How to Embed a Word Document in Excel

To embed a Word document in Excel for Windows, click a cell, open the Insert tab, click Object in the Text group, open the Create from File tab, click Browse, pick the document, and click OK. Excel stores a full copy of the document inside the workbook, so it travels with the spreadsheet.

Applies to: Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, Excel 2021, Excel 2019 and Excel 2016 on Windows, plus Excel for Mac. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.

What embedding does, and when to link instead

Excel uses a feature called Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) to hold content made in another program. You have two choices when you add a Word file this way, and they behave very differently after the file is inserted.

Question	Embedded object	Linked object
Where is the content stored?	A complete copy sits inside the workbook.	The content stays in the Word file. The workbook stores only its location.
Does it change when the original Word file changes?	No. The copy stays as it was when you inserted it.	Yes. The linked information can update when the source file changes.
Can someone on another computer see it?	Yes, without access to the original file.	Only if they can reach the original file in the same location.
What can go wrong?	The workbook gets larger.	The link stops working if the Word file is moved.

Choose embedding when you are sending the workbook to someone else or archiving it. Choose linking when the Word document is still being edited and both files live in a shared place that will not move.

Before you start

• Use the desktop version of Excel. Microsoft’s instructions for inserting objects are written for the desktop apps (Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016, and Excel for Mac), not for Excel in a web browser.
• Save and close the Word document first, so the copy you embed is the finished version.
• Know that inserting an object turns AutoSave off for that workbook. Microsoft warns that this can make collaboration less efficient, so save manually as you work.

Embed a Word document in Excel for Windows

1. Open the workbook and click inside the cell where you want the document to appear.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Object. The Object dialog box opens.
3. Click the Create from File tab.
4. Click Browse, then find and select the Word file you want to insert.
5. Optional: select the Display as icon check box if you want a small icon on the sheet instead of the document’s contents. Leave it cleared to show the contents.
6. Leave Link to file cleared, then click OK. The document, or its icon, appears on the worksheet.

After the object is added, you can drag it anywhere on the worksheet. Save the workbook to keep the embedded copy.

Embed a Word document in Excel for Mac

Excel for Mac uses the menu bar at the top of the screen rather than the Text group on the ribbon.

1. Click where you want to embed the file.
2. On the Insert menu, click Object, and then click From File.
3. Select the Word document, and then click Options.
4. Optional: select the Display as Icon check box to show only an icon that readers can click.
5. Clear the Link to File check box, and then click OK.

Link to the Word document instead of embedding it

Linking keeps the workbook small and lets the sheet reflect later edits to the Word file. Microsoft notes that if you move the linked file to another location, the link will no longer work, so keep both files somewhere stable such as a shared network drive or SharePoint library.

Windows

1. Click inside the cell where you want the linked document.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Object.
3. Click the Create from File tab.
4. Click Browse, and then select the file you want to link.
5. Select the Link to file check box and click OK.

Mac

1. Click where you want to insert the link.
2. On the Insert menu, click Object, and then click From File.
3. Select the file, and then click Options.
4. Select the Link to File check box, and then click OK.

To change linked content on a Mac, open the Data menu and click Edit Links. Under Source File, click the linked file and click Open Source, make your changes, and save. If Edit Links is unavailable, the workbook does not contain linked information.

Create a new Word document inside the workbook

You do not need an existing file. Excel for Windows can create a blank embedded document that exists only inside the workbook.

1. Click inside the cell where you want the document.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Object.
3. On the Create New tab, select the Word document type from the list. Select Display as icon if you want an icon rather than the contents.
4. Click OK, then type the content of the new document.

The new object is saved with the workbook when you save and close it. No separate Word file is created on your computer.

Add a clickable link to the file instead (Windows)

If you only need a quick way to open the document, a regular link in a cell adds almost nothing to the workbook’s size. Like a linked object, it depends on the Word file staying where it is.

