Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 3, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, and 2013
Word allows you to insert graphics (pictures) into your documents. You normally do this by using the Picture tool in the Illustrations group on the Insert tab of the ribbon. On my system, Word always defaults to the Pictures Library folder, although this may be different on your system. If you want Word to start in a different folder, you can specify the folder by following these steps:
Figure 1. The File Locations dialog box.
That's it. Now each time you use the Picture tool, Word displays the folder you selected in step 6.
It is unfortunate that Word doesn't have a "memory" concerning the graphics files directory, as it does for document directories. Word remembers the folder you last used for documents during the current Word session; it won't do that for graphics—it always starts from the folder you specified in step 6.
If you want Word to remember the last place you were each time you use the Picture tool in the current session, then you need to go back to not having a default picture location set. (I know; this seems very odd.) If you follow the steps above, but erase the Folder Name box in step 6, you will set the Clipart Pictures location to nothing—no location. Now, when you use the Picture tool, Word again starts at the Pictures Library (or whatever your system default is) but it remembers where you navigate. This means that during the current session, each time you insert a picture from a file Word will start at the folder from where you last inserted.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10173) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Default Picture Location.
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2021-10-13 09:57:56
Keti
How do I do the same but in Excel? There is no such option there in Options -> Advanced -> General
2019-12-03 07:01:12
Imanonov
Thank you so much. I use insert pictures a lot and it has always bothered me to arrive at Pictures library. This will save me much time and aggro.
2016-12-03 04:49:58
Roger
Hi Allen
Thanks for all these tips.
Simple questions..
Can one have subdirectories in the Images location?
Regards
Roger
2016-11-16 13:22:21
Frank Baillie
Many thanks, this has been driving me crazy.
2016-09-28 22:28:14
Alex
Using Word 2013, the File Locations>Modify dialog won't let me delete the default location. I changed it to Documents long ago because all of my graphics are kept in the same folders (or sub-folders there) as the docs I'm working on (why would I keep them somewhere different?? Only in Techie World, a strange & wonderful planet occupied by people who apparently don't actually use, in any meaningful way, the software they design).
I tried deleting the whole thing, but when I said OK, it stayed the original way. I tried deleting levels of the location, first Documents, then Documents & my UserName, but that didn't work either.
Apparently, once you've chosen a default file location for images in Word 2013, you're stuck with it forever (unless you want to choose some OTHER folder that you will be stuck with). This is sooooo silly. I'm sure that Word used to remember where I got things from. Am I mis-remembering?
Best
Alex
PS: I will read about changing this loc in the registry as mentioned in Charles' comment from 27Nov15. Maybe that will work.
2016-08-09 19:01:30
Manfred
This only helps with clipart. What about photos? I'm always having to navigate to the server folder I keep photos because Word goes to my Pictures folder.
Cheers.
2015-11-27 12:57:12
Charles
You can't simply delete the default image location, as you've found, Matti - you have to go into the Registry. See here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2007-word/ms-word-defaults-to-a-set-folder-under-the/d604a81e-aa68-44e9-b7e0-ca9ad8f17e33
2015-11-27 03:43:33
Matti Siren
I accidentally set my image location in Word 2013 to C:, and now I can't find any way to remove it. How exactly shall I proceed with "erase the Folder Name box in step 6"?
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