Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 15, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
Once you place a graphic in your document, you can resize it using a very simple technique:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13319) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing the Size of a Graphic.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
When you open a document or start to use Word, do you see a background that looks like graph paper? It could be because ...
Discover MoreUsing graphics to add callouts to your graphics is a common occurrence in Word. Here's how to stop all those graphics ...
Discover MoreGrouping graphics together can be a great way to manage them easier. Doing the grouping, however, could have unintended ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-01-15 11:24:52
Eric Jay Toll
Allen,
You should include a warning not to make a major size change to a raster (JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF or HEIC) graphic. Changing the size of an image does not change the number of pixels or its resolution. It causes pixels to be added or discarded from the image, affecting its quality. While a small change of a few tenths of an inch might not be visible on-screen or in print, once the image size shifts beyond 0.25 of an inch, quality impacts can occur.
Doing so more than a tiny change can cause the image to pixelate or overly compress. It is always better to take the raster image back to the original imaging application and resize it there so that the image sent to Word is the exact size wanted.
Pixilation causes the edges in an image to sawtooth and become ragged or stair-stepped. Reducing the image size compromises adjoining colors and affects image clarity and sharpness.
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