Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 4, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Word allows you to search not just for text, but also for special characters that normally do not print. One of these special characters is a marker indicating where a picture is inserted in your document. To search for graphics, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The expanded Find tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
Unfortunately, while you can search for graphics, you cannot easily replace one graphic with another. There is a way to work around this, however. You can replace one graphic with another by following these steps:
Figure 2. The expanded Replace tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
If the graphic you copied in step 2 was originally inserted with the "Link to File" option selected, the graphic inserted by the replace command will also have this attribute. Likewise, if you resize the graphic before performing these steps, the graphic inserted by the replace command will retain the dimensions of the resized graphic.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13276) 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: Searching and Replacing Graphics.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Macros are great for processing a document just the way you want. You can even use them to insert graphics, as described ...
Discover MoreWhen processing a document using a macro, you may need for your macro to figure out the sizes of the images in your ...
Discover MoreNeed your graphics to be larger or smaller than they first appear when you insert them in a document? Your best bet may ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments