Document Editing Problems

How to Find and Replace Paragraph Marks Around Graphics in Word

Steve K Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove paragraph marks that are located immediately before and after an inline graphic in a document, without deleting or displacing the graphic itself.

How to Find and Replace Paragraph Marks Around Graphics in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Cleaning up document formatting where inline images are surrounded by unnecessary hard returns or paragraph breaks.
Observed behavior: Unwanted paragraph marks exist before and after the graphics, and standard find and replace operations risk deleting the images entirely.

Before you start

Before running a wildcard find and replace operation, it is highly recommended to save a copy of your document to prevent accidental formatting loss if the wildcard syntax matches unintended text.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Wildcards in the Find and Replace Dialog

By enabling wildcards in Microsoft Word, you can use specific codes to target paragraph marks and group the graphic so it can be preserved during the replacement.

When wildcards are enabled in Word, standard codes like ^p for paragraph marks do not work. Instead, you must use the ANSI character code ^13 for a carriage return. Using parentheses allows you to group the graphic and reference it in the replace field.

Open Find and Replace

Press Ctrl+H on your keyboard to open the Find and Replace dialog box. Click the 'More >>' button to expand the advanced search options.

Enable Wildcards

Check the box labeled 'Use wildcards' in the Search Options section.

Enter the Find String

In the 'Find what' field, type ^13(/)^13. In this string, ^13 represents the paragraph marks before and after, and (/) captures the graphic between them.

Enter the Replace String

In the 'Replace with' field, type \1. This tells Word to replace the entire matched string (the graphic and the surrounding paragraph marks) with only the contents of the first set of parentheses, which is the graphic itself.

Execute the Replacement

Click 'Find Next' to test the first instance, and if it works correctly, click 'Replace All' to apply the formatting cleanup to the entire document.

Use Wildcards in the Find and Replace Dialog

Syntax Verification: Ensure you type the slashes and parentheses exactly as shown, as wildcard syntax is highly specific and sensitive to typos.

WPS Writer Advanced Tools

Edit and Format Documents Seamlessly with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides a highly compatible Writer application that supports advanced Find and Replace functions, including complex wildcards, just like Microsoft Word. You can easily clean up your document formatting efficiently.

1. Open your Document in WPS: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the graphics you want to format.
2. Access Advanced Find and Replace: Press Ctrl+H to open the Find and Replace dialog, click 'Options', and check 'Use wildcards'.
3. Input the Wildcard Syntax: Type ^13(/)^13 in 'Find what' and \1 in 'Replace with'.
4. Replace All: Click 'Replace All' to instantly remove the extra paragraph marks around your graphics while keeping the images perfectly in place.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.docx, .doc)Supports advanced wildcard find and replace operationsFree and lightweight alternative to Microsoft OfficeIntuitive UI that requires no learning curve for Word users

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does using ^p not work when wildcards are enabled?

When the 'Use wildcards' option is turned on, Microsoft Word does not recognize the standard ^p code for a paragraph mark in the 'Find what' box. You must use the ANSI character code for a carriage return instead, which is ^13.

Can I replace the paragraph marks with a space instead of removing them completely?

Yes. In the 'Replace with' box, type \1 followed by a single space (or a space then \1, depending on where you want the space). This will preserve your graphic and add the space.

What does the \1 mean in the Replace with field?

The \1 is a backreference that refers to the first grouped expression in your 'Find what' box, which is enclosed in parentheses (). In this scenario, it tells the program to put the graphic back in place while discarding the elements outside the parentheses.

How do I find a graphic without using wildcards?

If you are using a standard search without wildcards, you can search for inline graphics by typing ^g in the 'Find what' field of the Find and Replace dialog.

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