File Corruption & Recovery

How to Fix 'The Picture Can't Be Displayed' Red X Error in Word

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 872 views

Question details

Users experience an issue where images or screenshots in a Microsoft Word document appear as a blank box with a red X and an error message stating 'The picture can't be displayed.'

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Viewing, editing, or opening a Word document that contains embedded or linked images.
Observed behavior: Images fail to load and are replaced by a blank placeholder box containing a red X and the text 'The picture can't be displayed', preventing the user from viewing the graphics.

Before you start

Before proceeding, check if the original image files are still available on your computer and save a backup copy of your Word document to a new folder.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Office and Resave the Document

Updating your software and saving the document to a new location can resolve temporary glitches and underlying graphics-filter problems.

Microsoft Word sometimes struggles to render images due to outdated graphics filters or application glitches caused by pending updates. Forcing the application to update and regenerating the file path can often clear this error.

Update Microsoft Word

Open Microsoft Word, navigate to 'File' > 'Account', click on 'Update Options', and select 'Update Now' to install any pending Office updates.

Save to a New Location

Open the affected document, click 'File' > 'Save As', choose a completely different folder on your computer, and save the file.

Reopen the Copied File

Close Microsoft Word entirely, navigate to the new folder where you just saved the document, and double-click the file to reopen it and check if the images load.

Solution 2

Restore Linked Image Paths or Reinsert Images

If your document uses linked images, the original image files may have been moved, renamed, or deleted, causing the red X error.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Open Your Documents in WPS Office to Avoid Image Errors

If Microsoft Word continues to show the red X error due to graphics filter issues or software glitches, try opening your file with WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight alternative that offers highly compatible document processing, ensuring your images and text render correctly without formatting loss.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your computer.
2. Open the Document: Right-click your problematic Word document, hover over 'Open with', and choose WPS Office from the context menu.
3. View Your Images: Scroll through your document in WPS Writer to verify that the missing images are now displayed correctly.

Seamless format compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) documentsLightweight and fast, reducing graphics-rendering glitches and load errorsFree to use with a highly familiar user interface for zero learning curveRobust support for safely embedding, rendering, and extracting images

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word show a red X instead of my inserted picture?

This error usually occurs when an image is 'linked' rather than embedded in the document, and the original image file is subsequently moved, renamed, or deleted. It can also be caused by outdated Microsoft Office software, corrupted graphics filters, or a damaged document structure.

How can I permanently prevent the 'picture can't be displayed' error?

To prevent this issue, always embed images directly into your document rather than linking them. When inserting a picture, click 'Insert' > 'Pictures', and ensure you click the 'Insert' button rather than choosing 'Link to File' from the drop-down options.

Will using the Word document repair tool fix the red X image?

If the red X is caused by a damaged document structure rather than a missing linked file, the repair tool might help. You can try this by opening Word, clicking 'File' > 'Open', selecting your document, clicking the drop-down arrow next to the 'Open' button, and choosing 'Open and Repair'.

Document & File Issues