How to Remove a Picture Background in Word 2016: A Comprehensive Guide

Removing the background from a picture in Microsoft Word 2016 can be a straightforward process if you follow the right steps. This article will guide you through the entire procedure, ensuring that you achieve a clean, professional-looking image. We will cover the entire process, from selecting the handles to using advanced options to refine your work. Let's begin:

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Selecting and Marking Areas

To remove the background from a picture in Word 2016, you first need to select the handles on the marquee lines. These handles allow you to mark the areas you wish to keep and exclude the ones you wish to remove. Here’s how to do it:

Select the picture in Word 2016. Click on one of the handles on the marquee lines. Drag the line to include the part of the picture you wish to keep and exclude most of the areas you wish to remove.

Step 2: Fine-Tuning the Removal

If the default area you’ve marked isn’t precise, you can fine-tune the selection:

Select Mark Areas to Keep to mark the areas you want to keep. Select Mark Areas to Remove to mark the areas you don’t want to keep. Use Delete Mark to remove any marked areas you don’t need.

Step 3: Finalizing the Changes

Once you are satisfied with your selection, you can finalize the changes:

Select Keep Changes to keep the marked areas and remove the rest. Select Discard All Changes if you wish to start over.

Note: Background Removal is not available for vector graphic files such as SVG, Adobe Illustrator Graphics (AI), Windows Metafile Format (WMF), and Vector Drawing File (DRW).

Additional Tips

For more advanced users, Word 2016 offers several additional features and options. Here are some valuable tips:

Using the Background Transparency Option

For more control, you can use the Background Transparency option:

Double-click the picture in Word 2016 to open the Picture Tools Format tab. Select the Background Transparency option and adjust the transparency according to your needs.

Using the Remove Background Feature for Word 2010 and Later

For even more advanced users, Word 2010 and later offer the Remove Background feature:

Right-click on the image and select Format Picture. Choose the Adjust tab and then select Remove Background. Word will automatically mark the background with a magenta fill and place a box around the image with selection handles. Drag the selection handles until all of the foreground is inside the box. Click Keep Changes to finalize the process.

Fixing Image Placement Issues

If you experience issues placing one image on top of another, you can solve it by adjusting the Wrap Text feature:

Select both images. Choose Format Picture from the context menu and then go to the Wrap Text tab. Select Through to ensure both images overlap properly.

Conclusion

By following these detailed steps, you can easily remove a picture background in Word 2016. This technique is not only useful for enhancing the appearance of your documents but also for creating engaging visual content. Whether you are a professional or a casual user, mastering this skill will significantly improve your document's overall quality.