File Format & Compatibility

How to Insert a PDF as an Image in Microsoft Word 365

Elise Williams Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to insert the visual contents of a PDF page directly into a Word document like a JPG image, rather than embedding it as a file icon.

How to Insert a PDF as an Image in Microsoft Word 365

Product: Microsoft Word 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Adding PDF content to a Word document for visual reference without converting the PDF to an editable Word format.
Observed behavior: Using the Insert > Object > Create from File method results in Word displaying a text box with the file name and a default browser or PDF viewer icon instead of the actual PDF page.

Before you start

Identify the specific pages of your PDF that you want to display, as you will need to convert those pages into individual image files before inserting them into Word.

Solution 1Recommended

Convert the PDF to an Image Format

Since Word does not natively render inserted PDF objects as images on the page, the most reliable method is to first convert the PDF into a PNG or JPG file.

Microsoft Word for Windows handles embedded PDFs as OLE objects, which often default to displaying as icons depending on your default PDF viewer. Converting the file ensures it displays exactly as an image.

Open your PDF conversion tool

Open your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat, WPS Office, or a trusted online PDF-to-Image converter.

Export as an image

Use the Export or Save As feature to convert the specific PDF page to a JPG or PNG format and save it to a convenient location on your computer.

Navigate to Insert in Word

Open your Microsoft Word 365 document, click where you want the image to appear, and go to the Insert tab on the ribbon.

Insert the converted image

Click on Pictures, select This Device (or From File), locate your newly converted image, and click Insert.

Online PDF to JPG: choose image format (JPG/PNG) and output quality before you convert

Pro Tip: For text-heavy PDFs, exporting the image in PNG format generally provides sharper, more readable text in Word compared to JPG.

Solution 2

Use the Snipping Tool for a Quick Capture

If you only need to insert a small portion or a single page of a PDF and do not want to use a conversion tool, taking a screenshot is a fast alternative.

All-in-One Office Suite

Seamlessly Convert and Insert PDFs with WPS Office

WPS Office features an integrated ecosystem that includes a powerful word processor and a comprehensive PDF editor. You can natively convert PDF pages into high-quality images and insert them seamlessly into your documents, avoiding the hassle of third-party converters.

1. Open the PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your target PDF file.
2. Convert to picture: Navigate to the Tools tab and click on PDF to Picture to export your desired pages as JPG or PNG.
3. Open your document: Switch to WPS Writer and open the text document where you need the image.
4. Insert the picture: Go to Insert > Picture, select the images you just exported, and insert them instantly.

Built-in 'PDF to Picture' feature for rapid, high-quality image extractionFull compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) and other standard formatsAll-in-one lightweight suite requiring only one application for both PDFs and documents

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my PDF show up as a Chrome or Edge icon in Word?

When you use the 'Insert > Object' method, Word embeds the PDF as a file attachment rather than rendering its contents. The icon displayed corresponds to your computer's default PDF viewer, such as Chrome, Edge, or Adobe Acrobat.

Can I insert a multi-page PDF into Word as multiple images at once?

Word cannot automatically unravel a multi-page PDF into separate images. You must first use a PDF converter to export all pages as individual image files. Once exported, you can highlight all the image files in your folder and insert them into Word simultaneously.

Is there a way to insert PDF text into Word instead of an image?

Yes. If you simply need the text, you can open the PDF directly using Word 365, which will attempt to convert it into an editable Word document. Alternatively, you can select, copy, and paste the text directly from your PDF reader into your Word document.

Document & File Issues