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To cite a figure in APA format, label the figure above the image, then add a note beneath it that begins “Note.” and names the source, the copyright holder and either the permission granted or the Creative Commons licence. The source also goes in the reference list. No separate in-text citation is used: the caption does that job. This page gives the caption template, worked examples, the reference-list entry and the mistakes that most often trip up a manuscript or thesis. It follows APA Style, 7th edition (2020).
The format: how to cite a figure in APA
A reproduced figure carries its citation in a caption under the figure. The pattern below follows the University of Queensland Library’s APA 7 figure guide and the George Washington University Himmelfarb Library guide, which agree on its parts:
Figure 1
Brief descriptive title
[the figure]
Note. From (or Adapted from) “Title of Article,” by A. Author and B. Author, Year, Journal Title, Volume(Issue), p. xx (DOI or URL). Copyright Year by Name of Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
- Label – the word “Figure” and a number, placed above the figure. Number figures consecutively in the order they appear in the paper.
- Title – a brief descriptive title on the line below the label.
- From or Adapted from – “From” for material reproduced unchanged, “Adapted from” when you changed it (University of Queensland Library).
- Source details – the title of the work the figure came from, its authors, the year, the publication details, the page and the DOI or web address when there is one.
- Copyright line – “Copyright [Year] by [Name of Copyright Holder].”
- Closing statement – the permission or licence that lets you reproduce it (next table).
- Reference list – the source work also gets a full entry in the reference list.
Which closing statement to use
| Situation | Closing statement |
|---|---|
| The copyright holder gave you permission | Reprinted with permission (or Adapted with permission) |
| The figure carries a Creative Commons licence | The licence, for example CC BY 2.0 |
| The figure is in the public domain | In the public domain |
If the figure goes into a work that is being published, the Queensland guide says to seek permission from the copyright holder and to record it in the caption. The Himmelfarb guide adds that citing the source is not enough on its own: a reproduced image also needs copyright permission. For the practical steps, see how to get permission to reuse a published figure or text.
Examples
Examples 1 and 2 use fictitious sources, written to the patterns above; no real author or publisher is meant. Example 3 follows the real photograph example given by the Los Angeles Pierce College library.
Example 1: a figure from a journal article, used with permission (fictitious)
Figure 2
Sampling Error by Cohort Size
Note. From “Sampling Error in Small Cohorts,” by A. Example and B. Sample, 2021, Journal of Example Methods, 14(2), p. 88 (https://doi.org/10.0000/example.14288). Copyright 2021 by Example Academic Press. Reprinted with permission.
Reference list entry:
Example, A., & Sample, B. (2021). Sampling error in small cohorts. Journal of Example Methods, 14(2), 80–95. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.14288
Example 2: a figure adapted from a book (fictitious)
Figure 3
Stages of Manuscript Review
Note. Adapted from Writing for Review Boards (p. 41), by J. Fictional, 2019, Example Press. Copyright 2019 by Example Press. Adapted with permission.
Reference list entry:
Fictional, J. (2019). Writing for review boards. Example Press.
Example 3: a photograph under a Creative Commons licence
Figure 4
Lava the Sled Dog
Note. From Lava [Photograph], by Denali National Park and Preserve, 2013, Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/denalinps/8639280606). CC BY 2.0.
Reference list entry:
Denali National Park and Preserve. (2013). Lava [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/denalinps/8639280606
The bracketed description of the form, here [Photograph], follows the title. APA’s own Common Reference Examples handout uses the same device for an infographic: American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Data sharing [Infographic]. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/data-sharing-infographic.pdf
In-text citation version
For a reproduced figure there is no in-text citation. The Queensland guide states that an in-text reference is not used and the caption is used instead, and the Himmelfarb guide likewise says the reference appears as a caption under the figure. In the running text you point to the figure by its label (for example, “Figure 2 shows…”), and APA’s student paper setup guide places the figure after that callout. The credit lives in the caption and the reference list.
What if I only mention a figure and do not reproduce it?
The Los Angeles Pierce College guide separates the two cases. If you refer to a figure or table from an outside source but do not insert it into your paper, your in-text citation and reference-list entry cite the overall source in which you found it, such as the whole article or web page. The caption format on this page applies only when the figure is reproduced in your paper.
Common errors
- Caption without a reference-list entry. The Queensland guide asks for the full reference in the reference list as well as the caption.
- Citing but not asking. A source line is not a substitute for copyright permission when the figure is reproduced (Himmelfarb).
- “Reprinted with permission” with no permission. Use that closing only when permission was needed and granted; use the licence for Creative Commons material.
- Label under the figure. The label goes above the figure; the note goes below it.
- Numbering out of order. Figures are numbered in the order they appear. Tables are numbered separately (Pierce College).
- Mixing wordings. “From” and “Reprinted from” both appear in library guides. Choose one form that your instructor or publisher accepts and apply it to every caption.
For tables rather than figures, see APA format for tables; for figures placed in an appendix, see the APA appendix guide. A related note on what a caption should say about the image itself is in the figure legend example guide and the figure legend term.
Style-guide edition
This page follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition (2020), the current edition as of October 2026. The library guides listed under Sources were checked on 29 October 2026. APA’s Common Reference Examples handout is last updated 3 March 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission to reuse a figure in APA?
Yes, when you reproduce someone else’s figure in a work that is being published, seek permission from the copyright holder and record it in the caption (Queensland). The Himmelfarb guide says the same in plainer terms: citing the source is not enough. Creative Commons material is credited with its licence instead.
Is it “From” or “Reprinted from”?
The Queensland and Pierce College guides use “From” for reproduced figures and “Adapted from” for changed ones. The Himmelfarb guide writes “Reprinted [or adapted] from.” Follow the wording your instructor, department or publisher specifies and keep it uniform.
Does a cited figure go in the reference list?
Yes. The caption credits the figure, and the source it came from, such as the journal article, book or web page, is listed in full in the reference list (Queensland, Pierce College). For a photograph on a site such as Flickr, the entry carries [Photograph] after the title.
Sources
- University of Queensland Library, “Figures – APA 7th referencing style,” https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7/figures (last updated 20 October 2026; checked 29 October 2026).
- George Washington University Himmelfarb Library, “Figures – APA Citation Style, 7th edition,” https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/APA/image-figure (last updated 13 October 2026; checked 29 October 2026).
- Los Angeles Pierce College Library, “Working With Figures and Tables,” https://library.lapc.edu/apa7/figures-tables (last updated 18 July 2026; checked 29 October 2026).
- American Psychological Association, Common Reference Examples, 7th edition, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-examples.pdf (last updated 3 March 2026; checked 29 October 2026).
- American Psychological Association, Student Paper Setup Guide, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf (last updated 8 October 2025).
