Numbering images in word

In Microsoft Word, figures mean all visual objects other than tables and equations. You can add or create figures using:

Note: Some publishers don’t use the term figure for maps (e.g., Chicago style).

Figures normally have the label Figure and a number followed by a caption. A caption is a short block of text that provides quick information about the figure:

  and  

Usually, figures have captions instead of titles. See how to create automatic numbers and titles for tables if you need to create titles instead of captions. See also:

• How to create captions and cross-references for equations,
• How to insert numbers, captions, and cutlines for photographs.

Note: You can create a custom label for some types of visual objects. See below how to do that. Remember that each type of object you label will be numbered sequentially within its group.

Attention! We highly recommend checking the formatting requirements, accepted by your college, university, company, or established on the project, etc.

Insert a caption for figures

To add automatically updated numbers and a short description (caption) for an object, select the object and do one of the following:

• On the References tab, in the Captions group, click the Insert Caption button:

  

• Right-click on the selection and select the Insert Caption… in the popup menu:

    or  
    or  
  

In the Caption dialog box:

If you are satisfied with the selected options, click the OK button. Otherwise, make any of the following optional actions:

Select the label and its position

• Under Options:
  • From the Label dropdown list, select the item type you need:

    

    • Figure (selected by default),
    • Equation – see how to create captions for equations,
    • Table – see how to create captions for tables,
    • Another label (in this example, My Caption) was created using the New Label… button (see how to create a new label below).

    Note: You may need to create a custom label according to the requirements. Some examples:

    1. If you have to follow the requirements such as the MLA (Modern Language Association) style, you need to use an abbreviation Fig. instead of a pre-defined Figure (e.g., “As shown in Fig. 7”).
    2. The Chicago style uses the word Example rather than Figure to identify samples of written music in a text (e.g., “As shown in Example 7”).

    Remember, each type of object you label will be numbered sequentially within its group.

  • From the Position dropdown list, select one of the options:

    

    • Below selected item (selected by default for the Figure label), or
    • Above selected item (selected by default for the Table label).

    Notes:

    1. The captions are usually located under the figures.
    2. Some requirements, such as the APA (American Psychological Association) style, recommend placing captions above figures.

Exclude label from caption

• Select the Exclude label from caption check box if you don’t need to add the label to the caption:

  

  Some requirements (MLA and Chicago styles) recommend using the lowercase word figure (if it is not the first word in the sentence) instead of the automatically added Figure in Word cross-references.

  When you insert a cross-reference in the text using the option Entire caption or Only label and number (see how to use cross-references in Word for more details), Word adds the capitalized label and number. You can see it in the Caption field of the Caption dialog box. E.g., “As shown in Figure 7” or “As shown in Figure 7 Masha in a new outfit”.

  If the Exclude label from caption option is checked, Word adds the number without the label to the cross-reference. So, you need to type the word figure in the text (as required) and insert a cross-reference without the label (e.g., “As shown in figure 7”).

Add a new label

• Click the New Label… button to create a new label:

  

  In the New Label dialog box, type a new label name:

  

Note: See also how to delete a custom label.

Modify caption numbering

• Click the Numbering… button if you want to change any of the numbering options:

  

  In the Caption Numbering dialog box:

  

  • In the Format dropdown list, select the numbering format you prefer:

  

  • Select the Include chapter number check box to include the chapter number in the figure caption number. If you select this option, two more options will appear:
    • From the Chapter starts with style dropdown list, select the heading level you need to include in the caption:

      

    • In the Use separator dropdown list, select the punctuation you want to insert between the chapter number and the figure number:

      
    • At the bottom of the dialog box, see how your choices will look in the Examples section. E.g., “Figure 2.7” means the seventh figure in chapter 2.
    • Click the OK button.

Add a description

• To add the text of your caption, click after the figure number and enter your text. E.g.:

  

  Notes:

  1. The caption is a short description of the object, indicating what it illustrates without reading anything else in the text.
  2. There is no official guideline for the length of this description. It may include additional information such as definitions of symbols, source citations, copyright statements, explanations of measurement units, etc.
  3. According to most requirements, if the caption for figures contains a complete sentence, it should end with a period. The period after the number is optional.

Using an AutoCaption

See Adding captions with AutoCaption.

