Insert Image in Excel Cell (and Lookup Images)

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Adding pictures to your Excel sheets can make your data clearer and more engaging.

Follow these steps to easily insert a picture directly into a cell in Excel.

Insert Pictures into Excel Cell

Step 1: Select the Cell

First, click on the cell where you want to insert the picture.

Step 2: Go to the Insert Tab

• Click on the Insert tab at the top of your screen.
• Next, choose Pictures from the Illustrations group.
• Select Place in Cell and choose the picture from your files.

Step 3: Select Your Picture

• A window will open, allowing you to choose your image.
• You can select one picture, or hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple pictures at once.
• Once selected, the pictures will automatically be inserted into the cell(s) you selected.

💡 Tip: If you’re using the “Mobile Device” option, make sure you’re on Windows 11 and using iOS 14+ or Android 7+ for compatibility.

Resizing Cells to Fit Pictures

After inserting your picture, you may want to adjust the cell size to see the picture more clearly.

• Simply resize the row or column. Excel will fit the image inside the cell without stretching or distorting it.

Picture in Cell: Right-Click Menu

You can access more picture options by right-clicking on the cell with the picture.

Here are a few useful features:

• Convert to Picture Over Cells: This places the image above the grid instead of inside the cell.
• Create a Reference: This creates a new image above the grid that links to the original picture in the cell. If you change the cell picture, the linked image updates automatically.

• Show Preview: Want a closer look? Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + F5 to see a larger preview of the picture.

How to Convert Pictures Placed Over Cells to Pictures In Cells

If you have older Excel files where images are placed over cells, it’s easy to update them:

• Right-click on the image and select Place in Cell.
• The image will shrink to fit inside the nearest cell.

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How to Use Images in Excel Tables

You can also include images in Excel tables.

• Select the table and press Ctrl + T to format it as an official Excel Table.
• Images in cells will display “Picture” in the formula bar.

💡 Pro Tip: To give your pictures a meaningful description, add Alt Text.

• Right-click the cell with the picture and choose View Alt Text.

• A pane will open on the right side, where you can enter a description for the image.
• Once you add the Alt Text, the word “Picture” in the formula bar will change to the description you entered.

Return Images Using Excel Lookup Formulas

Did you know you can use Excel formulas to return images just like regular data?

Imagine typing a product code or employee number and seeing a picture pop up in the cell next to it.

You can easily do this using lookup formulas in Excel.

Here’s how to return images in Excel using lookup formulas.

Use VLOOKUP to Return a Single Image

If you want to return a single image based on a lookup value (like a part number or name):

• First, make sure your images are stored in a table along with their corresponding data.
• Use the VLOOKUP formula to search for the value (like the part number) and return the image in the adjacent cell.

For example:

=VLOOKUP(E2, A2:B21, 2, FALSE)

In this formula:

• E2 is the cell where you type the name.
• A2:B21 is the range where the data and images are stored.
• The formula will return the image in column B that matches the name in column A.

Tip: To learn more about using VLOOKUP in Excel, check out this detailed article.

Use FILTER Function to Return Multiple Images

If you need to return multiple images:

• Use the FILTER function to find all the matching rows.
• The formula will return a list of names and their corresponding images.

For example:

=FILTER(A2:B21, C2:C21=F2)

In this formula:

• A2:B21 is the range where the names and images are stored.
• C2:C21 is the column where you have the data you want to match (in our example, the project names).
• F2 is where you type the value to filter by

This will return every row that matches your filter, along with the images.

Tip: For more information on using the FILTER function, check out this detailed guide.

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Older Excel Versions: What to Do

If you don’t have Excel 365, you can still return images using lookup formulas, but the process is more complicated.

You can learn how to do this in older versions in our post Lookup on Pictures in Excel.

How to Display Images from a URL in Excel

Did you know you can display images in Excel using just a URL?

How to Use the Excel IMAGE Function

The Excel IMAGE function allows you to easily add pictures from the web directly into your Excel cells.

=IMAGE(source, [alt_text], [sizing], [height], [width])

For example, to display a database icon from the URL (https://tinyurl.com/bded3nsm), the formula looks like this:

=IMAGE("https://tinyurl.com/bded3nsm")

This simple formula pulls the image from the web and displays it right in your Excel cell.

Important Notes:

• If the URL requires login or authentication, the image won’t display.
• The IMAGE function is available in the latest versions of Excel for Microsoft 365 (version 2211 or later).

💡 Tip: Want to see this method in action? Check out this short video tutorial on using the IMAGE function in Excel.

Looking Up Images to Return Related Data

Excel can even use images in lookup functions!

You can insert an image into a cell and use XLOOKUP to find related data, such as the person’s name connected to the image.

For example, copy and paste an image into a cell, and then use XLOOKUP to return information like a product name or employee ID.

=XLOOKUP(E2, B2:B21, A2:A21)

It’s a powerful feature for organizing image-based data in Excel.

💡 Tip: To learn more about how to use XLOOKUP in Excel, check out this detailed guide.

More Exciting Use Cases for Images in Excel

The Image in Cell feature opens up a lot of new possibilities, especially when combined with newer Excel features like images in pivot tables.

Want to learn more? Watch this exciting video on how to Create Pivot Tables Like NEVER Seen Before!

Download the Workbook

Enhance your learning experience by downloading our workbook. Practice the techniques discussed in real-time and master how to insert and lookup images in Excel with hands-on examples.

Download the workbook here and start applying what you’ve learned directly in Excel.

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Leila Gharani

I’ve spent over 20 years helping businesses use data to improve their results. I've worked as an economist and a consultant. I spent 12 years in corporate roles across finance, operations, and IT—managing SAP and Oracle projects.

As a 7-time Microsoft MVP, I have deep knowledge of tools like Excel and Power BI.

I love making complex tech topics easy to understand. There’s nothing better than helping someone realize they can do it themselves. I’m always learning new things too and finding better ways to help others succeed.

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