Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Add Background Images to Charts in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

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This tutorial shows how to add background images to charts in Microsoft Word.

If you are working with tables, check out our last tutorial, “How to Add Background Images to Tables in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac).”

Please note that this tutorial refers to charts; however, this process also applies to graphs.

Also note that these steps assume you have already created your chart or graph. For a full tutorial, please see “How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word.”

Watch all the steps shown here in real time!

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The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac (a.k.a., Word for Mac). In addition, the steps will be similar in Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013.

How to Add Background Images to Charts

  1. Select the chart. (Resizing handles will appear on the border indicating that the chart is selected.)
Selected chart in Word 365
Figure 1. Selected chart
  1. Right-click (PC) or Control-click (Mac) the chart and then select Format Chart Area from the shortcut menu.
Format Chart Area option in the chart shortcut menu in Word 365
Figure 2. Format Chart Area option
  1. Select Fill in the Format Chart Area pane.
Fill option in the Format Chart Area pane in Word 365
Figure 3. Fill option
  1. Select Picture or texture fill.
Picture or Texture Fill option in the Format Chart Area pane in Word 365
Figure 4. Picture or texture fill option
  1. Select the Insert button.
Insert button in the Format Chart Area dialog box in Word 365
Figure 5. Insert button
  1. (PC only) Select the location of the image in the Insert Pictures dialog box:
    • From a File*
    • Stock Images
    • Online Pictures
    • From Icons*

*The Stock Images and From Icons options are only fully available in Word for Microsoft 365.

Insert Pictures dialog box in Word 365 for PC
Figure 6. Insert Pictures dialog box (PC only)
  1. Locate the image in the dialog box and then select the Insert button. (PC users see figure 7; Mac users see figure 8.)
Insert Picture dialog box in Word 365
Figure 7. Insert button in the Insert Picture dialog box (PC only)
Finder Dialog box in Mac iOs
Figure 8. Insert button in the Finder dialog box (Mac only)

The image will be inserted as the table background.

Chart with background image in Word 365
Figure 9. Chart with background image
  1. (Optional) Use the Transparency slider to adjust the image’s transparency as necessary to make your chart easier to read.
Transparency slider in the Format Chart Area pane in Word 365
Figure 10. Transparency slider
  1. Select the X to close the Format Chart Area pane.
Format Chart Area closing X in Word 365
Figure 11. Closing X

Now that you have customized your chart, you may want to save it as a reusable template, as shown in my previous tutorial “How to Save Charts as Templates in Microsoft Word.”

Related Resources

How to Save Tables and Figures as Images in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word