Group a figure and its caption

According to all requirements, a figure and its caption should appear on the same page. Unfortunately, Word inserts captions without linking them to specific objects. A caption is like a separate paragraph that you can format to keep lines and paragraphs together, but this doesn’t help if you move an object. If you have a floating picture (pictures with the wrapping text options), you can see that paragraph with a caption moves separately from the picture.

To move objects with their caption as a single block, you need to group them. To group a figure and its caption, do the following:

   1.   Select the figure.

   2.   Make sure one of the With Text Wrapping choices is selected (see Text wrapping in the Word document):

Note: Word groups with text only floating objects. So, you should do this step before you insert your caption. If you have a caption already, copy its text to the Clipboard, delete it, do this step, then re-add a caption.

   3.   Add a caption using the steps of the section Insert a caption for figures above.

   4.   Select a caption, then hold down the Shift key and select the figure:

   5.   Do one of the following:

• On the Shape Format tab, in the Arrange group, click the Group command:

  

• Right-click one of the objects and choose Group -> Group from the popup menu:

  

Word puts a single box around the objects instead of separate boxes around each object:

After these steps, a text should flow around the figure and its caption, like one block. Also, the figure and its caption will stay together if you move them elsewhere on the page or document.

Edit or modify a caption

Microsoft Word creates caption numbers as fields.

See how to turn on or turn off highlighting of fields in a Word document to display all fields in a document with a gray background.

• Labels:

  You can change the label if necessary. Be careful! Word for Microsoft 365 will:

  • Update the reference if available,
  • Not create a separate numbering since it does not perceive changes as a new label.
• Numbers:

  DO NOT edit caption numbers! If you change a number:

  • For non-critical changes, Word will update it, and you will lose your changes,
  • Otherwise, the caption number may stop updating automatically.
• Text:

  To add or modify a caption text, click on it and change what you need, like in a regular paragraph.

Do not forget to format a caption according to the requirements you use!

Delete a caption and an unnecessary label

If you need to remove some caption, select the full caption (full line or several lines) and press Delete. Do not forget to update fields in the document!

To remove the unnecessary label, do the following:

   1.   Open the Caption dialog box.

   2.   In the Label dropdown list, select the label you want to remove.

   3.   Click the Delete Label to remove a custom label:

Note: You can’t delete pre-defined labels: Equation, Figure, and Table.

Update caption numbering

Word doesn’t always keep up with changes in a document. Word automatically updates the caption numbers when you insert a new caption. After deleting or moving a caption, you should manually update a captions numbering.

To update fields in the document, select the entire document by clicking Ctrl+A, and do one of the following:

• Press F9,
• Right-click on any of the fields and select Update Field in the popup menu:

  

Note: Word doesn’t update a numbering in text boxes as in shapes! So, if you have floating pictures, their numbering doesn’t be updated until:

• You select every text box one-by-one and update numbering in each of them,
• Use a macro to update all fields (we don’t recommend macros due to security reasons),
• Update all fields by using the following workaround:

     1.   On the File tab, click the Options button:

  

     2.   In the Word Options dialog box, on the Display tab, under Printing options, select the Update fields before printing check box, then click OK to close the dialog box:

  

     3.   On the File tab, click Print (or press Ctrl+P):

  

  You don’t need to print the document – only tell Word that you want to print!

     4.   Return to the document view by clicking the Return button:

  

  All fields in the document should be updated.

  So, your captions will be automatically updated, and you can be sure that the numbering and references are correct. We strongly recommend checking a document at least visually after changes!

In this article, we want to share 4 handy ways with you to get the total count of images in your Word document quickly and correctly.

Every now and then, a document will require multiple images to make it more professional. However, if you are a guy like me who prefer to insert images right after finishing editing, then you will probably worry about whether you’ve left one or two accidentally. Consequently, you will have to scroll up and down painstakingly to check out the total number of images in the document. Given this awkwardness, we offer you 4 really useful methods to save your time.

Method 1: Utilize “Find” Feature

1. First and foremost, click “Home” tab.
2. Then click the button behind “Find” icon.
3. And choose “Advanced Find” on the menu.
4. In “Find and Replace” dialog box, ensure no other text in “Find what” text box and enter “^g” there.
5. Next click “Find In” and choose “Main Document”.

