How to Insert a Photo Caption in Microsoft Word

Whenever you insert a picture, chart or other visual piece into a Word document, you should add a caption as well. A caption is a short text that explains to the reader what the picture, table or figure is about. Captions also make it easy for the author to reference a specific picture, table or figure without the use of page numbers, which can can change as the document is edited and processed. In Microsoft Word, you can add and customize captions to fit into exactly what you need.

Instructions

1. Click the picture that you want to add a caption to. Click the "References" tab on the menu bar (known as the "Ribbon"). When the "References" options are displayed, click "Insert Caption" found in the "Captions" group. This opens a dialog box.

2. Choose a caption type in the drop-down list next to "Label." For example, click "Table" or "Figure" to select that type of caption. If you would rather make your own labels, click the "New Label" button to create one. Type additional text in the "Caption" area if you want to add to the starting caption.

3. Click an option from the "Position" drop-down list once you decide where to place the caption relative to the picture. Click the "Numbering" button to customize the caption numbering format.

4. Click the "AutoCaption" button to automatically add a caption for specific types of files that you insert into the Word document. For instance, tick the box for "Bitmap Image" so Word will add a caption to each bitmap file you import into the document.

5. Click "OK" when you have finished. The new caption will now appear.

References

• "Microsoft Word 2010 All-In-One for Dummies"; Doug Lowe and Ryan Williams; 2010