Change your document background in three steps
Open your Google Doc and click File in the top left corner. Select Page setup from the menu. A small window will appear with a color picker — click the paint bucket icon, choose your color, and click OK. Your entire document background changes when ready.
This method changes the page color itself, which prints and exports with your document. If you want to change only the text color, highlight the text you want to modify, click the text color icon (the "A" with a colored line beneath it) in the toolbar, and pick a new color from the palette.
Google Docs also lets you change the color of individual text selections, headings, or the background behind specific words. The process is the same: select what you want to recolor, find the color tool in the toolbar, and click your choice.
Key Takeaways
- Page background color is set through File > Page setup, and it will print and export with your document.
- Text color is changed by selecting the text and clicking the text color icon in the toolbar.
- Highlight color (the background behind text) uses the highlighter icon, which sits next to the text color tool.
- Any color change you make is saved automatically to your Google Doc.
Where to find the color tools in the toolbar
The toolbar at the top of your Google Doc contains two color-related icons that are straightforward to confuse. The text color icon looks like the letter "A" with a colored underline — clicking it changes the color of your words. The highlight color icon looks like a marker or highlighter pen and puts a colored background behind your text without changing the word color itself.
Both icons have a small dropdown arrow next to them. Click the arrow to see the full color palette. If you click the icon itself without the arrow, Google Docs applies the last color you used. This is faster if you are coloring multiple sections the same shade.
The text color and highlight color tools work on any text you have selected. If nothing is selected, they do nothing — you must highlight the words first by clicking and dragging across them.
Changing page background versus text color
A page background color fills the entire page behind all your text. It is set once through File > Page setup and applies to every page in your document. This is useful if you want a consistent look across a multi-page document or if you are creating a document meant to be read on screen rather than printed.
Text color changes only the words themselves and leaves the page background white (or whatever color you set it to). You can have different text colors on the same page — some words red, some blue, some black. Text color is useful for emphasis, organizing information by category, or making certain sections stand out.
If you change the page background to a dark color, light text becomes easier to read. If you keep the page white and change only text color, your document will print normally on standard white paper without wasting ink on a colored background.
Using highlight color to mark text without changing word color
The highlighter tool puts a colored background behind your text while keeping the text color unchanged. This mimics the effect of using a physical highlighter marker on paper. To use it, select the text you want to highlight, click the highlighter icon in the toolbar (it looks like a marker), and choose your color.
Highlight color is different from text color because it does not change the words themselves — only the background behind them. You can combine both: for example, you could have black text with a yellow highlight, or blue text with a green highlight. This gives you more control over how your document looks.
Highlight color also prints with your document, so if you plan to print your Google Doc, remember that colored highlights will use printer ink or toner. If you only want color on screen, use text color instead of highlight color.
Choosing colors that work well together
Google Docs offers a standard color palette with about 20 colors to choose from. You can also click Custom at the bottom of the color picker to enter a specific hex code or RGB value if you have a particular shade in mind. This is useful if you are matching your document to a brand color or a specific design.
When combining page background color with text color, make sure there is enough contrast so your text is readable. Light text on a light background or dark text on a dark background becomes hard to read. A straightforward rule: if the page is dark, use light text; if the page is light, use dark text.
If you are using highlight color, the same rule applies. A yellow highlight with black text is straightforward to read. A yellow highlight with yellow text is not. Google Docs does not prevent you from making hard-to-read combinations, so you have to check your own work.
Removing or changing colors you have already applied
To remove a text color, select the text and click the text color icon. At the top of the color palette, you will see a white square with a red line through it — this is the "no color" or "default" option. Click it to return the text to black (or the default color for your document style).
To remove a highlight, select the highlighted text and click the highlighter icon. Choose the "no color" option at the top of the palette. The highlight disappears but the text remains.
To change the page background back to white, go to File > Page setup, click the paint bucket icon, and select white from the color palette. Click OK to explore the change.
How color changes work across devices and when sharing
Any color you explore to your Google Doc is saved automatically and appears the same way on any device — phone, tablet, or computer — as long as you are viewing the document in Google Docs. If you read your document as a Word file (.docx) or PDF, the colors come with it and display correctly in those programs as well.
When you share your document with others, they see the same colors you do. If you give someone editing permission, they can change the colors themselves. If you give them viewing permission only, they see your colors but cannot modify them.
Some older versions of Microsoft Word or other programs may not display Google Docs colors perfectly, but the colors will still be there — they may just look slightly different depending on the program. This is rare and usually not noticeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the color of just one page in a multi-page document?
No. The page background color in Google Docs applies to all pages in the document at once. If you need different background colors on different pages, you would need to create separate documents and combine them later, or use text highlighting and text color on specific sections instead of changing the page background.
What is the difference between highlight color and text color?
Text color changes the words themselves. Highlight color puts a colored background behind the words without changing the word color. You can use both at the same time — for example, blue text with a yellow highlight. Text color is better for emphasis; highlight color mimics a physical highlighter marker.
Will my colored document print correctly?
Yes. Both page background color and text color print as they appear on screen. If you use a dark page background, it will use a lot of printer ink or toner. If you want to save ink, use text color or highlight color instead of changing the page background.
Can I use a custom color that is not in the standard palette?
Yes. Click any color icon, then click Custom at the bottom of the color picker. You can enter a hex code (like #FF5733) or RGB values to create any color you want. This is useful if you are matching a specific brand color or design.
Do colors stay the same if someone opens my document in Microsoft Word?
Usually yes. If you read your Google Doc as a Word file (.docx), the colors transfer and display correctly in Word. However, very old versions of Word or other programs may not display colors perfectly, though the colors will still be present in the file.