How to caption an image in Google Docs

Google Docs, a very powerful real-time collaboration, and document authoring tool produce wonderful drawings. A solid and interesting caption for a picture can spark a reader’s interest in your Google Docs document. But unfortunately, there is no built-in tool for adding a caption to images in Google Docs. But there are a few different workarounds you can add a caption to an image in your Google Docs.

How to caption an image in Google Docs? You can follow the below steps

  1. Click on the Menu -> Insert and then click on the “Drawing” option.
  2. You can paste your image either using Drag/Drop, or CtrlV or you can right-click and paste your image.
  3. The next step is to click on the “Textbox” button at the top.
  4. Now, Under the image, draw the textbox and add some text.
  5. Click on the “more” button that is present at the top to set the font or format.

Or, You can also follow the below steps to add caption to image in Google Docs.

  1. Click on the image, and select “inline”.
  2. Put the cursor under the image and type the cation.

Still, there are 4 simple ways to add image caption in Google Docs. We will discuss this in detail below with the complete steps with screenshots.

How to caption an image in Google Docs

So let’s see how to add a caption under the image in google docs or Add a Caption to an Image in a Google Doc. There are 4 Ways To Add Captions To Images in Google Docs

  • Add Google Docs image caption using “Inline”
  • Add image caption using “Table” in Docs
  • Add image caption using the “Text box” in Google Docs
  • Add Google Docs image caption using the “Caption Maker” add-on

Add Google Docs image caption using “Inline”

One of the easiest ways to add a caption to an image is using the “inline” option.

All you have to do is click on the image and select “inline” from the menu below it. Now place your cursor underneath the image you want to add a caption and type your caption.

This method sometimes collapses your Docs image caption. So it’s better to move on with other methods.

Add Google Docs image caption using “Table”

To add a figure caption in Google Docs, follow the below instructions.

  • Draw a 1 x 2 matrix table to insert an image and caption below it by Clicking Insert > Table > 1 x 2
Google Docs Image Caption
  • Insert your image in the first row of the table and add an image caption in the second row of the table.

Adding Images with Captions in Google Docs

How to insert an image with a caption in Google Docs? The simple and best way to insert an image is just by click-and-drag. All you have to do is just finding out the image you want to insert and drag it from your computer’s file browser to the desired place of your Google Docs document.

how to add an image caption in google docs
  • Once you add Google Docs image and caption, select the whole table and click on the “Border color” option in the upper right corner of the Google Docs.
  • Select “white color” to hide the table.
how to add image caption google docs
  • And that’s it. Your image caption is added using the “Table” option in Google Docs.
how to add image caption in google docs

This is how to add a caption to an image in google docs.

Google Drawings tool to add Google Docs image caption

Google Docs have a specially designed virtual board namely Google Drawings that allows users to create drawings, diagrams, and paste images.

There are many ways to add images to your Docs, but what if you want to put some text below the image that looks like an actual caption, then Drawings will master this. Let’s see how to add captions using the Google Docs Drawing tool.

To open the Google Drawings tool, head up to your Google Drive account.

  • Click +New > More > Google Drawings
add caption to image google docs

Add Google Docs image caption using the “Text box”

Google Docs does not support the option to add a textbox that can be moved around the page. One workaround for this is to add a textbox to the Google Drawings, and then insert the Drawing back into your Google Docs document. Just follow the instructions below:

  • Open Google Drawings
  • Click Insert > Image > Upload from computer
  • You can also insert images from your Google Drive, Google Photos, or other various options provided by Google Drawings.
how to add an image caption in google docs
  • Once the image is inserted, you are now ready to add a caption for the image you have inserted.
  • You can now create a textbox by clicking on the “Textbox” button in the toolbar. This will open up a text box with a default dimension. You can adjust the dimensions if you want
how to add a caption to an image in google docs
  • To draw a text box of your desired dimension, You can use the insert option in Google Drawings.
  • Click Insert > Text box
how to insert image caption in google docs
  • You can draw a text box below the image for adding the caption. 
google docs add caption to image
  • You can also format the text as needed, including font, size, color, alignment, and more to make the caption more attractive.
  • Adding a border will make it more look like a caption. To do so, click the “Border weight” button.
google docs caption image

If your caption looks blurry, you can use a one-cell table and change the border’s color, width, and design as desired instead of using a text box to make your caption clear with the image.

  • Once you add a caption to the image, click “Save & Close”
  • Now open your Google Docs document and proceed to insert this Google Drawing.
  • Click Insert > Drawings > +New
how to add caption to image on google docs
  • Choose the drawing with the caption and insert it into your Google Docs document.
  • You can move, resize your image, and change text wrapping around the picture as you wish.
  • To edit it, just double-click on the picture, re-open and make edits.

Add Google Docs image caption using the “Caption Maker” Add-on

The add-on for Google Docs called Caption Maker will make the process of adding a caption to your Google Docs document very easy and effective.

Let’s see how to install, activate, and start using Caption Maker in docs to add Image captions. 

Caption Maker — installation

To install Caption Maker, follow the below steps:

  • Open your Docs document where you have to add an image with the caption.
  • Click Add-ons > Get add-ons
google doc image caption
  • Type Caption maker in the search box of the G Suite marketplace.
  • Click on the caption maker icon to install it.
how to caption an image in google docs
  • Click on the Blue button “Install” to install the caption maker.
how to add caption under image in google docs
  • The caption maker needs your permission in order to install installing. Click “Continue” to install.
add image caption google docs
  • Now click “Allow” to continue.
how to add an image caption in google docs
  • Your caption maker has been now installed to caption your image.
google docs add image caption
  • Now open your Google Docs document. Click Add-ons > Caption Maker > Start
how to add a caption to an image in google docs

Caption Maker — Activation

  • If you can’t find the start option and only the help option in the caption maker, it means that the caption maker is installed but not enabled for use.
  • To enable the option, click on Add-ons > Manage Add-ons 
  • You can find Caption Maker in the list of installed add-ons. Just click the Manage button and choose Use in this document. 
  • Now reload the document by using the short key CTRL + R. Now the caption maker will be activated.
  • Click on the start option to caption your image. A sidebar will be displayed on the right side of the Google Docs document.
how to add image caption in google docs

The Caption Maker Add-on detects images and tables in your Google Docs, gives numbered captions above or below those images, and also creates lists of images and tables. This list of images can be updated as long as you add images.

  • You can decide where to add your caption to the image by using the “Image and Drawings” option.
caption image google docs
  • If you wish to insert a caption below or above a table, you can also customize it.
how to add image caption in google docs
  • You can format the style, size, and color of your Image caption using “Visual Settings” in Docs.
how to add image caption google docs
  • Once you are done with your settings, Click the “Captionize” button at the end of the sidebar to do Google Docs Image Caption.
how to add an image caption in google docs

This is all about the steps to Add a Caption to an Image in a Google Doc or How to add captions to images.

Wrapping Up

Tell your readers what your image speaks about by adding Google Docs Image caption using the above different methods.