1. Click the cell where you want the link.
2. Go to Insert > Link, or press Ctrl+K.
3. Under Link to, select Existing File or Web Page.
4. Select Current Folder and choose the Word file. Use the Look in list to switch folders.
5. In the Text to display box, type the words you want to show in the cell, then select OK.

Paste part of a Word document as an object (Mac)

When you need only a few paragraphs rather than the whole file, Microsoft documents a copy-and-paste route for Office for Mac.

1. In Word, select the text you want, and on the Edit menu click Copy.
2. Switch to Excel and click where the text should appear.
3. On the Edit menu, click Paste Special, and then click Paste link.
4. In the As box, click Microsoft Word Document Object, and then click OK.

Check that it worked, edit it, or remove it

A successful embed shows either the document’s contents or a Word icon sitting on top of the grid. Because an embedded copy does not need the original, a good test is to open the workbook on a different computer and confirm the document is still there.

To edit an embedded document on Windows, double-click the object. Microsoft documents that this opens it for editing in the source program, which is Word. On a Mac, double-click the embedded file, make your changes, and then click Update on the File menu. Changes you make this way affect only the copy inside the workbook. The original Word file on your computer is not touched, and editing the original later will not change the embedded copy. To bring in a newer version, insert the file again.

To remove an object you just inserted, undo the insertion right away, or click the object once to select it and delete it. Removing an embedded object also removes the copy of the document stored in the workbook, so keep the original Word file if you still need it.

Troubleshooting

There is no Object button

Check which Excel you are using. Microsoft’s steps apply to the desktop apps, so if you are working in a web browser and cannot find the command, open the workbook in the desktop app. On a Mac, look on the Insert menu in the menu bar at the top of the screen. On Windows, Object is in the Text group on the Insert tab.

The sheet will not let you add or change the object

A protected worksheet limits what can be changed, including objects on the sheet. Remove the sheet protection first, using the password if one was set, then insert the object and protect the sheet again. On a work or school file, ask the workbook owner rather than trying to get around the protection.

AutoSave switched itself off

This is expected. Microsoft documents that AutoSave is disabled when you insert an object into a workbook. Save manually, and consider a plain link to the file if several people need to co-author the workbook.

A linked document no longer updates or opens

The Word file was probably moved, renamed or stored somewhere the other person cannot reach. Put the file back in its original location, or insert the object again from the new location. If the workbook is going to someone outside your network, embed the document instead of linking it.

The workbook is now very large

An embedded object is stored entirely in the workbook, so a long or image-heavy Word document adds its full size. Switch to a linked object or a cell link, or see our guide on how to reduce the size of an Excel file.

Frequently asked questions

Does the embedded Word document update when I change the original?

No. An embedded object is a separate copy stored in the workbook. Only a linked object can update when the source file changes, and only while the source stays in the same location.

Can the person I send the workbook to open the document?

Yes, if you embedded it. Microsoft states that a user who opens the file on another computer can view the embedded object without access to the original data. Desktop Excel is the safest choice for opening it, since that is what Microsoft’s instructions cover.

Can I embed more than one Word document?

Yes. Repeat the steps in a different cell for each file. Each embedded copy adds to the workbook’s size, so use Display as icon to keep the sheet tidy.

Can I embed other file types the same way?

The Create from File tab accepts files from other programs too, since OLE is supported by many different programs. The steps are the same.

Should I show the contents or an icon?

Show the contents when readers need to see the text at a glance, such as a short note beside a table. Use Display as icon when the document is long or the sheet is crowded.

Is everything in the embedded document shared with the workbook?

Yes. The whole document is stored in the workbook, including parts that are not visible on the sheet. Review the Word file for private information before you embed it and send the workbook to anyone.

Microsoft’s full reference is Insert an object in your Excel spreadsheet, with Mac steps in Link or embed data in Office for Mac. If you need the reverse, see how to embed an Excel file in Word.

Related: how to link a PDF in Excel.