Now there is the result on the dialog box, showing the number of inline shapes in this document. This means the “Find” feature can only count images set in “In line with text” wrapping style.

Method 2: Use “Go To” Feature

1. Firstly, press “Ctrl+ Home” to go to the beginning of the document and repeat first 2 steps in method 1.
2. This time choose “Go To” instead.
3. Then select “Graphic”.
4. Enter nothing in text box and click “Next”.

Each time you click “Next”, Word will bring you to the net graphic and you need to count by yourself. Still, this way includes only the inline shapes.

Here is a video demonstration:

Method 3: Press “Tab” Key

1. To start with, click on the first image on the document.
2. Next press “Tab” and the next image will be selected. Remember to count by yourself.

Luckily, method 3 includes both inline shapes and floating shapes like text boxes.

Method 4: Run Word Macro

1. At first, click “Developer” tab.
2. Then click “Visual Basic” to open VBA editor.
3. Next click “Insert” and choose “Module” to insert a new one under “Normal” project.
4. Double click on the new module to open the coding space.
5. And paste the following codes there:

Sub CountImages()
  Dim objDoc As Document
  Dim nFlowingShapes As Long, nInlineShapes As Long, nTextBox As Long, nTotalShapes As Long
  Dim objShape As Shape
 
  Set objDoc = ActiveDocument
  nTextBox = 0
 
  For Each objShape In objDoc.Shapes
    If objShape.Type = msoTextBox Then
      nTextBox = nTextBox + 1
    End If
  Next objShape
 
  nFlowingShapes = objDoc.Shapes.Count
  nInlineShapes = objDoc.InlineShapes.Count
  nTotalShapes = nFlowingShapes + nInlineShapes - nTextBox
 
  MsgBox "There are " & nTotalShapes & " images in this document, " & "with " & nFlowingShapes & " flowing shapes, " & nTextBox & "text boxes, and " & nInlineShapes & " inline shapes."
End Sub

1. Finally, click “Run”.

There shall be a message box, indicating the result.

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Images in Word numbering automatically — so it goes

Word images are subsequently re-nummieren

Figure 1: To have Word magically number your figures for you

1. Type the name of the figure.
2. Click in front of the name of the figure.
3. In Insert menu on top of screen, select Caption.
4. Under Options: Label, select Figure.
5. Click OK.
6. Add a space and/or a colon if necessary. Be tidy and consistent.

How do you automatically number tables and figures in Word?

On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Numbering. Note: To select a different number format, right-click a number in the list, point to Numbering, click Define New Number Format, and then select the options that you want.

How do you add figure numbers?

14. Type your caption or title after the label and number in the Caption text box. Pro Tip: Most of our primary style guides recommend placing a period after the figure or table number. However, Word doesn’t provide a way to add that period automatically, so remember to add it manually as you type each caption.

How do you automatically update figure numbers in Word?

Instead of searching and replacing all the figure numbers in the text, click “Edit” -> “Select All” (or, Ctrl + A), which select the entire document, then, press “F9”. This updates all the figure number automatically.

How do I manually change figure numbers in Word?

Changing Caption Numbering Styles

1. Display the References tab of the ribbon.
2. Click the Insert Caption tool, in the Captions group.
3. Click on the Numbering button.
4. Using the Format drop-down list, choose the format you want used for your caption numbers.
5. Click on OK to close the Caption Numbering dialog box.

How do you annotate a figure in Word?

To annotate an image in Word, insert the image in a document, then draw a shape over the image.

1. Go to the Insert tab and select Pictures.
2. In the Insert Picture dialog box, select the file folder that contains the image.
3. Choose the image, then select Insert.

How do you add numbers to shapes in Word?

To add a shape, click Insert, click Shapes, select a shape, and then click and drag to draw the shape. After you add one or more shapes, you can add text, bullets, and numbering to them, and you can change their fill, outline, and other effects on the Format tab.

How do I insert a numbered circle in Word?

You simply use Insert –>Shapes, select the circle shape, type a number inside the circle, and then drop the circle on top off the picture where you want to showcase something.

How do I update figure numbers in Word 2016?

