How to Add Images to a Header or Footer in Microsoft Word

Adding images to the header or footer in Word documents can give them a more polished, professional look. Images like logos visually identify the document source while decorative elements make them more visually appealing.

Inserting a Header or Footer

To add images, you first need to open the header or footer area:

To insert a blank header or footer:

Go to the “Insert” tab and click “Header” or “Footer”
Select “Edit Header” or “Edit Footer”

To use a built-in header or footer design:

Go to the “Insert” tab and click “Header” or “Footer”
Select one of the built-in designs from the dropdown menu

Once the header or footer area is open, you can add text, images, page numbers, and more.

Adding Images

To add images to the header or footer:

Open the header or footer area (see instructions above)
Place the insertion point where you want the image to be located

Go to the “Insert” tab and click “Pictures” (for images saved on your device) or “Online Pictures” (to search Bing without leaving Word)
Select the image you want to use and click “Insert”
Resize the image as needed. Grab the circles at the corners and edges to resize proportionally or non-proportionally.

Positioning Images

Depending on what else is in your headers and footers, you may need to adjust image positioning:

Use text wrapping to control image placement relative to text
Align images left, right or center

Set precise position measurements from page edges or margins

Enhancing Images

To further polish image appearance, use these formatting options:

Cropping to remove outer edges

Borders and effects like drop shadows and picture styles
Color adjustments like brightness and contrast

Saving as a Template

Once your headers and footers are set up, you can save the document as a template to reuse the design. New documents will copy the header and footer contents so you don’t have to recreate them every time.

Tips

Keep file sizes reasonable to maintain quick formatting and good print quality
Use high resolution images (300 dpi or higher)
Make sure resized images do not appear distorted or pixelated

Set image wrapping to “Behind Text” if you want text to overlay images
Add captions or alt text to describe non-obvious images for accessibility

Adding relevant, high quality images to headers and footers can take Word documents to the next level visually. Following best practices for insertion, positioning, formatting and resolution will ensure they look great on screen and in print.