Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Determining Picture Size in a Macro.

Determining Picture Size in a Macro

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 2, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


Word keeps quite a bit of information together about the images that you insert in your documents. This information is necessary so that Word knows how to size, position, and display images. If you want to find out more information about the images in your document, then you need to know something about how Word stores the information.

Images are stored as either of two types of graphic objects: regular shapes or inline shapes. Regular shapes are those that reside on the drawing layer, as opposed to inline shapes, which reside in the text layer. Both types of objects are stored with different object collections. Regular shapes are in the Shapes collection, and inline shapes are stored in the InlineShapes collection. To access information about the objects, you just need to use a little VBA.

The following VBA macro creates a document that displays the size of all the graphics objects within a document, in both points and pixels:

Sub FigureInfo()
    Dim iShapeCount As Integer
    Dim iILShapeCount As Integer
    Dim DocThis As Document
    Dim J As Integer
    Dim sTemp As String

    Set DocThis = ActiveDocument
    Documents.Add

    iShapeCount = DocThis.Shapes.Count
    If iShapeCount > 0 Then
        Selection.TypeText Text:="Regular Shapes"
        Selection.TypeParagraph
    End If
    For J = 1 To iShapeCount
        Selection.TypeText Text:=DocThis.Shapes(J).Name
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Height (points): "
        sTemp = sTemp & DocThis.Shapes(J).Height
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Width (points): "
        sTemp = sTemp & DocThis.Shapes(J).Width
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Height (pixels): "
        sTemp = sTemp & PointsToPixels(DocThis.Shapes(J).Height, True)
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Width (pixels): "
        sTemp = sTemp & PointsToPixels(DocThis.Shapes(J).Width, False)
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        Selection.TypeParagraph
    Next J

    iILShapeCount = DocThis.InlineShapes.Count
    If iILShapeCount > 0 Then
        Selection.TypeText Text:="Inline Shapes"
        Selection.TypeParagraph
    End If
    For J = 1 To iILShapeCount
        Selection.TypeText Text:="Shape " & J
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Height (points): "
        sTemp = sTemp & DocThis.InlineShapes(J).Height
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Width (points): "
        sTemp = sTemp & DocThis.InlineShapes(J).Width
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Height (pixels): "
        sTemp = sTemp & PointsToPixels(DocThis.InlineShapes(J).Height, True)
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        sTemp = "     Width (pixels): "
        sTemp = sTemp & PointsToPixels(DocThis.InlineShapes(J).Width, False)
        Selection.TypeText Text:=sTemp
        Selection.TypeParagraph
        Selection.TypeParagraph
    Next J
End Sub

Note that the macro returns the names of regular shapes, but not the names of inline shapes. The reason for this is that Word doesn't maintain the names of inline shapes. When you insert a regular shape in your document (again, on the drawing layer), then Word assigns a name to the shape, such as Rectangle 2 or Oval 3.

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 (8343) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Determining Picture Size 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

Picking Worksheets Quickly

If your workbook contains a multitude of worksheets, the worksheet tabs at the bottom of the program window start to ...

Discover More

Quick AutoFill Variations

The AutoFill feature can be used for more than just incrementing information into cells. This tip explains how to access ...

Discover More

Understanding Default Tab Stops

Ever wonder how Word determines the default setting for each tab stop in your document? This article should satisfy any ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Searching and Replacing Graphics

Got a bunch of graphics in a document that need replacing? (Perhaps you need to replace an old logo with a new one.) Word ...

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

Understanding "Through" Text Wrapping

Understanding how Word handles wrapping text around a graphic or other object is critical to getting the best page layout ...

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 seven less than 8?

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.