Change your document background in three steps

Open your document in Google Docs and click File in the top left corner. Select Page setup from the menu. A box will appear with a color palette — click any color to explore it to the entire document background, or click the palette icon to choose from thousands of custom colors. Click OK when you're done.

The background color applies to every page in your document. If you want only certain paragraphs highlighted instead of the whole page, use the highlight tool instead — select the text you want to highlight, click the highlight icon (it looks like a marker) in the toolbar, and pick a color.

Your background color choice saves automatically. Anyone you share the document with will see the same background color you selected.

Key Takeaways

  • Page background color is set through File > Page setup, and it applies to all pages in your document at once.
  • The default palette offers preset colors, but you can click the palette icon to pick any custom color you want.
  • If you want to highlight only certain text rather than the whole page, use the text highlight tool in the toolbar instead.
  • Background color changes save automatically and appear the same way for anyone you share the document with.
  • Changing the background color does not affect printing — printed pages will show the background color unless your printer settings override it.

When to use page background versus text highlight

A colored page background works well when you want a consistent look across your entire document — for example, a light blue background for a formal letter or a cream background for a manuscript. It affects the whole document at once and looks the same on screen and in print.

Text highlight is better when you want to draw attention to specific words or sentences without changing the whole page. Select just the text you want to stand out, click the highlight icon in the toolbar, and choose your color. You can highlight different sections in different colors if you need to organize information — for instance, yellow for definitions and green for examples.

You can use both at the same time. A light page background with highlighted text on top can make important information pop without overwhelming the document.

Custom colors and what they look like on screen versus print

When you click the palette icon in the Page setup box, Google Docs opens a color picker that lets you enter a specific hex code or RGB value. This is useful if your organization uses brand colors or if you want an exact shade. The color you see on your screen should match what prints, though some printers handle light colors differently than others.

Very light backgrounds (pale yellow, light gray, light blue) print clearly and don't use much ink. Very dark backgrounds (navy, black, dark purple) will print dark and use more ink, which can make text harder to read on paper. If you plan to print your document, test it first on your actual printer to see how the color looks.

If you're sharing the document only digitally and never printing it, you have more freedom with dark backgrounds and bold colors. Just make sure the text color still contrasts enough to read easily.

Removing or changing a background color you already set

Go back to File > Page setup. In the color palette, click the white square (or the first color in the default palette) to return to a white background. If you used a custom color and want to remove it completely, select white from the palette.

If you want to change to a different color instead of white, just click the new color you want. There's no "undo" button in the Page setup box, but you can always use Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo the change if you change your mind when ready after closing the box.

Background color and document sharing

When you share a Google Docs document with someone, they see the background color exactly as you set it. If you give them editing permission, they can change the background color themselves — and if they do, you'll see the new color the next time you open the document. If you only give them viewing permission, they can see the background but cannot change it.

The background color is part of the document itself, not a personal viewing preference. This means it's saved in the document file and travels with the document if someone downloads it as a Word file, PDF, or other format.

Troubleshooting background color problems

If you set a background color but it's not showing up, refresh your browser or close and reopen the document. Sometimes Google Docs needs a moment to sync the change across all your devices.

If the color looks different on your phone than on your computer, this is usually because phone screens and computer screens display colors slightly differently. The color is the same in the document — it just looks different depending on your device's screen settings.

If you're trying to print and the background color isn't printing, check your printer settings. Some printers have an option to skip background colors to save ink. Look for a setting called "Print backgrounds" or "Print graphics" in your printer preferences and turn it on if you want the background to print.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different background color on different pages?

No. The page background color in Google Docs applies to the entire document at once. If you need different colors on different pages, you would need to create separate documents and combine them later, or use text highlighting on specific sections instead of a page background.

Does background color affect the word count or file size?

No. Background color is just a formatting choice and does not change how many words are in your document or how large the file is. It's stored as a straightforward color value, not as extra content.

What happens to background color if I read my document as a PDF or Word file?

The background color downloads with the document. When you save as PDF or Word format, the background color appears in the downloaded file the same way it appears in Google Docs. Some PDF readers or Word versions may display it slightly differently depending on their settings.

Can I make the background color transparent or see-through?

No. Google Docs background colors are solid — you cannot make them transparent or semi-transparent. If you want a very subtle background, choose a very light color like pale gray or pale yellow instead.

Is there a way to highlight just the margins or edges of the page?

Not directly through the background color tool. The page background fills the entire page. If you want a border effect, you can use the border tool under Format > Borders and shading instead, which lets you add a colored line around the edges of the page.