How to Place Text Over a Graphic in Microsoft Word

Placing text over a graphic in Word allows you to create visually appealing documents such as posters, flyers, newsletters, and more. Whether you want to add a title, caption, watermark, or other text, Word provides several straightforward methods to overlay text on top of images and other graphic elements.

Use a Text Box

One easy way to put text over a graphic in Word is by using a text box. Here’s how:

1. Insert the image you want to use as a background graphic into the Word document.
2. Click the “Insert” tab and select “Text Box” from the Text group.
3. Draw a text box on top of the image. You can resize or rotate the text box as needed to fit the space.
4. Type your text into the text box. You can format the text like any other text using options on the “Home” tab.
5. To ensure the text box stays fixed in position over the image, right click the text box, select “Format Shape” and choose the “Fixed position on page” checkbox under Text Wrapping.

Use WordArt

If you want stylized, artistic text over an image, WordArt is a great option:

1. Insert your background image into the document.
2. On the “Insert” tab, click “WordArt” and select a WordArt style.
3. Click on the document to insert the WordArt then type your text. Resize and position the WordArt as desired.
4. To fix the WordArt in position, right click it, choose “Format Shape”, and select “Fixed position on page” under Text Wrapping.

Wrap Text Around the Image

You can also put a graphic behind body text and have the text wrap around it:

1. After inserting the image, right click it and choose “Wrap Text”>”Behind Text”.
2. Now text will flow around the image as you type. You can further adjust text wrapping using the Layout Options icon in the image corner.

Use a Text Highlighter Box

To call attention to part of an image:

1. On the “Insert” tab, click “Shapes” and select the rectangle or oval shape.
2. Draw a shape on the image where you want to highlight.
3. Right click the shape, choose “Format Shape”, and select “No fill” and white border (or vice versa).
4. Type text into the shape box to describe that area of the graphic.

Additional Tips

• To move items in front of or behind others, use the “Bring Forward” and “Send Backward” options on the “Format” tab.
• Group overlapping text boxes and images so they maintain their relative positioning.
• Try adding visual effects like shadows, 3D, and more using options under “Format Shape”.
• Screenshots and online images may be protected by copyright. Make sure you have rights to use images.

With a little creativity, you can use text to enhance all types of graphics in Word. Experiment with different text box styles, positions, and text wrapping to achieve the layout you want.