How to Keep Pictures with Cells When Filtering in Excel Online
Question details
The user needs to configure images so they move, resize, and hide along with their associated cells when applying filters in Excel Online.
- Product
- Excel Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Applying data filters to a worksheet that contains inserted images.
- Observed behavior
- Images float above the filtered rows and overlap instead of hiding or moving with their respective cells, and Excel Online does not provide the required properties menu to fix this behavior.
Ensure you have access to a desktop version of Microsoft Excel, as Excel Online currently does not support modifying advanced picture positioning properties directly from the web browser.
Configure Picture Properties Using Excel Desktop
Since Excel Online lacks the necessary formatting tools, you must open the file in the desktop application to lock the pictures to their cells.
While Excel Online cannot edit picture positioning settings natively, it will respect the properties once they are configured in the desktop application. By syncing your file to the desktop, you can quickly apply the correct layout rules.
From your SharePoint or OneDrive document library, choose the option to 'Open in Desktop App' to launch the workbook in the full version of Microsoft Excel.
Locate the image you want to associate with a cell. Right-click the image and select 'Format Picture' from the context menu.
In the Format Picture pane that appears on the right, click the 'Size & Properties' icon (which looks like a square with measurement arrows) and expand the 'Properties' section.
Select the radio button labeled 'Move and size with cells'. This setting locks the image to the cell grid, ensuring it acts like cell data.
Save the document so your changes sync back to the cloud. When you reopen or refresh the file in Excel Online, the pictures will now hide and reposition correctly when filters are applied.
Easily Lock Pictures to Cells with WPS Spreadsheet
Avoid the limitations of web-based spreadsheet tools. With WPS Office, a free and powerful desktop application, you can easily configure images to move, resize, and filter seamlessly with your cell data.
- 1. Open File in WPS: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your spreadsheet file.
- 2. Format Object: Right-click the inserted picture and select 'Format Object' from the dropdown menu.
- 3. Open Properties: In the right-hand task pane, navigate to the 'Size & Properties' tab.
- 4. Change Positioning: Under the 'Properties' section, choose the 'Move and size with cells' option.
- 5. Filter the Data: Apply your data filters; the images will now perfectly align and hide with your filtered rows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my pictures overlap when I filter in Excel Online?
By default, inserted pictures float above the worksheet grid. If they are not explicitly set to 'Move and size with cells', they will remain visible and overlap each other when the underlying rows are hidden by a filter.
Can I change picture properties directly in Excel Online?
Currently, Excel Online does not support advanced picture formatting features like 'Size & Properties'. You must open the file in a desktop spreadsheet application to modify these specific layout settings.
Will the picture settings applied in desktop Excel work when viewing online?
Yes, once you apply the 'Move and size with cells' setting in a desktop version of Excel and sync it back to OneDrive or SharePoint, Excel Online will respect the formatting when you apply filters.
