PercentSize As Integer

    PercentSize = InputBox("Enter percent of full size", _
      "Resize Picture", 75)

    If Selection.InlineShapes.Count > 0 Then
        Selection.InlineShapes(1).ScaleHeight = PercentSize
        Selection.InlineShapes(1).ScaleWidth = PercentSize
    Else
        Selection.ShapeRange.ScaleHeight Factor:=(PercentSize / 100), _
          RelativeToOriginalSize:=msoCTrue
        Selection.ShapeRange.ScaleWidth Factor:=(PercentSize / 100), _
          RelativeToOriginalSize:=msoCTrue
    End If
End Sub

The macro first asks for a percentage by which you want to scale the selected image, offering 75 (75%) as the default. When you specify a percentage, the macro then checks to see if the selected graphic is an inline or a floating graphic. The reason for doing this is that the object specification is different in each case, as well as how the scaling is specified. Inline objects belong to the InlineShapes collection, while floating objects are set using the ShapeRange object.

If you want to resize all the graphics in your document by the same percentage, then you only need to modify the above macro so that it steps through each of the inline graphics and then each of the floating graphics.

Sub AllPictSize()
    Dim PercentSize As Integer
    Dim oIshp As InlineShape
    Dim oshp As Shape

    PercentSize = InputBox("Enter percent of full size", _
      "Resize Picture", 75)

    For Each oIshp In ActiveDocument.InlineShapes
        With oIshp
            .ScaleHeight = PercentSize
            .ScaleWidth = PercentSize
        End With
    Next oIshp

    For Each oshp In ActiveDocument.Shapes
        With oshp
            .ScaleHeight Factor:=(PercentSize / 100), _
              RelativeToOriginalSize:=msoCTrue
            .ScaleWidth Factor:=(PercentSize / 100), _
              RelativeToOriginalSize:=msoCTrue
        End With
    Next oshp
End Sub

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (7069) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Scaling Graphics in a Macro.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Sharing AutoText Entries

AutoText entries can make your writing more productive, if used effectively. Because of this, it can be advantageous for ...

Discover More

Copying Rows and Columns with the Mouse

Word allows you to do quite a few editing tasks using the mouse. If you want to copy rows or columns in a table, you can ...

Discover More

Typing Pronunciations of Words

Take a look in a dictionary at the way that words are phonetically spelled. Those special characters used to type those ...

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Graphics Marked as Changed when Comparing Documents

The tools on the Review tab of the ribbon allow you to do all sorts of markup and comparisons of documents. When ...

Discover More

Easily Changing Links in Documents

You may have a lot of linked images in a document, and then one day need to change the links if the location of the ...

Discover More

Absolutely Positioning a Graphic

Want a graphic to appear at a precise place on the page? It's easy to gain control by following the steps in this tip.

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four minus 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.