Add an Image to a Header in Word: A Step-by-Step Guide

To add an image to a header in Microsoft Word, open the header by double-clicking the top margin, place the cursor where the image should go, then choose Insert > Pictures > This Device and select the file. Resize and align the picture, then close the header. The image will appear in the header area and usually repeat on every page in that section.

This works well for a company logo, a small banner, a department mark, or another recurring visual. Before you start, decide whether it should appear on every page or only on selected pages, and have a suitable image file ready. The directions below are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Mac differences are noted where they matter.

What You’ll Need

A Word document that you can edit. If it is shared or protected, make sure you have permission to change its header.
An image file saved somewhere you can find it, such as a PNG, JPEG, or GIF. For a logo with a transparent background, PNG is often a useful choice.
A rough idea of the image’s intended size and placement. A small, high-resolution logo is usually easier to fit neatly than a large image designed for a full page.

Step-by-Step

Open the header. Open the document and double-click in the blank area at the top of a page, above the main text. Word switches into header-editing mode and displays the Header & Footer tab. Alternatively, use Insert > Header > Edit Header. If the document has several sections, open the header in the section where the image should appear.
Choose where the picture should sit. Click in the header at the intended insertion point. If you want a logo beside a line of text, click at the start or end of that text as appropriate. For a picture on its own, click an empty line in the header. Word inserts the picture at the cursor, so checking the cursor location now helps prevent it appearing in the body of the document.
Insert the image file. On Windows, choose Insert > Pictures > This Device, browse to the image, select it, and click Insert. On a Mac, use Insert > Pictures > Picture from File, then select the file. The picture should appear in the header. If a file picker offers cloud locations as well as local folders, choose the location where your image is stored.
Set a practical size. Click the image to show its selection handles and the Picture Format tab. Drag a corner handle inward or outward to resize while keeping the picture’s proportions. Avoid dragging a middle handle, which can make a logo look stretched. For a precise size, open the Picture Format tab and enter a value in the Height or Width box in the Size group. Keep the image within the page margins and leave enough room for any header text.
Choose how text flows around it. If the image is just part of a line of header text, leave it as In Line with Text; this is usually the simplest and most stable layout. If you need to position it independently, select the image, choose Picture Format > Wrap Text, and choose an option such as Square or In Front of Text. The best choice depends on the layout: Square lets text flow beside the image, while In Front of Text allows free positioning but can cover header text.
Align and position the picture. For an inline image, use the paragraph alignment controls on the Home tab to align the whole line left, center, or right. For a floating image, drag it to the desired spot, or use Picture Format > Position for a preset placement. Watch the page edges and header text as you move it. If dragging causes awkward movement, undo once with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, then use a wrapping or position option instead.
Check whether it should appear on the first page or in other sections. With the header active, look on the Header & Footer tab for Different First Page. Turn this on if the first page needs a distinct header; the first-page header is separate, so you may need to add the image there as well. If the document has section breaks, check Link to Previous. Linked headers share content with the previous section; unlink a section only if you intend to give it a different header, then add or remove the image in that section as needed.
Review the result and close the header. Click Close Header and Footer on the ribbon, or double-click in the document body. Scroll through several pages, including the first page and any pages after section breaks, to confirm the image repeats where intended and does not overlap text. Save the document. If you plan to send it to someone who may not have Word, export a PDF and inspect the PDF as well.

Common Mistakes

Inserting the picture in the document body: Clicking near the top of the page is not always the same as editing the header. If the Header & Footer tab is not visible and the header area is not active, the image may be in the main document. Undo, open the header, and insert it again there.
Using a very large picture: A full-resolution photo can make the header taller, push body text down, or make the file unnecessarily large. Resize it to the approximate header dimensions before or after insertion, and use a suitably small logo image when possible.
Stretching the image: Dragging a side handle changes only one dimension and distorts the picture. Use a corner handle or type a width or height while preserving the image’s proportions.
Changing wrapping without checking the result: Floating pictures can overlap text or shift when the document is edited. Keep the picture inline unless you need independent positioning, and review all affected pages after changing wrap settings.
Assuming every section shares one header: A section break or Different First Page setting can make headers separate. A picture that appears on one page but not another may be in a different header, not missing from the document.

