Adding images to a document should be fast and frictionless. Online WordPad supports two quick methods for inserting images — paste directly from your clipboard or upload a file from your computer. Once inserted, you can resize, crop, rotate, and align images without leaving the editor.

Two Ways to Add an Image

Both methods embed the image inline in your document and include it in any .docx export.

Method 1: Paste an Image From Your Clipboard

This is the fastest way to add a screenshot or any image you have recently copied.

1. Copy an image to your clipboard using one of these approaches:
   • Take a screenshot (Windows: Win+Shift+S for a region, or Print Screen for full screen; Mac: Cmd+Shift+4)
   • Right-click an image on a web page and choose Copy Image
   • Copy an image from another app (design tool, file viewer, etc.)
2. Click inside the Online WordPad editor to place your cursor where you want the image.
3. Press Ctrl+V (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+V (Mac).
4. The image appears inline at the cursor position.

No dialog box, no waiting — the image is in your document in one keystroke.

Method 2: Upload an Image From Your Computer

1. In the editor, place your cursor where you want the image to appear.
2. Click the Image button in the toolbar (the icon looks like a picture frame with a mountain).
3. Your operating system's file picker opens.
4. Navigate to your image file and select it. Supported formats: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .webp.
5. Click Open. The image is inserted at the cursor position.

You can also type /image in the slash command menu to trigger the same file picker from the keyboard.

Resizing an Image

After inserting an image, click on it to select it. Eight resize handles appear around the image — one at each corner and one at the midpoint of each side.

1. Click and drag a corner handle to resize proportionally (width and height scale together).
2. Click and drag a side handle to resize in one direction only (stretches the image).
3. Release the mouse button when the image is the size you want.

For precise sizing, look for a width input field that appears in the image toolbar when the image is selected — type a specific pixel width and press Enter.

Crop and Rotate Options

Click on an inserted image to reveal the image toolbar above or below it. From there:

Crop:

1. Click the Crop button in the image toolbar.
2. Drag the crop handles inward on any edge to trim the image.
3. Click Apply or click outside the image to confirm the crop.

Rotate:

1. Click the Rotate button in the image toolbar.
2. The image rotates 90 degrees clockwise with each click.
3. Click multiple times to reach 180 or 270 degrees.

Aligning Images

By default, images are inserted as inline elements that flow with surrounding text. You can change the alignment:

1. Click the image to select it.
2. In the image toolbar, choose an alignment option:

Center alignment is typically best for standalone diagrams, photos, and charts. Left or right alignment works well when you want text to wrap alongside the image.

Images in Exported .docx Files

When you export your document to Word (.docx) via File → Export, all images are embedded directly in the file:

• Images retain their dimensions and position from the editor.
• Alignment settings (left, center, right) are preserved.
• Cropped images export in their cropped state — the original file is not attached.
• Recipients do not need internet access to view the images — they are embedded, not linked.

If you plan to share the document as a .docx file, use the highest-quality source image you have. Enlarging a low-resolution image in the editor will still produce a blurry image in the export.

Images make your documents clearer and more professional. Open the editor and paste or upload your first image now — it takes less than five seconds.