Why figures move to the wrong page in LaTeX
Updated 2026-06-02
LaTeX treats figures and tables as floats: it decides where they go based on available space and the placement specifier you give. When a float cannot fit where you asked, it gets deferred - which is why figures seem to wander.
Floats are not fixed in place
A figure with [h] asks LaTeX to place it 'here'. If there is not enough room on the current page, LaTeX defers it to a later page. [H] (from the float package) forces it in place, often leaving a tall gap above it.
Why ordering breaks
When a float is deferred, a later float that does fit can be typeset first - so Figure 3 prints before Figure 2. Keeping floats near their references and using flexible specifiers prevents this.
The fix
Use [t], [tb], or [htbp] so LaTeX has room to make good decisions. Reserve [H] for cases where inline placement is genuinely required, such as some thesis styles. See /fix-float-placement-latex for the full walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
Should I just use [H] everywhere to keep figures in place?+
No - [H] frequently causes large whitespace gaps when the figure does not fit, and is discouraged in space-constrained two-column papers. Flexible specifiers produce better layouts.
Check your paper before reviewers do
Upload your .tex or .zip and get a corrected file plus a plain-English changelog in under 60 seconds.
Check My Paper - Free