How to Show Hidden Images in Word and How to Unhide a Word

Workable Solutions	Step-by-step Troubleshooting
Fix 1. Show hidden images in a Word	Click "File" > "Options" in Word. Click "Advanced" on the left pane, uncheck "Show picture placeholders"...Full steps
Fix 2. View hidden texts in Word	Click "File" > "Options" in Word 2013/2010 (for Word 2007, click Office button > "Word Options")...Full steps
Fix 3. Recover hidden Word/photos	Unhide a Word Document in File Explorer. Or recover hidden Word with data recovery software...Full steps

Q: Pictures not showing in Word, how to find hidden images in Word document?

"I have a four-page Word document with several images inserted. When I opened it this morning to see only white rectangles instead of pictures in the Word. Why are my pictures not showing up in the Word document? Are they hidden? How to show hidden images in a Word?"

Images or texts not showing in a Word document happens from time to time because they are hidden intentionally or unintentionally. This article shows you a detailed guide on how to show hidden images and texts in a Word document. What's more, If you want to recover hidden Word documents and photos on Windows PC and laptop, you can use an ultimate data recovery tool to help you make it effortlessly.

How to Find Hidden Images/Pictures in Word

When you can't see a picture or image in a Word document, you can try the tips below to find hidden pictures or images.

Step 1: Open your Microsoft Office Word > "Word Options" in Word 2007. (Click "File" > "Options" in Word 2016/2013/2010.)

Step 2: Click "Advanced" on the left pane, uncheck "Show picture placeholders" under Show document content. Then you should be able to see your hidden images or pictures in Word document again.

Show and find hidden images in Word document.

How to hide images in a Word document?

Sometimes you need to insert pictures in Word to supplement the text message. On the contrary, sometimes, when you just want to scroll and read text quickly, they can become an additional obstacle. In this case, you can hide pictures in your Word document with the "Show picture placeholders" feature. using the same steps above.

How to View Hidden Text in Word Document

If you've hidden some text lines in a Word document, or some content was set to hide in Word, is it possible to show the hidden text content? How? You'll find two options for showing hidden text in Word 2016/2013/2010/2007. (If you are using an older version of Word, please find more solutions from Microsoft Office support team or Google.)

Method 1. Show Hidden Text in Word 2016

The first way is to view the hidden text from Print settings.

Step 1. Open the Word document in Word 2016 in which you have hidden text.

Step 2. Go to "Print" settings and select "Page Setup".

Make hidden text show up in Word.

Step 3. Go to "Paper" settings, click "Print Options...".

Find hidden text in Word.

Step 4. In Display, check "Print hidden text" and click "OK" to save changes.

Make text show up in Word.

By doing so, those hidden texts will only show up in the Print preview window. But still hidden in Word document. If you want to unhide text in Word 2016, follow the below tips.

Step 1. Press Ctrl + A to select all content in Word document.

Step 2. Right-click on content and select "Font...".

Make text show up in word document.

Step 3. Click the "Hidden" box twice, uncheck it and click "OK" to save changes.

Unhide Word text content.

Now you can see all hidden content displaying in your Word document again.

Word hidden text showing up.

Method 2. Display Hidden Text in Word 2013/2010/2007

Step 1. Click "File" > "Options" in Word 2013/2010. For Word 2007, click Office button > "Word Options".

Step 2. Click "Display" at the left pane. Check and uncheck the Hidden text box, leaving it empty.

Step 3. Click "OK" to save all changes.

Dispaly hidden text in Word.

How to Recover Hidden Word Document/Photos in Windows 10/8/7

In this part, we'll provide you with two reliable methods for recover hidden Word documents in Windows computer or external storage devices. Let's see how to do it now.

Method 1. Unhide a Word Document in File Explorer

For Windows 10/8/8.1 users:

Step 1. Type file explorer in the Search box and select "File Explorer".

Show hidden word document in Windows 10/8.

Step 2. Select "View" > "Options" > "Change folder and search options".

Change settings for finding hidden word document.

Step 3. In "Folder Options", select "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" under Hidden files and folders. Also, uncheck Hide extensions for known file types. Click "Apply" to save all changes.

Make hidden Word document show up.

For Windows 7 users:

Step 1. Open Windows Explorer by clicking "Start" > "Computer".

Step 2. Click "Tools" > "Folder Options" > "View".

Step 3. Under the View tab, select "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" below Hidden Files and Folders. Uncheck Hidden extensions for known file types and apply the changes. By doing so, you see all file extensions, and it will help you quickly locate the hidden Word documents or pictures.

Show hidden Word document in Windows 7.

Method 2. Recover Hidden Word Documents and Photos with Data Recovery Software

If you can't view hidden Word documents, pictures, audios, videos, or other files in File Explorer, there is still a great chance to restore hidden files by using professional file recovery software - Deep Data Recovery. This competent and user-friendly data recovery program allows you to fully scan computer or storage devices, finding all existing, lost, formatted, and hidden files with two scanning modes - Quick Scan and Deep Scan.

In addition to restoring normally deleted files, Qiling file recovery software also enables you to recover permanently deleted files in HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, SD card, pen drive, external hard drive, etc. Download and install it on your PC, then follow the guidelines below to restore your hidden Word document or pictures within three steps.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Step 1. Select file types and click "Next" to start

Run Qiling virus file recovery software on your Windows PC. Select file types and click "Next" to start.

Select file types that you want to recover

Step 2. Select the virus infected drive to scan

Select the disk attacked by the virus to scan for lost or hidden files. Note that:

If it's an HDD where files were hidden or deleted by virus, it's better to install the software on a different volume or an external USB drive to avoid data overwriting.
If the infected device is an external hard drive, flash drive or memory card, it doesn't matter to install the software on the local drive of the computer.

Step 3. Check all scanned results

Deep Data Recovery will immediately start a scan process to find your deleted or hidden files on the virus infected hard drive. To quickly locate the wanted files, you can use the Filter or type grouping feature to display only the pictures, videos, documents, emails, etc.

Step 4. Preview and recover deleted/hidden files

When the process finishes, you can preview the scanned files. Select the files you want and click the "Recover" button. You should save restored files to another secure location on your computer or storage device, not where they were lost.