How to Add a Caption to an Image in Word (Step-by-Step Guide)

Microsoft Word is a popular tool where you can insert text, images, and tables. In research papers, reports, or professional documents, it is often necessary to add captions below images and tables. A caption provides a short description that helps readers immediately understand what the image or table represents.

How to Add a Caption to an Image in Word (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow the steps below

1. Open your Word document and insert the image for which you want to add a caption. 

2. Click on the image. Go to the References tab > Captions group > Insert Caption.

3. The Caption dialog box will appear. Here you can choose an existing label such as Figure, Table, or Equation. Once you select a label, the caption will be generated automatically.

For example, if you choose Figure as the label, the first caption will appear as Figure 1. The next image with the same label will automatically be named Figure 2, and so on. You can give any name to your caption, like we gave MINI COMPUTER.

4. Set the position of the caption:

• Below selected item → The caption will appear below the image.
• Above selected item → The caption will appear above the image.

5. To change the numbering of a caption, click on the Numbering button. 

In the Caption Numbering box, choose any format you prefer under the Format option. For example, we selected I, II, III,..... Then, click OK.

6. Now, based on the numbering format you selected, the caption name will display that numbering style. After numbering, you can see the difference in the caption name — earlier it was Figure 1, but now it has become Figure I.

7. Finally, click OK. Your caption will now be added and linked with the image.

How to Add a Caption to a Table in Word

Follow the steps below

1. Select the table where you want to add a caption.

2. Go to the References tab > Captions group > Insert Caption.

3. In the caption dialog box, choose Table as the label.

4. The caption will automatically appear as Table 1.

5. Click OK. The caption will be added to your table.

How to Format a Caption

You can format captions in Word according to your needs:

1. Select the caption text.

2. Go to the Home tab and change the font size, style, bold, italic, or color.

3. You can also adjust the alignment (Left, Center, or Right).

4. If needed, you can apply a different text style to your captions.

How to Delete a Caption

If you want to remove a caption from an image or table, it’s very simple:

1. Select the caption text (for example, we selected Table 1).

2. Press Delete or Backspace on your keyboard.

3. The caption will be removed.

Why Captions Are Important

• In research papers and theses, figures and tables must be numbered properly.
• Captions make it easier for readers to quickly understand the content.
• From an SEO perspective, captions are useful as they allow the use of keywords effectively.

 

Conclusion

Adding captions in Microsoft Word is very easy. Captions make images and tables more meaningful, and you can also edit, format, or delete them as required. Whether for academic, professional, or SEO purposes, captions are a simple yet powerful way to improve your document.