Pictures, captions and cross-references

In this lesson

Insert images without stretching them, add alt text and keep a figure reference correct when the images move.

Example

A simple office layout explanation

The report has a meeting-room photograph and a floor-plan illustration. Both were labelled “Figure 1” by hand, while the text says “see Figure 2”. Moving the plan makes these references wrong. Use your own non-sensitive images or draw a simple plan, then add captions and a cross-reference.

How it works

In Line with Text makes a picture behave like a character in its paragraph. A floating picture wraps text and has a paragraph anchor. Choose inline placement first if you want the picture to move with the surrounding text.

Word numbers captions using fields. A cross-reference is another field pointing to that caption. After moving pictures, update both so the text uses the new figure number. A number typed by hand will stay unchanged.

Steps

Create Room overview and Proposed layout headings. Insert a meeting-room image with Insert › Pictures and choose In Line with Text.
Set the image width in Picture Format, keeping its aspect ratio. Use Crop to remove unwanted edges, then check that the seating or other useful details are still visible.
Add alt text explaining what the image contributes, such as the current seating layout. Avoid repeating the nearby caption if that leaves the layout itself unexplained.
Choose References › Insert Caption, label Figure, and enter “Current meeting-room layout”. Insert the plan and caption it “Proposed meeting-room layout” with the same label.
Type “The proposed layout is shown in ” in the body. Use References › Cross-reference to insert the proposed caption’s label and number. Select the hyperlink option if you want readers to jump to it.
Move the proposed image and caption before the current-layout pair. Select the body with Ctrl+A and update fields with F9, or Fn+F9 where needed. Compare both numbers and the reference.
Try Square wrapping on one image. Find its paragraph anchor, add text above it and check Print Preview. Return to inline placement if the image no longer stays with its explanation.

Try it yourself

Add a third captioned image and a cross-reference to it. Move that image and caption first, update the fields and check that its reference now points to Figure 1. Run Check Accessibility on the images.

Show expected result

Captions are numbered in document order. The reference to the third image changes to its new number, Figure 1.
The images keep their proportions and useful details. Each non-decorative image has alt text that explains its role.

If something goes wrong

The reference shows a REF code instead of a number.: On Windows, press Alt+F9 to switch from field codes to results, then update the fields. Do not replace the code by typing the figure number.
The image moves to another page after an edit.: Check its wrap mode and anchor paragraph. Inline placement follows the paragraph; a floating picture may need a different anchor or position setting.

Quick check

Try these questions after the exercise. Check the result in your app before marking the lesson complete.

1. Which picture mode behaves like a character?

Square wrappingIn Line with TextBehind Text

2. What makes a figure number update automatically?

A caption fieldTyping a bold numberIncreasing the image resolution

3. What should you do after reordering figures?

Delete all captionsConvert every image to a screenshotUpdate caption and reference fields

Choose an answer for all 3 questions to check your understanding.

Optional: try it with Copilot

If you have Copilot, try this after the exercise. Keep the original file and compare its suggestions with your own result.

Suggest captions and alt text for these office-layout images. Describe visible information without inventing measurements or people, and avoid repeating the caption in the alt text.