When using Google Docs, we can insert images we find online or we can bring in images from other sources. We can use digital pictures that we have taken ourselves, scanned photographs or drawings, and images taken from the Internet.
Copying the practice document
If you are beginning this course at this point, you will need to copy the practice document to your Google Drive.
NOTE: If you have been working through the course, your file should be up to date and you will not need to copy the practice document. You may continue at Copying the image.
- To begin copying the practice document in a new browser window,
Right-click Copy practice document, Click Open link in new window
The file begins to open in a new window of the web browser. Before the document will open and can be edited, we need to make a copy of it.
Move to the new browser window.
- To copy the document file, in the browser window,
Click 
A copy of the file is now open and, by default, is saved in your Google Drive. The filename now has the words "Copy of" at the beginning.
Copying the image
For this course, we will insert a picture that was taken by a staff member and saved on Google Drive. Before we can work through adding the image to the document, you will need to copy the image to your Google Drive.
- To copy the image file, click the following button:
Copying an image works differently than copying a presentation. The image opens in a web browser. Before you can add this image to your document, you need to add it to your Google Drive.
NOTE: Depending on your browser and browser settings, you might see a pop-up hint or other information. The Google Drive button may be behind this pop-up.
- To add this image to Google Drive, in the upper right corner of your browser window,
Click
A copy of the image is now saved in your Google Drive.
- To return to the Google Doc, in your browser,
Click the Google Doc tab
Inserting an image
Earlier we indented the first paragraph to make room for an image. The image will be placed wherever the cursor is. To ensure the image is placed correctly, we need to click before the first word of the first paragraph.
- To move to the second page of the document,
scroll to the second page of the document
- To place the cursor,
Click before the word "The" at the beginning of the first paragraph
- To open Google Drive, on the toolbar,
Click
, Click Drive - To insert the image, in the Google Drive panel,
Double-click LEGO_Picture.jpg
The image is placed at the beginning of the document. However, it is above the first paragraph and is way too big. Let's make some adjustments.
Adjusting the image
First, let's resize the image. When the image is selected, we see the border and small resizing handles. We can resize the image by pressing and dragging it in any direction. When the image has been resized, we'll adjust where the image sits in relation to the text.
- To select the image,
Click the image
- To resize the image,
Press & drag the lower right handle up and to the left
NOTE: Use the ruler as a guide when resizing images and other graphic elements.
Now that the image is smaller, let's adjust the way the text wraps around the image. With the image selected, we see the three text wrap options: In line, Wrap text, and Break text. Currently the image is in line with the text. The Wrap text option will give us a little more control over the position of the image.
- To change the text wrap option, in the mini toolbar below the image,
Click
The image doesn't move, but the text adjusts to be on the left and bottom of the image. Let's move the image so that it is closer to the one-inch margin. We can do this by pressing and dragging the image into position.
- To reposition the image,
Press & drag the image to the left so it's closer to the page margin
Depending on the size of your image and how far to the left you move it, your text may jump around. Take care that the first section header (People of the LEGO Group) does not move or otherwise wrap around the image. Continue to resize the image and make slight adjustments until the image is in the space between the 1 inch margin and the indented text.
- To make adjustments,
resize and/or reposition the image as necessary
The beginning of the document should look like this:
Adding alternative text
Images and graphics used in Google Docs should be given alternative text that can be read by a screen reader. This is especially important when the image contains content that is essential to the understanding of the text. Google Docs makes adding alt text easy.
- To open the Alt Text dialog box,
Right-click the image, Click Alt text
The Alt Text dialog box opens:
In this dialog box, we can add a title as well as a description for our image. The text we enter here will be read by a screen reading program and should be detailed and descriptive.
- To add a title,
Click in the Title field, type: LEGO Bricks
- To add a description,
Click in the Description field, type: Image of several types of LEGO Bricks
- To accept the title and description,
Click
- To deselect the image,
Click in a blank area of the document
No noticable change takes place, but the alt text has been added.
Alternative instruction: Using a table to anchor an image
When using Google Docs, images don't always move when text alignment or spacing is adjusted. In these cases, it may be necessary to use a table to keep the image with the corresponding text. Using a table to lay out a document is not accessible and therefore not recommended. However, this may be the only way to keep an image in the correct place. If you are having trouble with image placement, please see: Anchoring an image.