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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To lock an image in Word, first make it a floating picture, then choose Lock anchor if you want it to stay associated with a paragraph, or Fix position on page if you want it to stay at the same page location as text changes. These are separate settings and solve different problems.
Choose what “lock” should mean
Word offers different picture behaviors, so choose based on what you need the image to do:
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| Layout choice | What happens when text changes | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| In Line with Text | The picture behaves like a large text character and moves along with the surrounding text. | You want the picture to sit naturally within a paragraph or document flow. |
| Floating picture with Lock anchor | The picture remains associated with its anchored paragraph, even if surrounding text is deleted. | You want to keep the image tied to a particular paragraph. |
| Floating picture with Fix position on page | The picture stays at a page location as text is added or removed. | You need a stable position on the page, such as for a layout or form. |
Microsoft explains that inline pictures do not use anchors, so anchor locking and other positioning options are unavailable for them. See Microsoft’s guidance on moving pictures in Word.
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Lock a picture to its paragraph
These desktop Word steps apply to a floating picture—one with a text-wrapping option rather than In Line with Text.
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- Select the picture.
- Select the Layout Options icon that appears beside it.
- Select See more.
- In the layout or positioning options, select Lock anchor.
Lock anchor preserves the image’s association with its paragraph; it does not mean the image is fixed at an unchanging page coordinate.
Keep the picture at a fixed page location
If the image should stay in the same place on the page as text changes, set its wrapping and position separately:
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- Select the picture, then select its Layout Options icon.
- Under text wrapping, choose In Front of Text.
- Open the additional layout options with See more, then select Fix position on page.
This is a different outcome from locking an anchor: fixing position keeps the image at a page location, while anchoring relates it to a paragraph. Microsoft’s picture-positioning instructions describe these controls.
If Lock anchor or positioning options are missing
The most common reason is that the picture is inline. Change it to a floating wrapping style first:
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- Select the picture and open Layout Options.
- Choose a wrapping option such as Square or In Front of Text, rather than In Line with Text.
- Open See more and check the positioning controls again.
Inline pictures behave like text characters and have no object anchor, so the anchor and floating-position controls are not available. For details, see Microsoft’s text-wrapping guidance.
Word for the web and desktop Word
Word for the web supports a limited set of picture-wrapping options. Microsoft says a picture inserted in desktop Word with wrapping or a fixed position cannot be moved in Word for the web. To change that layout, open the document in desktop Word, make and save the change there, then return to the web app if needed. The web app retains layout settings applied in desktop Word. See Microsoft’s picture-wrapping information and instructions for moving pictures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Change the default for new pictures in Word for Windows
Microsoft says the listed desktop Word versions default newly inserted or pasted pictures to In Line with Text. In Word for Windows, you can change that default:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced.
- In the Cut, copy, and paste section, find Insert/paste pictures as.
- Choose the wrapping behavior you want for future inserted or pasted pictures.
This setting affects the default for new pictures; it does not automatically change the layout of pictures already in the document. Microsoft’s default picture-wrapping article covers the setting and supported versions.
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