Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007 and 2010. 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: Can't Select and Edit Graphics Elements.

Can't Select and Edit Graphics Elements

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 19, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007 and 2010


Felicity noted that until yesterday, when inserting graphics, text boxes, and etc. into her documents she was able to view, select, and manipulate them in Print Layout view. Now the only view in which they show is in print preview, and when I select one of the items, all the editing and formatting tools are grayed out. Felicity is wondering why she can't work with these items as she previously did.

It sounds like the problem is that the Picture Placeholders setting has been turned on. You can control this setting in this manner:

  1. Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and choose Word Options. In Word 2010 click the File tab of the ribbon and click Options.)
  2. Click Advanced at the left side of the dialog box.
  3. Scroll through the options until you can see the Show Document Content section. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.

  5. Make sure the Show Picture Placeholders check box is cleared.
  6. Click on OK.

Your pictures should now again be accessible as you are editing your document.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10356) applies to Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Can't Select and Edit Graphics Elements.

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. ...

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