Changing the page color in Word gets confusing when a dark background comes from display settings instead of document formatting. Use Page Color to change the saved background on Windows, Mac, or the web. You can also print that color, give one page its own background, or keep the page light while Word’s controls stay dark.
Change the page color on Windows or Mac
Open your document in Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2021 on Windows or Mac, or Word 2024 on Windows.
Select the Design tab.
Click Page Color to open the color palette.
Choose your document’s background color. On Windows, the presets appear under Theme Colors and Standard Colors.
Tip: Select More Colors when the presets don’t include the shade you want.
Find the page color setting in your browser
Using Word for the web? The setting lives on a different tab. Open Layout > Page Color.
Choose a shade under Page Colors or Standard Colors to change the saved document background.
For a custom shade, select More Colors.
Choose your color in the Color Picker Dialog.
If you can’t change the color in the browser, open the document in desktop Word and choose a color through Design > Page Color.
Choose a custom shade or a textured background
Need a color outside the preset palette? Windows Word also offers gradients, textures, patterns, and picture backgrounds.
For a custom shade on Windows or Mac, open Design > Page Color > More Colors.
Choose your shade in the Colors box on Windows or the Color box on Mac.
For a gradient or another background style on Windows, open Design > Page Color > Fill Effects.
Select Gradient, Texture, Pattern, or Picture.
Choose the options for that background.
Switch a dark page back to light
Dark Mode changes the page’s on-screen appearance without changing the saved document background.
With Dark Mode enabled in desktop Word, select View > Switch Modes to change the page display between light and dark.
Select View > Switch Modes again to switch back.
In Word for the web, select View > Switch Backgrounds to alternate the page display while Dark Mode is active.
Want the page to stay light while the controls stay dark? On Windows, open File > Options > General.
Under Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office, check Never change the document page color.
Select OK.
On Mac, open Word > Preferences > General > Personalize.
Select Dark Mode has a white page color.
Make the background color print
Enable background printing to include your chosen page color or background image on paper.
- 1.On Windows, open File > Options > Display. On Mac, open Word > Preferences > Print.
- 2.Under Printing Options on Windows or Print Options on Mac, check Print background colors and images.
- 3.On Windows, select OK to apply the setting.
- 4.Use Print to print your document.
Remove the document’s background color
This clears page-color formatting while leaving Dark Mode and system display effects active.
On Windows or Mac, open Design > Page Color.
Select No Color.
In Word for the web, open Layout > Page Color.
Choose No Color.
Give just one page a different color
Page Color applies to the whole document. Section breaks alone don’t give individual pages their own background colors. In desktop Word, a page-sized shape behind the text provides a workaround.
Select Insert > Shapes > Rectangle and draw the rectangle across the target page.
Choose its color through Shape Format > Shape Fill.
With the shape selected, open Shape Format > Arrange > Wrap Text and select Behind Text. Resize and position the rectangle to cover the page. This creates a colored shape behind your text, without a page-specific Page Color setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Dark Mode change how my Word document looks to other people?
No. Your Dark Mode choice controls your viewing appearance. Collaborators see the document according to their own display and document settings.
Can I reuse the same page color in new documents?
Yes. Apply the page color, then save a template. On Windows, open File > Save As > This PC, choose Word Template under Save as type, and select Save. Reuse it through File > New > Personal (this button may say Custom), then select your template. On Mac, open File > Save as Template, choose Microsoft Word template (.dotx) under File Format, and select Save. Reuse it through File > New from Template.
Can I change the reading background in Word on iPad?
Yes. Select View > Immersive Reader > Page Color, then choose None, Sepia, or Inverse. These choices change the reading background without setting a custom saved document page color.
Can I use a different background just for reading in Word for the web?
Yes. Open View > Immersive Reader > Text options and choose a background color. Press Esc to exit. Immersive Reader is unavailable for protected documents.