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a 2-minute guide

How to add icons to Google Docs and Microsoft Word

Short answer

Google Docs: InsertImageUpload from computer with a PNG. Word: InsertPicturesThis Device with an SVG.

Time
2 min
Download
PNG / SVG
Size
256 px PNG
Cost
Free

Which file should I download?

PNG / SVG · 256 px PNG

Google Docs needs a PNG (256 px is plenty for icons next to text). Word in Microsoft 365 and 2019+ takes SVG, which stays sharp and can be recoloured.

Step by step

  1. Pick your icon and download it

    Open the icon library and search for what you need, for example “check circle”. Click the icon, choose a colour, then click Download PNG and pick 256 px. Using Word? Download the SVG instead.

  2. Google Docs: insert the image

    Put your cursor where the icon should go, then choose InsertImageUpload from computer.

  3. Word: insert the picture

    Choose InsertPicturesThis Device on Windows, or InsertPicturesPicture from File on a Mac, and pick the SVG.

  4. Keep it in line with the text

    In Docs, click the icon and pick In line in the bar under it. In Word, click Layout Options and choose In Line with Text.

  5. Make it text-sized

    Drag a corner until the icon is about as tall as a capital letter. Around 0.45 cm (0.18 in) suits 11 pt text.

How to change the colour

Word (SVG): select the icon and use Graphics FormatGraphics Fill. Google Docs (PNG): Image optionsRecolor gives a few tints, but it’s easier to choose the colour on with icons before downloading.

How to resize it

Drag a corner handle. For exact sizes: Docs Image optionsSize & Rotation; Word Graphics Format tab, Height and Width.

Something not working?

The icon jumps around when I type.

Set it to In line (Docs) or In Line with Text (Word). Then it moves with your words.

The icon sits too high or low next to text.

Make it a bit smaller, about the height of a capital letter.

Google Docs won’t take my SVG.

Docs doesn’t support SVG. Download the PNG instead.

Related guides

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a shortcut

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