How to Add, Extract, and Remove Images from Worksheets

Introduction

By adding images, users can enrich their data with relevant graphics or illustrations. Removing or deleting images simplifies content editing and organization. Additionally, the ability to retrieve images allows for repurposing them in other documents or applications, as well as updating existing images. Collectively, these features enhance user control over images, improve the overall user experience, and enable seamless image manipulation within Excel workbooks.


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Add Images Example

To insert an image into a spreadsheet, utilize the InsertImage method, which supports various image types, such as JPG/JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, and TIFF. You must specify the top-left and bottom-right corners of the image to determine its dimensions, calculated by subtracting the column and row values. For example, you can try the following approaches:

  • For a 1x1 image size:
    • worksheet.InsertImage("image.gif", 5, 1, 6, 2);
  • For a 2x2 image size:
    • worksheet.InsertImage("image.gif", 5, 1, 7, 3);

Please noteThe generated image IDs follow a pattern of 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on.

:path=/static-assets/excel/content-code-examples/how-to/add-remove-extract-worksheet-images-insert.cs
using IronXL;

WorkBook workBook = WorkBook.Create();
WorkSheet workSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet;

// Insert images
workSheet.InsertImage("ironpdf.jpg", 2, 2, 4, 4);
workSheet.InsertImage("ironpdfIcon.png", 2, 6, 4, 8);

workBook.SaveAs("insertImages.xlsx");
Imports IronXL

Private workBook As WorkBook = WorkBook.Create()
Private workSheet As WorkSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet

' Insert images
workSheet.InsertImage("ironpdf.jpg", 2, 2, 4, 4)
workSheet.InsertImage("ironpdfIcon.png", 2, 6, 4, 8)

workBook.SaveAs("insertImages.xlsx")
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Output Spreadsheet

Insert Image

Extract Images Example

To extract images from the selected worksheet, simply access the Images property, which provides a list of all the images contained within the sheet. From this list, you can perform various operations such as exporting, resizing, retrieving positions, and obtaining the byte data of each image. Notably, the image IDs follow an odd-numbered pattern, incrementing in the sequence of 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on.

:path=/static-assets/excel/content-code-examples/how-to/add-remove-extract-worksheet-images-extract.cs
using IronSoftware.Drawing;
using IronXL;
using IronXL.Drawing;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

WorkBook workBook = WorkBook.Load("insertImages.xlsx");
WorkSheet workSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet;

// Retreive images
List<IronXL.Drawing.Images.IImage> images = workSheet.Images;

// Select each image
foreach (IronXL.Drawing.Images.IImage image in images)
{
    // Save the image
    AnyBitmap anyBitmap = image.ToAnyBitmap();
    anyBitmap.SaveAs($"{image.Id}.png");

    // Resize the image
    image.Resize(1,3);

    // Retrieve image position
    Position position = image.Position;
    Console.WriteLine("top row index: " + position.TopRowIndex);
    Console.WriteLine("bottom row index: " + position.BottomRowIndex);

    // Retrieve byte data
    byte[] imageByte = image.Data;
}

workBook.SaveAs("resizeImage.xlsx");
Imports IronSoftware.Drawing
Imports IronXL
Imports IronXL.Drawing
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Private workBook As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("insertImages.xlsx")
Private workSheet As WorkSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet

' Retreive images
Private images As List(Of IronXL.Drawing.Images.IImage) = workSheet.Images

' Select each image
For Each image As IronXL.Drawing.Images.IImage In images
	' Save the image
	Dim anyBitmap As AnyBitmap = image.ToAnyBitmap()
	anyBitmap.SaveAs($"{image.Id}.png")

	' Resize the image
	image.Resize(1,3)

	' Retrieve image position
	Dim position As Position = image.Position
	Console.WriteLine("top row index: " & position.TopRowIndex)
	Console.WriteLine("bottom row index: " & position.BottomRowIndex)

	' Retrieve byte data
	Dim imageByte() As Byte = image.Data
Next image

workBook.SaveAs("resizeImage.xlsx")
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel
Extracted Images
Image Size

Remove Image Example

Following the extract images example, you can easily remove any inserted image using its corresponding index number. Simply pass the image's ID number to the RemoveImage method to remove it from the worksheet.

:path=/static-assets/excel/content-code-examples/how-to/add-remove-extract-worksheet-images-remove.cs
using IronXL;

WorkBook workBook = WorkBook.Load("insertImages.xlsx");
WorkSheet workSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet;

// Remove image
workSheet.RemoveImage(3);

workBook.SaveAs("removeImage.xlsx");
Imports IronXL

Private workBook As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("insertImages.xlsx")
Private workSheet As WorkSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet

' Remove image
workSheet.RemoveImage(3)

workBook.SaveAs("removeImage.xlsx")
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I add images to an Excel worksheet?

To insert an image into an Excel worksheet using IronXL, use the InsertImage method. This method allows you to specify the image dimensions by defining the top-left and bottom-right corners. Supported formats include JPG, BMP, PNG, GIF, and TIFF.

What image formats are supported when inserting images in Excel?

IronXL supports multiple image formats for insertion into Excel worksheets, including JPG/JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, and TIFF.

How do I extract images from an Excel worksheet?

To extract images from an Excel worksheet using IronXL, access the Images property of the worksheet. This provides a list of all images, enabling you to export, resize, and retrieve their positions and byte data.

Can I remove images from an Excel worksheet?

Yes, with IronXL, you can remove images from an Excel worksheet by using the RemoveImage method. Simply pass the image's ID to this method to remove it.

What is required to start manipulating images in Excel using C#?

To start manipulating images in Excel using IronXL, download the IronXL C# library from NuGet and either load an existing Excel file or create a new one.

How are image IDs generated in IronXL?

In IronXL, image IDs are generated following an odd-numbered pattern, such as 1, 3, 5, 7, and so forth.

Is it possible to export images extracted from an Excel worksheet?

Yes, once images are extracted using IronXL's Images property, they can be exported to formats like PNG using the Export method.

How can I specify the size of an image when inserting it into an Excel worksheet?

When inserting an image into an Excel worksheet using IronXL, specify the size by providing the top-left and bottom-right corners of the image through the InsertImage method.

Chaknith Bin
Software Engineer
Chaknith works on IronXL and IronBarcode. He has deep expertise in C# and .NET, helping improve the software and support customers. His insights from user interactions contribute to better products, documentation, and overall experience.