How to Insert and Modify Images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

This tutorial shows how to insert images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. We will also resize, rotate, and move images, as well as arrange images behind text.

Quick Links:

How to Insert Images
How to Modify Images

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The figures below are from Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. These steps will also work in Adobe Acrobat Standard DC, Adobe Acrobat 2020, and Adobe Acrobat 2017. Adobe’s free PDF display software, Acrobat Reader, doesn’t provide a way to add images to PDFs.

How to Insert Images in PDFs

The steps below assume you are adding an image to an existing PDF. If you need to create a new PDF or add a blank page to an existing PDF, please see my other tutorial “How to Create a Blank PDF in Adobe Acrobat.”

Select the Tools tab.

Tools tab in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 1. Tools tab

Select Edit PDF from the Tools Center.

Edit PDF button in the Tools Center in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 1. Edit PDF button

Select Add Image from the Edit PDF toolbar.

Add Image button in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 3. Add Image button

Locate and select the image in the Open dialog box.

Open dialog box in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 4. Open dialog box

Select the Open button.

Open button in the Open dialog box in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 5. Open button

Your image should now be added to your PDF.

How to Modify Images in PDFs

You can skip to step 3 if your Edit PDF toolbar is already open.

Select the Tools tab (see figure 1).
Select Edit PDF from the Tools Center (see figure 2).
Select Edit in the Edit PDF toolbar.

Edit button in the Edit PDF toolbar in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 6. Edit button

Select the image. A border with resizing handles will appear when the image is selected.

Image of cat with resizing handles — Figure 7. Image with resizing handles

With the image selected, you can now resize it, rotate it, move it, or arrange it behind a textbox.

How to Resize Images

Select and hold one of the resizing handles (see figure 7).
Drag the image to a new size.

Pro Tip: If you want to maintain the image’s shape, select a corner resizing handle rather than a side resizing handle.

How to Rotate Images

Select the rotation handle extending from the top of the border.
Rotate the image to the left or right, as necessary.

Image of cat with rotation handle — Figure 8. Image with rotation handle

Pro Tip: You can also right-click the image and select Flip Horizontal, Flip Vertical, Rotate Clockwise, or Rotate Counterclockwise from the shortcut menu.

Image shortcut menu with flip and rotate options — Figure 9. Flip and rotate options

How to Move Images

Hover your cursor over the image until it becomes a movement cursor, which is two crossed arrows.
Select and hold the image with the movement cursor while dragging it to a new location.

Image with movement cursor in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 10. Image with movement cursor (enlarged to show detail)

How to Arrange Images behind Text

Right-click the image.
Select Arrange from the shortcut menu.

Image arrange option in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 11. Arrange option

Select an option from the submenu:

- Bring to Front moves the image to the top of all other objects (e.g., text boxes or other images).
- Send to Back moves the image below all other objects.
- Bring Forward moves the image up one layer.
- Send Back moves the image down one layer.

Arrange submenu in Adobe Acrobat — Figure 12. Arrange submenu

Depending on the number of text boxes and images you have layered over one another, you may have to experiment with these options until you achieve the desired visual effect.

Related Resources

How to Add and Format Text in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

How to Add Headers and Footers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat

Updated September 24, 2022