Insert Images in LaTeX: Complete Guide with Examples

Inserting Images in LaTeX

Adding images to LaTeX documents requires the graphicx package.

Basic Setup

\usepackage{graphicx}

Optionally specify graphics path:

\graphicspath{{images/}{figures/}}

Basic Image Insertion

\includegraphics{myimage}

LaTeX looks for myimage.pdf, myimage.png, myimage.jpg, etc.

Specifying Size

By Width

\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{image}

\includegraphics[width=10cm]{image}

By Height

\includegraphics[height=5cm]{image}

Both (may distort)

\includegraphics[width=5cm, height=3cm]{image}

Keep Aspect Ratio

\includegraphics[width=5cm, height=3cm, keepaspectratio]{image}

Scale Factor

\includegraphics[scale=0.5]{image}

The Figure Environment

Wrap images in figure for captions and positioning:

\begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{image} \caption{This is my caption} \label{fig:myimage} \end{figure}

Positioning Options

[h] — here (approximately) [t] — top of page [b] — bottom of page [p] — separate page for floats [H] — exactly here (requires float package) [!htbp] — try all options

Force Exact Position

\usepackage{float}

\begin{figure}[H] ... \end{figure}

Captions and References

Caption

\caption{Description of the figure}

Short Caption (for list of figures)

\caption[Short]{Long detailed caption}

Label and Reference

\label{fig:myimage}

Reference: Figure \ref{fig:myimage}

Image Manipulation

Rotation

\includegraphics[angle=90]{image}

Trimming/Cropping

\includegraphics[trim=1cm 2cm 1cm 2cm, clip]{image}

Order: left, bottom, right, top

Multiple Images

Side by Side

\begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{image1} \hfill \includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{image2} \caption{Two images side by side} \end{figure}

Subfigures

\usepackage{subcaption}

\begin{figure}[h] \centering \begin{subfigure}{0.45\textwidth} \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{image1} \caption{First image} \end{subfigure} \hfill \begin{subfigure}{0.45\textwidth} \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{image2} \caption{Second image} \end{subfigure} \caption{Main caption} \end{figure}

Supported Formats

pdfLaTeX

- PDF (preferred for vector graphics) - PNG (for raster images) - JPG (for photos)

XeLaTeX/LuaLaTeX

Same as pdfLaTeX.

LaTeX → DVI → PS

- EPS only

Best Practices

1. Use vector graphics (PDF) when possible 2. High resolution (300+ DPI) for raster 3. Consistent sizing across figures 4. Meaningful captions that explain the figure 5. Reference all figures in the text

Common Problems

Image not found: Check path and file extension

Image too large: Reduce width or scale

Image in wrong place: Use float package with [H]

Blurry image: Use higher resolution source

Insert Images with Octree

Octree simplifies image handling:

- Drag-and-drop upload - Automatic path management - Real-time preview - AI helps with positioning

Try it at https://useoctree.com