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To label a screenshot in Microsoft Word, select the image, open References > Insert Caption, choose Figure or create a Screenshot label, add descriptive text, and select OK. Word inserts a numbered caption field that can be renumbered when figures move. Add separate alt text for screen-reader users; a caption and alt text serve different purposes.
Add a numbered label below a screenshot
- Insert the screenshot, or select one already in the document.
- Open the References tab on the Word ribbon.
- Select Insert Caption in the Captions group.
- In Label, select Figure. If you want the word “Screenshot” instead, select New Label, type Screenshot, and select OK.
- Click after Word’s automatically inserted number and type an explanation, such as Screenshot 1: The Security settings page with multifactor authentication enabled.
- Select OK. Word places the caption near the picture and stores the number as a field rather than ordinary typed text.
The label is visible document text. It identifies or explains the image for every reader and can be included in a table of figures. It is not the same as alternative text, which is read by assistive technology.
Choose the right caption wording
Use a consistent pattern
Decide whether your document will use “Figure” or “Screenshot,” then use that label consistently. Keep the wording specific enough to identify the screen and the reader’s purpose. “Screenshot 2: Export dialog” is more useful than “Screenshot 2: Image.” If the surrounding paragraph already explains the same detail, keep the caption short rather than repeating the paragraph.
Describe what matters
For instructional documents, name the application area, important setting, or result shown. Do not claim that a screenshot proves information that is cropped out. If a date, account name, URL, or other sensitive value is visible, redact it before sharing the document.
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Create a custom “Screenshot” label
Word’s built-in label list commonly includes Figure, Table, and Equation. To add your own:
- Select the picture and choose References > Insert Caption.
- Select New Label.
- Enter Screenshot and select OK.
- Type the caption text after the generated number, then select OK.
The custom label is available for later captions in that document. Word maintains numbering for captions that use the same label. A document can contain both Figure and Screenshot labels, but each label has its own sequence.
Fix numbering after screenshots move
Caption numbers are fields, so they may not refresh immediately after you insert, delete, or rearrange images. To update them, select the affected caption and press F9. To update every field in the document, press Ctrl+A, then F9 (on macOS, select the document content and use Word’s field-update command).
If you see field-code text such as { SEQ Screenshot * ARABIC } instead of a number, press Alt+F9 to switch between field codes and their displayed results. Microsoft documents this shortcut for caption fields.
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Pictures inserted with text wrapping can move independently from their captions. Set the picture’s layout before adding or arranging the caption:
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- Select the picture and choose Picture Format > Wrap Text.
- Choose a layout such as Square or Top and Bottom, depending on the document design.
- Position the picture and caption together.
- Select both objects (use Ctrl-click on Windows or Command-click on macOS), then choose Group from the picture/layout controls if grouping is available.
- After moving or adding other figures, update fields with Ctrl+A, then F9.
For the most predictable pagination, use In Line with Text. The image behaves like a large character, and the caption follows it in the document flow. Floating layouts offer more design flexibility but require more checking when pages reflow.
Make the screenshot accessible
Add alt text separately
Right-click the image and choose View Alt Text (the exact wording can vary by Word release), or open the picture’s accessibility controls. Write a concise description of the visual information that is not already conveyed by nearby text. Do not paste the caption unchanged if it adds no new information. A caption is visible to everyone; alt text is primarily for people using screen readers.
Transcribe important screen text
Screen readers cannot reliably interpret every word inside a screenshot. If the screenshot contains an error message, command, URL, data value, or other information the reader must act on, reproduce that text in the surrounding document or in a nearby list. This also makes the content searchable and usable when images are disabled.
Check contrast and redaction
Use a high-resolution capture with readable text and sufficient contrast. Crop irrelevant browser chrome, but do not crop away context needed to understand the instruction. Remove passwords, tokens, personal data, and confidential customer information before inserting the image; drawing a colored box over sensitive text may not remove the underlying data from the image, so use a true redaction or recapture the screen.
Reference a labeled screenshot elsewhere
Create the caption first, then place the cursor where the reference should appear. Choose Insert > Cross-reference. In Reference type, choose the caption label (for example, Figure or Screenshot), select the specific caption, and choose whether to insert the full caption, the label and number, or only the number. Enable Insert as hyperlink when readers should be able to jump to the image.
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Cross-references are fields too. Update them with F9 after captions are added or reordered. A sentence such as “Select the option shown in Screenshot 3” remains correct even when Screenshot 3 becomes Screenshot 4.
Insert a screenshot if it is not in the document yet
Labeling begins after the image is present. Word’s separate screenshot workflow is on the Insert tab: choose Screenshot to select an available window, or choose Screen Clipping and drag over the required area. Microsoft’s instructions are at Insert a screenshot or screen clipping. Once inserted, select the image and follow the caption steps above.
Common problems and precise fixes
“Screenshot” is not in the Label list
It is a custom label, not a guaranteed built-in option. Select New Label, enter Screenshot, and confirm. If the label is unavailable in a particular template, create it in the document and save that document as the template used by your team.
The number is wrong or does not change
Update the caption fields with F9. For all fields, use Ctrl+A, then F9. Check that every intended caption uses the same label; Figure and Screenshot sequences are separate.
The caption appears beside the image
The picture’s wrapping or anchor is affecting placement. Change the picture to In Line with Text, or adjust wrapping and group the picture with its caption. Inspect the result in Print Layout and in the exported PDF.
Word shows braces instead of a caption number
Field-code display is enabled. Press Alt+F9 to return to the readable number. If only one field is affected, select it and press F9.
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Use Word’s caption command rather than typing a number manually. Then choose References > Insert Table of Figures (or update an existing table). Confirm that the table is configured to include the label you used, especially if you created Screenshot as a custom label.
A screen reader repeats the same sentence
Shorten or revise the alt text so it adds information instead of copying the visible caption. Keep essential text from the image in the document itself.
Word versions and platform differences
Microsoft’s caption guidance covers Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and older releases. Ribbon names and the exact location of alt-text controls can vary between Windows, macOS, and web versions. The central workflow remains selecting the picture and using References > Insert Caption. If a command is not visible, use Word’s command search or check that the image—not the caption text—is selected.
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If you need to create the screenshot before labeling it, ScreenshotNeo can return a clean image from one API request. It accepts cookie and consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing result.
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See the complete options in the ScreenshotNeo documentation. This cURL example saves a WebP image that you can insert in Word and caption:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpEquivalent Python:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Equivalent Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);ScreenshotNeo also provides an MCP server with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots each month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I type a caption manually instead of using Insert Caption?
You can, but manually typed numbers will not automatically renumber, appear reliably in a table of figures, or support Word cross-references. Use Insert Caption for numbered screenshots.
Should a screenshot caption go above or below the image?
Below is the conventional placement for figures, but your organization’s style guide may specify otherwise. Apply the same placement consistently.
Can one document use both Figure and Screenshot captions?
Yes. Word maintains separate sequences for different labels, so choose labels deliberately if readers need one unified numbering series.
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