How to Change a Google Docs Background to a Picture

Text Wrapping and the Drawing tool are the two ways to add a background image

By Robert Earl Wells III
Updated on August 3, 2022
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher headshot
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
lifewire's editorial guidelines

What to Know

  • Insert an image, select it, then select the three dots > All Image Options > Text Wrapping > Behind Text.
  • Place the cursor, type your text, then use the Enter and Spacebar keys to move it where you want.
  • Alternatively, add an image to Google Docs with the Drawing tool, then add a text box over it.

This article explains how to change a Google Docs background to a picture so you can add text over that picture.

How to Make an Image a Background on Google Docs

There are a couple of ways to add text on top of an image in a Google document. Here's how to insert an image in the background so that you can type over it in Google Docs:

  1. Open a new document and go to Insert > Image, then choose an image. You can upload a file, take a picture, or search for a photo online.

    The Insert > Image option in Google Docs

  2. Select the image, then select the three dots under the image. In the pop-up window, choose All Image Options.

    The More menu and "All Image Options" items

  3. Select Adjustments and use the Transparency slider to adjust the image's transparency.

    Increasing transparency makes it easier to read the text in front of an image.

    Transparency settings in Google Docs

  4. Select Text Wrapping and choose Behind Text.

    The "Behind Text" option in Text Wrapping settings

  5. Select the X next to Image Options in the upper-right corner to close the image editor.

    The X icon in Image Settings

  6. In the document, click above the image to place the cursor. Type the text, then use the Enter and Spacebar keys to move it exactly where you want it over the image.

    "Meet Lulu" text over a picture in Google Docs

  7. To expand the image, click and drag the corners of the image to adjust the size to your liking. You may need to adjust the text placement.

    Expand image icon in Google Docs

How to Add Text to an Image With the Drawing Tool

Alternatively, you can add images to Google Docs with the Drawing tool and then add a text box over it.

  1. Open a new document and go to Insert > Drawing > +New.

    Insert > Drawing > New in Google Docs

  2. Select Image (the photo icon) and choose the image for your background.

    The Image option

  3. To adjust transparency, select Edit (the pencil icon) and select Transparent.

    The Edit icon and Transparent option

  4. Select Text Box (the T icon), then click-and-drag to draw a text box where you want it. Enter your text. When you're satisfied, select Save and Close.

    If you want to change the font, size, or color, select the three dots on the far right side of the toolbar.

    The Text Box option

  5. Your image with text will be inserted into the document. To make further adjustments, select the image, then select the three dots underneath. For example, to send the image to the background, select All Image Options > Text Wrapping > Behind Text.

    The More menu and "All Image Options" items

Another option is to change the background in Google Slides, add your text to a slide, then take a screenshot. You can then insert the screenshot into Google Docs as an image.

FAQ
  • How do I flip an image in Google Docs?

    The easiest way is with the Drawing option. Go to Insert > Drawing > New, and then upload an image. Right-click and go to Rotate > Flip horizontally/vertically (as needed). Select Save and close to insert the flipped image into your document.

  • What image types are supported in Google Docs?

    Google Docs supports all common image types, including jpeg, heic, tiff, and png. You can't upload a pdf file as an image, however.

Was this page helpful?