Insert Images in LaTeX: Complete Guide with Examples
Date Published
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