How to Insert Picture in Excel Cell Background (3 Methods)

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In this article, we’re going to show you how to insert picture in Excel cell background. To demonstrate our methods, we’ve taken some data from a local clothing company. The dataset has three columns: Product, Size, and Color. We will insert background picture for both a single cell and a range of cells.

how to insert picture in excel cell background


How to Insert Picture in Excel Cell Background: 3 Ways

1. Utilizing the Insert Tab to Insert Picture in Excel Cell Background

For the first method, we’re going to insert, resize, and lower the transparency of images to Insert pictures in Excel cell background. We’ll input the images in the Color column.

Steps:

  • Firstly, from the Insert tab >>> Pictures >>> click on Stock Images…

Note: If you want to insert images from your device, you can select This Device… option.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

A dialog box will appear.

  • Secondly, on the search box, type your desired word.

We’ve searched for “red”.

  • Thirdly, select your image.
  • Finally, click on Insert.

The selected image will be imported into the worksheet.

  • After that, use the Resize Handles to resize the image and put it into cell D5.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

This is what our image looks like.

Notice that, we can’t see our text. We can fix that by increasing the transparency value. To do that –

  • Firstly, Right-Click on the image.
  • Secondly, click on Format Picture…

how to insert picture in excel cell background

Format Picture dialog box will appear.

  • Thirdly, from Picture >>> Picture Transparency >>> set the Transparency to 60%.

Note: Depending on your picture type, you may want to increase or decrease this value.

  • After that, go to Size & Properties >>> from Properties select Move and size with cells.

This will make sure, our picture will adjust with the cell width and height.

  • Finally, click on the cross (x) mark.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

We can repeat the process for the other cells.

Our texts are not looking great. We can use the Arrow keys to select the cells and format them to make them better. Thus, we’ve inserted pictures in the Excel cell background.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

Read More: How to Insert Picture in Excel Cell with Text


2. Employing Page Layout to Insert Picture in Excel Cell Background

In this method, we’re going to put an image to the whole worksheet and then limit it to our desired cell range only. Finally, insert that picture as an Excel cell background.

Steps:

  • Firstly, from the Page Layout tab >>> select Background.

Insert Picture dialog box will appear.

  • Secondly, select From a file.

Another dialog box will appear.

  • Thirdly, select your desired picture.
  • After that, press Insert.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

We can see that the picture covers the whole worksheet (Photo by Madison Inouye).

To limit the picture to our intended cells only, we can do this –

  • Firstly, select all the cells except the cells that contain our dataset.
  • Secondly, from the Home tab >>> Fill Color >>> select the color White.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

In conclusion, we’ve shown you yet another way to insert picture in cell background.

Read More: How to Insert Image in Excel Cell as Attachment


3. Using the Shape Feature to Insert Picture in Excel Cell Background

For the last method, we’ll insert a shape, and then we’ll replace it with a picture. Finally, we’ll double-click on it to add text. Thus, we’ll insert picture in cell background.

Steps:

  • Firstly, from the Insert tab >>> Shapes >>> select Rectangle.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

After that, the cursor will transform into a plus (+) sign.

  • Secondly, draw a rectangle on cell D5.

  • Thirdly, right-click on the rectangle >>> select Format Shape…

how to insert picture in excel cell background

The Format Picture dialog box will appear.

  • After that, from Fill & Line >>> select Picture or texture fill.
  • Then, select Insert… under Picture source.

The Insert Pictures dialog box will appear.

  • Click on From a File.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

Another dialog box will appear.

  • Select your desired picture.
  • Finally, click on Insert.

The picture will appear on cell D5.

  • Now, double-click on the image to enable write mode.
  • Finally, type your words there.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

You can change the text style by selecting the text. We’ve set the font size to 12, font-weight bold.

This is what the final image should look like.

how to insert picture in excel cell background

You can repeat the steps for the other cells. Thus, we’ve shown you the third method of inserting pictures in the Excel cell background.

Read More: How to Insert a Picture in Excel Header


Practice Section

We’ve provided practice datasets for you in the Excel file. You can download that file and follow along with our step-by-step guide.

how to insert picture in excel cell background


Download Practice Workbook


Conclusion

We’ve shown you 3 methods of how to insert picture in Excel cell background. If you face any problems regarding any of the methods, feel free to comment below. Thanks for reading, keep excelling!


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Rafiul Haq
Rafiul Haq

Rafiul Haq worked as an Excel and VBA Content Developer in Exceldemy for over two years and published almost 200 articles for the website. He is passionate about exploring new aspects of Excel and VBA. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Production Engineering (MPE) from the Islamic University of Technology. Rafiul furthered his education by obtaining an MBA in Finance from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka. Apart from creating... Read Full Bio

2 Comments
  1. Sorry for intrusion but none of solutions combined with the cell itself still the pic. is object and movable and not part of the cell body and change its position and cannot be hidden in case the cell or row belong to it wanted to be…

    • Hello MAREK,
      Hope you are doing well. As far as I understand, you wanted to change the position of the background images or hide any row with these images. I think we can do these works as I demonstrated below.
      Firstly, in Section 1, you can move the background image by clicking on the cell and then dragging it to your desired position.

      1

      • Here, we have dragged the image beside the cell and changed the text written also in this cell.

      2

      • In Section 3, you can move the image along with the text to any position by only clicking on this cell and then dragging it.

      3

      In this way, we have changed the position.

      4

      • Later, we also changed the text.

      5

      • If you want to hide any row, then just click on this row, and then Right-click.
      • Select the Hide option.

      6

      Eventually, we have hidden our desired row.

      7

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