3 Quick Ways to Insert a File into a Word Document

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Embed or link to a file, document, or image in Microsoft Word

Co-authored by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: July 27, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Inserting a File
|
• Inserting a Document
|
• Inserting a Picture
|
• Video
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• Q&A

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Did you know you can insert files into Microsoft Word? You can add DOCX, PDF, TXT, and many other file formats. These can be embedded as an icon or added as a link. This wikiHow will show you how to insert a file into a Word document using your Windows or Mac computer.

Quick Steps

1. Click the Insert tab.
2. Click Object.
3. Click Create from File.
4. Click Browse and select a file.
5. Check the box for Display as icon.
6. Click OK.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Inserting a File

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1. 1
   Click Insert. You'll see this tab in the menu bar at the top of your document.

   • If you don't already have a document opened in Microsoft Word, do so now.
2. 2
   Click Object. You can find this in the Text section, underneath Date & Time.

   • If your document window isn't maximized, you might not see a text label next to the Object icon. It looks like a blank page with a square window superimposed on it.
   • A new window will open.
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3. 3
   Click Create from File. This is the second tab at the top.

   • If you're using a Mac, you'll see a Create from File button on the bottom left side of the window. Click it and skip to Step 5.
4. 4
   Click Browse. You can find this on the right of the File name field.

   • A pop-up window will open
5. 5
   Select your file and click Insert. Use the window to find the file you want to insert into the Word document.

   • You can also double-click the file to add it.
   • If you're using Word for Mac, click the Show Options button before you click Insert. Use this menu to choose whether you want the file to show up as an embedded link or clickable icon that will open the file separately instead of inserting it directly into your document.
   • In Word for Mac, clicking Insert will immediately insert the file (or the link or icon, depending on the options you chose in the Show Options menu). You can skip the following two steps.
6. 6
   Check the box for "Display as icon". The file will show up in the document as an embedded icon, which can be clicked to be redirected to the actual file.

   • If you want to share a link for the file, check the box for Link to file instead.
7. 7
   Click OK. The file will be inserted.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Inserting a Document

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1. 1
   Click Insert. This tab is in the menu bar at the top of your document.

   • Use this method to insert the content of another Word document into this new document. You can insert contents of a PDF, but the content may not look exactly like how it does in the original PDF.
2. 2
   Click the down-arrow next to "Object". You can find this in the Text section, underneath Date & Time.

   • A drop-down menu will open.
3. 3
   Click Text from File…. This is the second option.

   • A new window will open.
4. 4
   Select your file and click Insert. Use the window to find the document you want to insert into the Word document. The document will be added.

   • You can also double-click the document to add it.
   • If you're inserting a PDF file, you'll need to click OK to confirm.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Inserting a Picture

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1. 1
   Click where you want to insert the picture. The cursor should be blinking in the location.
2. 2
   Click the Insert tab. It's at the top of the window.
3. 3
   Click Pictures. This is in the Illustrations section.
4. 4
   Click This Device…. This is the first option.

   • In some versions of Word, like Word for Mac, this option may be called Picture from File instead.
   • If you want to browse through Microsoft's library, you can select Stock Images or Online Pictures.
5. 5
   Select the file to insert. Use the window to find the file you want to insert into the Word document.
6. 6
   Click Insert. The picture will be inserted into your Word document.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  I like that I can copy the file and paste to a blank page within another Word file. Is there a way to paste a document that's more than one page?

  

  Community Answer

  Open Microsoft Word. On the top left menu choose Insert. Choose File. Browse through your file system to the file you want. Click on the file name. Choose Insert. For an existing document, place the cursor at the point you want to insert the document, then follow the above instructions. You can also choose a range of pages substituting the final Insert with Range.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 44 Helpful 13
• Question

  How do I insert a file into a Word document?

  

  Community Answer

  Read and follow the instructions listed in the article above.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 76 Helpful 14
• Question

  I need to email a document that is not already in a file. What do I do?

  

  Community Answer

  Okay, where is the document? All documents are files. If you don't like the current format, save it to another format, or copy the material into another file in a standard format. If desperate, take a screenshot by pressing the PrintScreen key and pasting it into a Word document. Save it and you'll have a file. If you mean the document is a physical piece of paper and not on your computer, you can either scan it or just take a picture of it with your phone.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 3 Helpful 4

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