Google Docs: Insert an image — MCP tool
Google Docs MCP tool: Inserts an inline image fetched by Google from a public URL.
Technical name: insert_image
What task it solves
I want to add an image to a document.
Inserts an inline image fetched by Google from a public URL.
When to use it
Use it to place an inline image at a position (or append it). Google fetches the URL itself — the image must be publicly reachable; a local file must be hosted somewhere public first (there is no upload channel in the Docs API).
What to provide
document_id— required.uri— required. Public PNG/JPEG/GIF URL, at most 50 MB and 25 megapixels.index— optional insertion point; omit to append.width_pt/height_pt— optional display size in points.tab_id,segment_id— optional addressing.
What it returns
The batchUpdate reply including the created image objectId — keep it for replace_image.
What changes in Google Docs
An inline image appears at the position, occupying one index. Later indexes shift by one.
Example request
Insert the architecture diagram from this URL under the Design heading.
Errors and limitations
Unreachable/private URLs and unsupported formats are rejected by Google. Delete an image by deleting its one-index range with delete_range; positioned (floating) objects need raw_request.
Access also depends on token permissions, quotas, and upstream API limits.
Related MCP tools
- Replace an image —
replace_image - Delete a text range —
delete_range
Technical details
- Impact: changes data
- Group: Images
- Description source:
insert_imageregistration insrc/tools/images.ts - Full technical reference
- All MCP capabilities