Circular images or pictures with rounded corners are popular nowadays. Compared to the sharp corners of a rectangular or square image, they can create a softer and more inviting look and are more visually appealing. Additionally, by cropping an image to a circle, the viewer’s attention is naturally drawn to the subject. This can help emphasize the main element or person and eliminate distractions from the background. That’s the main reason why so many profile pictures nowadays are rounded.
To create round images or add rounded corners to images, you can use various image editing software, like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or online tools, such as Pixlr, Canva, and Fotor. In fact, we can even use Microsoft Word, which you may already have on your PC, to apply rounded corners to an image or create round images without installing any extra apps.
Add image to Word
Open Microsoft Word, click on the Insert tab and select Pictures, then you will see three options to insert pictures from: This Device, Stock Images, and Online Pictures. Select the image source and insert the picture to Word document.
Method 1. Apply rounded corners to images in Word
Select the image by clicking on it in Word. A new Picture Format tab will appear on the toolbar. Click on the Picture Format tab. In the Picture Styles group, you will find dozens of quick styles. You can select a style and quickly apply it to your image. You can find styles with oval shape and rounded corners.
Once you applied the quickly style to your picture, right click on it, then choose Save as Picture… from the context menu, select a folder, file name and file type and export it to your computer.
Note that this method can help you quickly add rounded corners to pictures or crop images to oval shape, but you cannot create a perfectly round image.
Method 2. Crop round images in Word
Office Word has the cropper tool which you can quickly convert square or rectangle images to circle or round images.
Also under the Picture Format tab, you can find the Size group. Click down arrow below Crop tool, select Crop to Shape, then choose Basic Shapes > Oval, Flowchart > Alternate Process, Terminator, Connector or other shapes you prefer. These shapes and their settings can help you easily crop images to oval or perfect circular shape, or add round corners to them.
Once you have cropped the picture or its corners, you can also adjust the image size by inputting the Shape Height, Shape Weight values or manually drag and drop the borders of the image to resize it.
Method 3. Another way to create round images or round corners in Word
Other than inserting an image first, then cropping it to a specified shape, you can also select and insert the desired shape to Word first, then fill the shape with the image. Here are the steps to achieve that.
In Microsoft Word, click the Insert tab at the top of the program window. Click the Shapes option in the Illustration group. Select the type of shape you want to add or draw from the drop-down menu that appears, such as Basic Shapes > Oval, Rectangles > Rounded Corners, Flowchart > Alternate Process, Terminator, Connector or other shapes you prefer.
Then draw on the blank area in Word, adjust the size of the shape by dragging its corners or borders. Click to highlight the shape you have just inserted, then the Shape Format tab appears on the toolbar. Click on the Shape Format tab. In the Shape Styles group, click the down arrow besides Shape Fill icon, choose Picture… to fill the shape with the image you like to modify.
Once the picture being inserted into the shape, you will get the Picture Format on the top toolbar where you can edit the pictures in Word.
Finally, right click on the shape or picture, then choose Save as Picture… and follow on-screen tips to export the circle cropped image or picture with rounded corners to your computer.