• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Tutorials and fixes for smartphone, gadget, and computer problems

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iOS
    • MacOS
    • Office
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About Technipages
How to Use “Soft Edges” on Images in Word

How to Use “Soft Edges” on Images in Word

By Mel Hawthorne Leave a Comment

Microsoft Word is obviously primarily known as a word processor. Adding images to a Word document is relatively common and can be useful for a wide range of documents. One of the feature sets that Word includes is an image manipulation suite. It’s not going to compare to professional image editing software such as photoshop, but the options it includes are surprisingly powerful.

One of the features offered is called “Soft Edges”. This feature applies a transparency pattern to the outside of an image. At low levels, the effect results in a subtle blurring around the edge of an image. The effect can also be made a lot more noticeable, turning a fair amount of the image completely transparent while giving the centre area a misty appearance.

How to use Soft Edges on images

To configure Soft Edges for an image, you first need to copy an image into Word.

Tip: An image that has a coloured background is ideal as a white background will not show up well on the white background of the page, making the effect hard to see.

You can find the Soft Edges settings, in the format picture options. To access those, simply right-click on the image, you want to configure, then click on the bottom option “Format Picture”.

Right-click on an image, then click “Format Picture”.

Once you’ve done this, the “Format Picture” toolbar will appear on the right-hand side of the page. Next, click on the pentagon symbol labelled, “Effects” at the top of the toolbar, then click “Soft Edges”, the fourth option from the top.

Click on “Effects” then “Soft Edges” in the “Format Picture” toolbar.

In Soft Edges there are seven presets that you can choose from. Each one simply sets a value on the “Size” slider, for more fine-grained control you can adjust the slider yourself. Lower values have a more subtle effect while higher values are much more obvious.

Tip: Depending on the word wrap option chosen for the image, words may be able to wrap into the main outline of the image if large portions are turned transparent. If you don’t like this effect try using a different word-wrap setting.

Use the presets or the slider to configure how noticeable the transparency effect is.

You Might Also Like

  • How to Add “Artistic Effects” to Images in Word
    How to Add “Artistic Effects” to Images in Word
  • How to Quickly Erase All Images in a Word Document
    How to Quickly Erase All Images in a Word Document
  • Windows 10: Disable Smooth Edges For Fonts
    Windows 10: Disable Smooth Edges For Fonts
  • Word 2016 & 2013: Find Word Count
    Word 2016 & 2013: Find Word Count
  • LG G4: How to Soft & Hard Reset
    LG G4: How to Soft & Hard Reset
  • How to Soft & Hard Reset HTC U11
    How to Soft & Hard Reset HTC U11
  • How to Hard and Soft Reset the Roku
    How to Hard and Soft Reset the Roku
  • Soft & Hard Reset Moto X4
    Soft & Hard Reset Moto X4
  • How to Soft & Hard Reset Galaxy S6
    How to Soft & Hard Reset Galaxy S6

Filed Under: Office

Reader Interactions

Did this help? Let us know!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Windows 11: How to Add Clocks with Different Time Zones
  • Google Assistant: How to Never Miss a Birthday
  • Windows 11: How to Disable Notifications and Ads
  • How to Use Oculus Quest 2 Air Link
  • How to Create an Avatar in the Oculus Quest 2
  • 5 Free and Fun Math Apps for Kids
  • Windows 11: How to Discover What Graphics Card You’re Using
  • How to Change Display Resolution on Windows 10 and 11

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

You May Also Like

  • Microsoft Word
  • Word Processing Program

© Copyright 2022 Technipages · All Rights Reserved · Privacy