Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Inserting a Picture in Your Worksheet.

Inserting a Picture in Your Worksheet

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 22, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Excel allows you to insert a wide range of picture (graphic) types in your documents. You can insert the following types:

Picture Type Filename Extension
Compressed Enhanced Metafile EMZ
Compressed Macintosh PICT PCZ
Compressed Windows Metafile WMZ
Computer Graphics Metafile CGM
CorelDraw CDR
Encapsulated PostScript EPS
Enhanced Metafile EMF
FPX Format FPX
Graphics Interchange Format GIF
JPEG Format JPG
Kodak Photo CD PCD
Macintosh PICT PCT
PC Paintbrush PCX
Picture It! Format MIX
Portable Network Graphics PNG
Tagged Image File Format TIF
Windows Bitmap BMP
Windows Metafile WMF
WordPerfect Graphics WPG

This list looks very inclusive, but you may not be able to insert all of these on your particular version of Excel. The graphic files you can actually import depends on the version of Excel you have installed and which import filters you installed.

To insert a picture in your workbook, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Picture from the Insert menu, and then choose the From File option. This displays a file selection dialog box.
  2. In the Files of Type field, select the type of graphics file you want to insert.
  3. Locate and choose a filename for the picture you want to insert.
  4. Click on Insert.

Excel inserts the picture as if it is floating over your worksheet. You can then move the picture by simply using the mouse to drag the picture a new location.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2193) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Inserting a Picture in Your Worksheet.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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