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.
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:
Figure 1. The advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.
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.
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2020-12-21 18:16:19
Gary
Sorry that you answer didn't work for me on MS Word 2016.
However, I found that my problem resulted from my image being set to "behind the text" placement. I did this as "tight wrapping was acting like "top and bottom." My using the behind the text setting allowed me to manually break text to allow image. The way I fixed the subsequent inability to select image, was to drag selection by cursor across the image. I then used the wrap icon to select "in front of text." Although a long solution, it saved the usual hours of searching for an answer. As I was reformatting a 95 page study, this was the quickest solution.
2016-05-05 00:26:40
Sue Henderson
Cannot edit picture from clipart.
I tried your hint through advanced word options and the show picture placeholders is cleared, but still the "edit picture" command is not highlighted.
2015-07-10 14:37:06
Bri
this does not work.
2015-01-05 14:46:06
Tammy
I had the same issue. Seems my company upgraded to Office 365 and the photo editor is no longer a part of the suite.
2014-11-22 08:20:38
Manoel Pereira
Nope - still cannot select the image. The tip did not work.
2014-01-28 09:36:46
Raff
I marked the box with a tickmark and tadaaa... it worked!!!
Awesome tip!!! Thanks a lot!
2013-12-09 14:16:01
Jeff
Nope, it is still greyed out and the box was already cleared.
This did not work.
2012-11-01 23:28:39
Pete
this does not work
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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: 
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