Inserting Pictures in Microsoft PowerPoint

Pictures are visual elements added to slides to explain ideas, illustrate topics, and make information easier for an audience to understand.

• Photographs
• Educational images
• Business and product images
• Diagrams and illustrations
• Screenshots and other visual references

Example: Add a picture of a computer to a slide explaining computer hardware.

The Pictures command is available on the Insert tab in Microsoft PowerPoint.

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation.
2. Select the slide where you want the picture.
3. Click the Insert tab.
4. Locate the Pictures command.
5. Choose the available picture source.

The available options may differ depending on your PowerPoint version and device.

You can insert an image stored on your computer into a PowerPoint slide.

1. Open the required slide.
2. Go to Insert → Pictures.
3. Choose This Device or the equivalent option.
4. Browse to the folder containing your image.
5. Select the image file.
6. Click Insert.

Common picture formats include:

• JPG / JPEG
• PNG
• GIF
• BMP
• TIFF

Support for specific formats depends on your PowerPoint version.

Some PowerPoint versions provide online picture search or access to online image sources.

1. Open the Insert tab.
2. Choose Pictures or Online Pictures, if available.
3. Search for an appropriate image or select a source.
4. Review the available results.
5. Select the image and insert it.

Depending on your PowerPoint version and subscription, Stock Images may provide photographs, illustrations, icons, and other visual assets.

1. Open the Insert tab.
2. Look for Pictures or Stock Images.
3. Browse or search the available collection.
4. Select a suitable image.
5. Click Insert.

Availability and included assets vary by account, subscription, and application version.

You can insert more than one picture into a slide to compare items or create a photo layout.

1. Open Insert → Pictures.
2. Browse to the folder containing the images.
3. Select multiple images if supported by the dialog.
4. Click Insert.
5. Arrange the pictures on the slide.

Leave enough space between pictures and keep their sizes consistent when they serve similar purposes.

Resizing changes the height and width of a picture.

1. Select the picture.
2. Locate the sizing handles around its border.
3. Drag a corner handle to resize the picture.
4. Adjust its position if necessary.

Prefer corner handles to preserve the picture's proportions. Dragging a side handle can stretch the image in some situations.

You can move a picture anywhere within the slide to create a suitable layout.

1. Click the picture to select it.
2. Move the pointer over the picture's border.
3. Drag the picture to the desired position.
4. Check the alignment with other slide elements.

Avoid covering important text or placing images too close to the slide edges.

Cropping removes unwanted outer portions of an image without requiring you to edit the original image file.

1. Select the picture.
2. Open the Picture Format tab.
3. Click Crop.
4. Drag the crop handles to adjust the visible area.
5. Click outside the picture or confirm the crop.

Cropping is useful when you want to focus on a specific person, object, or area of a photograph.

Picture Styles apply predefined visual treatments to selected pictures.

• Frames and borders
• Rounded or decorative edges
• Shadows
• Reflections
• Other preset effects

Steps:

1. Select the picture.
2. Open Picture Format.
3. Locate the Picture Styles gallery.
4. Preview the available styles.
5. Click a style to apply it.

A picture border creates a visible edge around an image.

1. Select the picture.
2. Open Picture Format.
3. Click Picture Border.
4. Choose a border color.
5. Adjust Weight or Dashes if available.

Use borders consistently when several images appear on the same slide.

Picture Effects can change the visual appearance of an image.

• Shadow: Adds depth around a picture.
• Reflection: Creates a reflected appearance.
• Glow: Adds a glowing effect.
• Soft Edges: Softens the image's edges.
• Bevel: Adds a raised-edge appearance.
• 3-D Rotation: Changes the picture's perspective.

Select the picture, open Picture Format, and explore Picture Effects if these options are available.

PowerPoint provides picture adjustment options that can improve how an image looks on a slide.

• Corrections: Adjusts sharpness, brightness, or contrast through available presets.
• Color: Changes color saturation or tone using available options.
• Transparency: Adjusts picture transparency where supported.
• Compress Pictures: Can reduce image resolution or file size.

These options are generally found under Picture Format. Exact commands depend on your PowerPoint version.

Duplicate a picture:

1. Select the picture.
2. Press Ctrl + D.
3. Move the duplicate into position.

Arrange pictures:

• Use Align to line up multiple pictures.
• Use Bring Forward or Send Backward to change stacking order.
• Use Group when you want to move multiple objects together.

Delete a picture:

1. Select the picture.
2. Press Delete.

Complete the following activity in PowerPoint:

1. Create a presentation titled Computer Hardware.
2. Add a slide titled Parts of a Computer.
3. Insert pictures of a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and printer.
4. Resize the pictures using corner handles.
5. Arrange the pictures neatly.
6. Crop one picture to focus on its main subject.
7. Apply a Picture Style to one image.
8. Add a border to another picture.
9. Use consistent spacing and alignment.
10. Save the file as Insert_Pictures_Practice.pptx.