Tips

Use a clean source image. A transparent PNG is useful for a logo that should sit on the page without a colored rectangle behind it. A JPEG is suitable for a photograph but does not support transparency. Choose an image that remains clear at its small printed size.
Keep the header restrained. A compact logo usually leaves more room for the document title, date, or other header text. Leave a little space between the image and the page edge so it does not look cramped or get clipped when printed.
Use inline placement for reliability. When a logo can sit on the same line as the header text, inline placement tends to move with the paragraph and is less likely to drift after edits. For a logo on the far right and text on the left, a borderless table in the header can provide steadier alignment than manually dragging a floating image.
Check print layout, not just the editing view. Use Print Preview or File > Print to see whether the header is within the printer’s printable area. Some printers cannot print close to the page edge, even if Word displays the image there.
Add accessibility information when useful. Select the image and use the Picture Format tab’s Alt Text command, or right-click the image and choose View Alt Text, to describe meaningful content. A decorative logo that is repeated and already identified in nearby text may not need a lengthy description.

Troubleshooting

The picture appears in the wrong place: Double-click the picture or nearby page area and check whether the Header & Footer tab appears. If the picture is in the body, cut it with Ctrl+X on Windows or Command+X on Mac, open the correct header, click the intended spot, and paste. If the picture is in the header but shifts, select it and try In Line with Text, then adjust paragraph alignment.
The image is missing from some pages: Check whether those pages start a new section or use a different first-page header. Open the header on a page where the image is missing. If it is a separate header, insert the image there or turn on Link to Previous if the sections should share the same header. Be careful: linking also shares other header content.
The picture is cut off or overlaps the text: Select it and reduce its size. For a floating picture, change Wrap Text to In Line with Text or move it away from the text. If the entire header is too close to the page edge, adjust the header position using Layout > Page Setup dialog launcher > Layout tab > Header from Top. The exact dialog appearance can vary slightly by Word release.
The picture will not move freely: It may be inline, which means it behaves like a character in a paragraph. That is normal. Either reposition the paragraph with alignment controls or choose Picture Format > Wrap Text and select a floating layout. If the image is anchored to another paragraph, moving that paragraph can also move the picture.
The image looks blurry or has a background: Replace it with a higher-resolution source image. Resizing a small image larger cannot restore missing detail. If a logo has an unwanted solid background, use a transparent version of the logo file; Word cannot reliably remove every background simply by changing the header settings.

On Word for the web, you can edit many headers and insert pictures, but some positioning and layout controls may be more limited or arranged differently. If a picture is difficult to align in the browser, open the document in the desktop Word app and adjust its wrapping, size, and position there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the image appear on every page automatically?

Usually, yes. Header content repeats on pages in the same section. It may not show on the first page if Different First Page is enabled, or in a later section that has a separate, unlinked header. Check those settings if the image appears only on some pages.

How do I put a logo on the left and text on the right?

For a dependable layout, insert a two-column table in the header, put the logo in one cell and the text in the other, then remove the table borders. Adjust the column widths and align the contents. A floating image can also be positioned separately, but it may move when the document changes.

Can I use a different image on the first page?

Yes. Select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. Word creates a separate first-page header, where you can insert a different image or leave the header blank. The remaining pages continue to use the regular header for that section.

How do I remove an image from the header?

Double-click the header, select the picture, and press Delete or Backspace. If it appears in multiple unlinked sections, remove it from each header where it is not wanted. If you delete it from a linked header, the change may also affect connected sections.

Why does the picture move when I edit the document?

A floating picture is anchored to text or a paragraph, so edits can alter its position. Use In Line with Text for a stable, paragraph-based placement, or use a borderless table for a logo-and-text layout. If you need free positioning, review the anchor and page placement after editing.

Can I add a clickable link to the image?

Yes. Select the image in the header and use Insert > Link, then enter or choose the destination. The link remains attached to the picture in the document, though a printed page cannot be clicked. Check the link in the saved document or exported PDF before sharing.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.