How to Add a Logo to a Header in Word (Microsoft 365)

To add a logo to a header in Word, open the header by double-clicking the top of a page, then choose Insert > Pictures > This Device and select your logo. Resize it with a corner handle, position it, and close the header. The logo will appear on pages that share that header. Before you begin, have a suitable logo image ready and decide whether it should appear on every page or only selected pages.

What You’ll Need

A Word document and Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365. These directions use Word for Windows; Mac differences are noted where the menus differ.
A logo image saved somewhere you can find it. PNG is a good choice for logos with transparent backgrounds; JPG works for logos on a solid background. SVG may also be available in current Word versions, but PNG is a dependable option if an SVG does not display or insert as expected.
A rough idea of the desired size and placement, such as a small logo at the upper left or a centered logo above the document title.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and save a working copy. If you are editing an existing file, use File > Save As to create a copy before changing its layout. This gives you a version to return to if the header, page breaks, or existing branding changes unexpectedly. If you are starting a new document, save it with a descriptive file name before you begin.
Open the header area. On Windows, double-click in the blank space at the top of a page, above the main document text. You can also use Insert > Header > Edit Header. The header is active when the body text appears dimmed and a Header & Footer tab appears on the ribbon. On Mac, double-click the top margin or use Insert > Header & Footer and choose a header option. Menu wording can vary slightly by Word release.
Choose the right header before inserting the logo. If the logo should appear on all pages, the standard header is usually right. In the Header & Footer tab, check whether Different First Page is selected. When it is selected, page one has a separate header, so an image placed in the regular header may appear only on later pages. To use the logo on the first page too, add it to the first-page header as well, or clear Different First Page if you do not need a distinct first page. If Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled, Word maintains separate headers for odd- and even-numbered pages; add the logo to both versions if it should repeat throughout.
Place the insertion point inside the header. Click where you want the logo to sit, usually at the start of the header paragraph. Confirm that the header editing area is active before inserting anything. If the cursor is in the body of the document, Word will put the picture among the document text instead of in the header. You can press Home after clicking in the header paragraph to move the cursor to its start.
Insert the image file. In Word for Windows, choose Insert > Pictures > This Device, browse to the logo, select it, and choose Insert. In Word for Mac, use Insert > Pictures > Picture from File, then locate and insert the image. Word places the picture at the cursor position. If the file is stored online, use the applicable online picture option only if you have permission and the file is available to your account.
Resize the logo without distorting it. Select the image so its sizing handles appear. Drag a corner handle inward or outward to change its size while keeping its proportions. Avoid dragging a middle handle, which can stretch the image vertically or horizontally. For a precise size, use the Picture Format tab and enter a height or width in the Size controls; keep the aspect ratio locked if that option is available in the size settings. Make the logo large enough to recognize but small enough that it does not crowd the page title or body text.
Choose how the logo sits in the header. For the simplest and most stable layout, leave the image set to In Line with Text. It behaves like a large character in the header paragraph, so you can use the Home tab’s left, center, or right alignment buttons to position it. If the image overlaps nearby content or is difficult to place, select it and open its Layout Options button, then choose In Line with Text. A floating option such as Square can allow text to wrap beside the logo, but it can shift as content changes, so use it only when you need that arrangement and check the result on multiple pages.
Adjust spacing and check the page layout. If the logo is too close to the top edge, select the Header & Footer tab and adjust Header from Top if the control is available, or use Layout > Page Setup dialog launcher > Layout to review the header distance. Increasing this distance moves the header content lower; decreasing it moves the content closer to the edge. Check that the logo does not collide with the document title or body. If you need a logo on the left and text on the right, a one-row, two-column table in the header can keep the elements aligned. After inserting the table, use Table Design > Borders > No Border to hide its lines.
Close the header and review the pages. Double-click in the document body, or choose Header & Footer > Close Header and Footer. Scroll through the document to check the first page, a middle page, and the final page. Confirm that the image appears where expected, is not clipped, and leaves enough room for body text. Save the file with Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. For print work, use File > Print to inspect the print preview as well as the editing view.

Common Mistakes

Inserting the picture in the body instead of the header: A logo placed in the document text may appear on only one page and move when text is edited. If that happens, undo the insertion, open the header, and insert the picture again there. You can also cut the image, open the header, and paste it into the header, then confirm its position.

