Problem inserting an image in a Word 2016 document

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I am Win10/Pro, 21H1. I am using Microsoft Office Home and Student 2016, Word 2107, Build 14228.20204 Click-to-Run. I have a previously-created Word document in which I am trying to insert an image file, using Insert>Pictures>This device>click on an image file (.jpg, png). It will NOT insert. However, if I open a new Word document and try to insert the image file, it WILL insert. And then, if I copy (CTL-C) the image file that is in the new document, it will paste (CTL-V) into the previously-created Word document, which wouldn’t allow it to be inserted.

If I copy the entire contents of the previously-created document and paste it into a new document, all of the contents will paste correctly. And then, in THIS document, I can insert an image file.

This does not happen with every previously-created Word document, only a particular set of documents in which one of them has always been used as the master to create another similar document.

I have tried the same thing in Word from Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019 Click-to-Run and I have no problems inserting an image in any of the same previously-created Word documents.

What is preventing an insert of an image, but not a paste of an image, in this particular set of previously-created documents, when using Word 2016, but not Word 2019?

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This sound like the document was damaged.  Most likely in copying, editing was disabled for security and did not fully turn back on; or the copy in the most recent opened list is corrupt.

You can have Word try to repair the document:

• Open Word
• Select File> Open> Browse  and go to the file file’s actual storage location for the true file (not a most recent opened selection).
• In the Open box, select the file and then look at the bottom for Tools with a drop down arrow.  Click the arrow and select Open and Repair from the list.
• Sometimes will mild corruption Word can repair the document.

If the repair doesn’t work, make a copy that does work and delete the corrupt file.

 

HTH, Dana:))

 

HTH, Dana:))

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Thanks.  I wasn’t aware that there was this Tools drop-down.  However, I do not find Open and Repair there.   Is there some sort of switch in Word>Files>Options (or elsewhere) to get this to appear in the Tools drop-down?

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Open and Repair is at the bottom of the Open drop-down menu, not Tools.

Click the down arrow after Open.

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My bad.  I looked too quickly at where I go to repair and wrote Tools.  It is in the Open menu.  I’m sorry.

Did the repair work?

HTH, Dana:))

HTH, Dana:))

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Drcard:)) wrote:

Did the repair work?

No, the Open and Repair did not work.  A dialog box popped up that said that repairs were done, but I still cannot insert an image file in the document.

The strange thing is that while I cannot insert an image in this document in Word 2016, I can insert an image into the very same document in Word 2019.  So, it doesn’t seem to be a matter of a damaged file; otherwise, Word 2019 wouldn’t be able to do the “insert” either.

One thing I have noticed is when this document is opened in both Word 2016 (which won’t insert the image) and Word 2019 (which will insert the image), Compatibility Mode is added to the document name in the title bar.

I can insert an image in other documents in Word 2016, but those documents do not have Compatibility Mode added to the document name in the title bar.

P.S.  I am calling the blue strip at the very top of a Word document the title bar – the strip that shows the Quick Access Toolbar and the Word tab names.

 

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That explains it.  In Compatibility mode, Word will disable any new or changed feature in the current version  that was not in the version of Word that created that document.  Word changed how it inserts photos between the versions, so that feature is disabled as long as the document is in Compatibility Mode.

To make this document work right  you have to convert the document:

These are Microsoft’s directions on how to convert the document:

Convert Word Document Instructions

 

HTH, Dana:))

HTH, Dana:))

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Thank you very much for your help. I followed your link and found the solution there.  It took me some  time to figure out that the document’s being in [Compatibility Mode] might be the problem because the document name was long and [Compatibility Mode] did not show up in the title bar.  I had to shorten the name so that it would show up.

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