Get the Insert Image in Excel Cell Workbook
Want the file without building it from scratch? Download the ready-to-use workbook and follow along with every method in this tutorial.
- Practice all 3 ways to insert images into Excel cells
- Test image lookups with VLOOKUP, FILTER, and related data examples
- Includes IMAGE function examples using web URLs
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How to Insert a Picture into an Excel Cell
Step 1: Select the Cell
First, click on the cell where you want to insert the picture.
Step 2: Go to the Insert Tab
- Click on the Insert tab at the top of your screen.
- Next, choose Pictures from the Illustrations group.
- Select Place in Cell and choose the picture from your files.
Step 3: Select Your Picture
- A window will open, allowing you to choose your image.
- You can select one picture, or hold down the
Ctrlkey to select multiple pictures at once. - Once selected, the pictures will automatically be inserted into the cell(s) you selected.
💡 Tip: If you’re using the “Mobile Device” option, make sure you’re on Windows 11 and using iOS 14+ or Android 7+ for compatibility.
⚠️ Compatibility Check: Older Excel Versions
The “Place in Cell” feature and the IMAGE function are exclusive to Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024+.
What happens in older versions (2021, 2019, 2016)? If you share a workbook with someone on an older version, they will encounter errors:
- #NAME? or #BLOCKED! Errors: These will appear in any cell using the new
IMAGEformula. - “Picture” Text: Images inserted directly into cells will often display as the literal text string “Picture” or appear as a blank cell.
Need a solution for Older Versions? If you or your colleagues are not on the latest version of Excel, you can still perform image lookups using a more advanced technique involving named ranges.
👉 Learn the alternative method here: Lookup on Pictures in Excel
How to Resize Cells to Fit Images
After inserting your picture, you may want to adjust the cell size to see the picture more clearly.
- Simply resize the row or column. Excel will fit the image inside the cell without stretching or distorting it.
Picture in Cell: Right-Click Menu
You can access more picture options by right-clicking on the cell with the picture.
Here are a few useful features:
- Convert to Picture Over Cells: This places the image above the grid instead of inside the cell.
- Create a Reference: This creates a new image above the grid that links to the original picture in the cell. If you change the cell picture, the linked image updates automatically.
- Show Preview: Want a closer look? Use the keyboard shortcut
Ctrl + Shift + F5to see a larger preview of the picture.
How to Convert Floating Images to In-Cell Images
If you have older Excel files where images are placed over cells, it’s easy to update them:
- Right-click on the image and select Place in Cell.
- The image will shrink to fit inside the nearest cell.
How to Use Images in Excel Tables
You can also include images in Excel tables.
- Select the table and press
Ctrl+Tto format it as an official Excel Table. - Images in cells will display “Picture” in the formula bar.
💡 Pro Tip: To give your pictures a meaningful description, add Alt Text.
- Right-click the cell with the picture and choose View Alt Text.
- A pane will open on the right side, where you can enter a description for the image.
- Once you add the Alt Text, the word “Picture” in the formula bar will change to the description you entered.
If you need to protect your images from being accidentally moved or deleted, see our guide on how to lock cells in Excel.
How to Return Images with Lookup Formulas
Did you know you can use Excel formulas to return images just like regular data?
Imagine typing a product code or employee number and seeing a picture pop up in the cell next to it.
You can easily do this using lookup formulas in Excel.
Here’s how to return images in Excel using lookup formulas.
Use VLOOKUP to Return a Single Image
If you want to return a single image based on a lookup value (like a part number or name):
- First, make sure your images are stored in a table along with their corresponding data.
- Use the VLOOKUP formula to search for the value (like the part number) and return the image in the adjacent cell.
For example:
=VLOOKUP(E2, A2:B21, 2, FALSE)In this formula:
- E2 is the cell where you type the name.
- A2:B21 is the range where the data and images are stored.
- The formula will return the image in column B that matches the name in column A.
Tip: For a complete VLOOKUP guide covering all arguments and common errors, see our VLOOKUP tutorial.
Use FILTER Function to Return Multiple Images
If you need to return multiple images:
- Use the FILTER function to find all the matching rows.
- The formula will return a list of names and their corresponding images.
For example:
=FILTER(A2:B21, C2:C21=F2)In this formula:
- A2:B21 is the range where the names and images are stored.
- C2:C21 is the column where you have the data you want to match (in our example, the project names).
- F2 is where you type the value to filter by
This will return every row that matches your filter, along with the images.
Tip: For more information on using the FILTER function, check out this detailed guide.
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Older Excel Versions: What to Do
If you don’t have Excel 365, you can still return images using lookup formulas, but the process is more complicated.
You can learn how to do this in older versions in our post Lookup on Pictures in Excel.
How to Use the IMAGE Function (Insert from URL)
Did you know you can display images in Excel using just a URL?
How to Use the Excel IMAGE Function
The Excel IMAGE function allows you to easily add pictures from the web directly into your Excel cells.
=IMAGE(source, [alt_text], [sizing], [height], [width])For example, to display a database icon from the URL (https://tinyurl.com/bded3nsm), the formula looks like this:
=IMAGE("https://tinyurl.com/bded3nsm")
This simple formula pulls the image from the web and displays it right in your Excel cell.
Important Notes:
- If the URL requires login or authentication, the image won’t display.
- The IMAGE function is available in the latest versions of Excel for Microsoft 365 (version 2211 or later).
💡 Tip: Want to see this method in action? Check out this short video tutorial on using the IMAGE function in Excel.
How to Use XLOOKUP with Images
Excel can even use images in lookup functions!
You can insert an image into a cell and use XLOOKUP to find related data, such as the person’s name connected to the image.
For example, copy and paste an image into a cell, and then use XLOOKUP to return information like a product name or employee ID.
=XLOOKUP(E2, B2:B21, A2:A21)It’s a powerful feature for organizing image-based data in Excel.
💡 Tip: To learn more about how to use XLOOKUP in Excel, check out this detailed guide.
More Exciting Use Cases for Images in Excel
The Image in Cell feature opens up a lot of new possibilities, especially when combined with newer Excel features like images in pivot tables.
Want to learn more? Watch this exciting video on how to Create Pivot Tables Like NEVER Seen Before!
Download the Free Practice File
Enhance your learning experience by downloading our workbook. Practice the techniques discussed in real-time and master how to insert and lookup images in Excel with hands-on examples.
Download the workbook here and start applying what you’ve learned directly in Excel.
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Leila Gharani
Founder of XelPlus and ten-time Microsoft MVP. Leila helps over 500,000 professionals master Excel, Power BI, and data automation through practical, real-world training.
