If you have images in your document you may see an anchor next to the image that appears at the top of the paragraph. In this post, I’m going to explain the reason why it’s there and also how you can remove it as well as hide it. I’ll go through step by step how to remove an anchor from pictures in Word. Ready, let’s go!
Why Have an Anchor?
The truth is that even though it’s a pretty misunderstood subject, there is no real reason for the confusion. If you have a bit a text and an image that goes along with it, then you want to keep them together. That’s the entire purpose of having the anchor. That’s what it’s there for and that’s why you’ll see it.
What is an Anchor on a Picture and Why is it There?
An anchor in a picture is there to do exactly that. Just like an anchor on a boat keeps the boat from moving around, so too, the anchor keeps the item where it is anchored. There are many different types of ways that you can insert a picture into Word and depending on how you put it in will determine how the anchor works.
In general terms though, there are two main types of method, In line with text and With Text Wrapping.
In, In line with Text, the picture is essentially just a big block of text. You move it around the page as you would with any other piece of text; with space, enter, typing etc. There is no anchor for this method of inserting images and pictures.
With Text Wrapping works very differently though. You drag it around the page to wherever you want it. It can be behind the text, on top of the text, and with a bunch of different options besides. For this reason it needs to be anchored so that you can keep it in the same place.
There are two different types of anchoring in Microsoft Word, Move with Text, and Fix Position on Page. Let’s see how they work:
Move with Text Anchoring
In Move with Text Anchoring, once you have put your picture in your chosen place inside the document, it is fixed there according to the text. What this means is that it is anchored to the paragraph you have put it in. You don’t have to put the picture at the end of the paragraph at all, it just means that the picture is linked to the paragraph.
Therefore, if you type something above the paragraph, thus making the text move down the page, the image will move with it. Similarly, if you delete text from above the paragraph that you have anchored it to, the picture will move up the page.
In order to select this option, click on the picture and then click on the Layout options button:
Fix Position on Page Anchoring
In the Fix position on page option, the position of the picture is completely locked in and will not be moved whether you delete text, add text, or try anything else with a keyboard. You can still move the picture around with your mouse. However, it has no bearing on the text.
Locking the Anchor
You can even lock the Anchor on the page by using the advanced options. Click on See more and then select the lock Anchor option on the pop-up window:
If you select the Lock anchor, then the picture that you have set up with the text will always be connected to it and you won’t be able to disconnect the picture from the text. This is important if someone else is going to be editing the document and doesn’t really understand what they are doing.
How to Remove the Anchor
Let me break this to you slowly, there is no way to remove the anchor in word. You can hide it, but there is no way to remove it. And for very good reason. As I have written above, an anchor isn’t something you should be scared of, it’s used to ensure that you actually have control over your document, and that’s something that we all want.
If you don’t want the anchor to appear, then you have to have your picture in the In line with Text layout. This way, the anchor will be removed. This is the only way that the anchor will be removed as the picture now becomes like a portion of the text.
However, if for some reason you don’t like the way it looks, or you are giving the document to someone to check and don’t want them to see it, there is an easy way to hide it.
How to Hide the Anchor
If you want to know how do I turn off anchoring in word and what you mean is that you want to hide it, then following these steps:
- Click on File in the ribbon and then click on Options at the bottom of the screen:
- On the pop-up menu, select the Display options on the left and then click on Object anchors. This makes the anchors disappear from all your pictures:
In Summary
I’ve gone through how to remove anchors in Word. More importantly, I’ve explained what they are, how to use them and why they are there. I hope you have enjoyed this post and as always, if you have any questions or comments, leave them below and I’ll do my best to answer them.