Using the wrong header variation: Different First Page and Different Odd & Even Pages create separate header areas. A logo missing from page one or alternating pages often means the picture was added to only one of those areas. Review the relevant option on the Header & Footer tab and place the logo in each header that should contain it.

Stretching or choosing a low-quality file: Pulling a side handle can distort the logo, and a tiny image enlarged substantially may look blurry. Resize with a corner handle and start from a clear, high-resolution image. If the logo has a transparent background, use a format that preserves transparency, such as PNG, rather than converting it to a format that adds a solid background.

Making the logo too large or too close to the page edge: A large header image can push the body down or be cut off when printed. Check the top margin and header distance, then reduce the picture size or reposition it. Remember that printers may not print to the very edge of the paper.

Tips

Use a version of the logo designed for a narrow space if the full logo contains a long tagline. A compact symbol or wordmark often remains readable at header size. Keep enough contrast between the logo and the page background, and avoid placing small lettering in an image that will be reduced to a few centimeters wide.

Use In Line with Text when you want predictable placement and do not need other content to wrap around the image. Align the header paragraph with the ribbon’s paragraph alignment controls rather than dragging the logo freehand. For a logo and text side by side, a borderless table generally holds the columns more consistently than several spaces or repeated tab characters.

If you use a predesigned header from Word’s Header gallery, inspect its existing text, spacing, and formatting before inserting the logo. You can replace placeholder content or remove elements you do not need. Do not delete a section break casually: section breaks can control headers, footers, page orientation, and numbering elsewhere in the document.

For an accessible document, give the logo meaningful alternative text if it conveys information that is not stated elsewhere. Select the image and use Picture Format > Alt Text, or right-click the picture and choose View Alt Text, depending on the Word version. If the logo is only decorative and the organization name is already written beside it, mark it as decorative where that option is provided.

Troubleshooting

The logo appears on only one page. Check that it is in the header rather than the body, then inspect Different First Page and Different Odd & Even Pages. If the document has multiple sections, click in a page in each section and inspect its header. Headers in a new section may be independent. On the Header & Footer tab, Link to Previous connects a section’s header to the preceding section; use it when you want the same header to continue, and check the section carefully before changing it because the setting can affect other header content.

The picture is in the wrong place or text wraps oddly. Select the picture, open Layout Options, and set it to In Line with Text. Then click in the header paragraph and use left, center, or right alignment. If you need a floating picture, adjust its wrapping and position from Layout Options, but review every page because floating objects may move when the document is edited.

The logo is blurry, has a white box, or will not insert. Try inserting the original image rather than a screenshot or thumbnail. Use a higher-resolution PNG for a transparent logo, or a JPG when a solid background is acceptable. If Word cannot read the file, open it in an image editor and save a fresh PNG or JPG copy, then insert that copy. For an SVG that looks incorrect, try a PNG version or update Word before relying on the vector image.

The logo is cut off or the body starts too low. Reduce the image height and review the top margin and Header from Top setting. Also check that the image has not been set to a large wrapping distance or positioned beyond the page boundary. Compare the editing view with File > Print preview; if it is clipped in the preview too, adjust the size or position before printing.

The header looks faded while editing. Word commonly displays inactive headers in a lighter shade when you are editing the body. This is a screen display effect, not necessarily how the printed or exported document will look. Check Print preview or export a PDF to confirm the final appearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the logo appear on every page automatically?
Usually, yes: content in a standard header repeats on pages in that section. Different First Page, Different Odd & Even Pages, or section-specific headers can change where it appears, so check those settings if it is missing from some pages.

Can I put the logo on the left and the document title on the right?
Yes. A one-row, two-column table in the header is a reliable way to keep the logo and title aligned. Put the logo in one cell and the title in the other, adjust the column widths, and remove the table borders with Table Design > Borders > No Border.

How do I add a logo only to the first page?
Open the header and select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. Insert the logo into the first-page header and leave the regular header without it. Check page two to confirm the rest of the document uses the intended header.

Can I use a logo in Word for the web?
Word for the web supports basic header editing and image insertion, though available picture controls can differ from the desktop app. If you cannot find a setting such as a precise size or wrapping option, open the document in the Word desktop app and adjust it there.

How do I remove or replace the logo later?
Double-click the header, select the picture, and press Delete. To replace it, delete the old image and insert the new file in the same header area. If the logo is used in multiple section or page-specific headers, repeat the change in each separate header.

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