Update caption numbers

1. Click anywhere in the document and press CTRL+A to select the entire document.
2. Right-click, and then choose Update Field on the shortcut menu. All of the captions in the document should now be updated.

What does F9 do in Word?

F9. F9: Update a field. This is the same as right-clicking a field and choosing the “Update Field” command.

How do I change my figure number?

Place your cursor in front of ANY automated caption number for ANY figure. Go to the References tab and click Insert Caption to open the Caption dialog box. Change the Label to Figure. Click Numbering to open the Caption Numbering dialog box.

How do I reset figure numbers in Word?

1 Answer

1. Select the number in the caption you want to start the custom numbering at.
2. Right-click and choose “Edit Field…”.
3. Click the Options button.
4. Choose the Field Specific Switches tab.
5. Select the r switch, and click Add To Field.
6. Type the number desired to restart the caption numbering after the r .

How do you reference figures?

The citation would normally be given after the title of the figure, table, diagram, etc.

1. Example: Figure 1, A four pointed star (Jones, 2015, p. 54).
2. Example: (Jones, 2015, p.33)
3. Example:
4. Example: (United Nations, 1975, cited in Smith, 2016, p.33)

How do you use bookmarks in Word?

Bookmark the location

1. Select text, a picture, or a place in your document where you want to insert a bookmark.
2. Click Insert > Bookmark.
3. Under Bookmark name, type a name and click Add. Note: Bookmark names need to begin with a letter. They can include both numbers and letters, but not spaces.

How do you reference a figure in text?

All figures and tables must be mentioned in the text (a “callout”) by their number. Do not refer to the table/figure using either “the table above” or “the figure below.” Assign table/figure # in the order as it appears, numbered consecutively, in your paper – not the figure # assigned to it in its original resource.

How do I annotate a PNG?

How to annotate PNG documents online

1. Click inside the file drop area to upload a PNG file or drag & drop a PNG file.
2. File will be automatically rendered for you to view instantly.
3. Scroll down to navigate between pages.
4. Add annotations to the document.
5. Download the annotated version of your PNG file.

How do you annotate an image?

For annotating an object, simply hover over the object in the selected image, click and drag to create a rectangular box of the intended size. After creating the bounding box, a new entry is added under Bounding Box column on the right. Click to select desired label for the object.

How do you annotate a painting?

Using annotation

1. analyse the work of an inspirational artist or designer.
2. record a technique.
3. record ideas.
4. explain the thinking behind an idea.
5. analyse the success of a technique, idea or composition.
6. explain how a particular artist or designer’s style or technique has influenced your work.

To add the shape, do the following:

1. Open the footer by double-clicking the footer area. In Word 2003, choose Header and Footer from the View menu.
2. While in the header, click the Insert tab.
3. Click inside the footer and drag to create the shape.
4. With the shape inserted, use the contextual Format tab to format the shape.

How do you draw shapes in Word?

Click in your document where you want to create the drawing. On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click Shapes.
Add a drawing to a document

1. Insert a shape.
2. Change a shape.
3. Add text to a shape.
4. Group selected shapes.
5. Draw in the document.
6. Adjust the size of the shapes.

How do I apply a shape style in Word?

To change the shape style:

1. Select the shape you want to change.
2. On the Format tab, click the More drop-down arrow in the Shape Styles group.
3. A drop-down menu of styles will appear. Select the style you want to use.
4. The shape will appear in the selected style.

Quickly Update and Renumber Figures in a Word Document

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated May 13, 2021

Applies to: Microsoft^® Word^® 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 or 365 (Windows)

If you have inserted figure numbers for images or drawings in a Microsoft Word document, you can update them throughout the document and the figures will renumber automatically. This is helpful if you have moved or inserted new images. In order to renumber figures, the figure titles and numbers must be inserted as captions (using the References tab in the Ribbon). Since captions are fields, they can be updated in a couple of steps.

Recommended article: How to Insert Built-in and Custom Fields in Microsoft Word

Updating figure numbers in a Word document

To update all figure numbers (caption fields) in a Word document:

1. Click in the body of the Word document.
2. Press Ctrl + A to select all.
3. Press F9 (some users may need to press Fn + F9).

You can insert figure captions and table captions. If you select all and update, both figure and table captions will be renumbered if the images or tables have been moved.

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