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Change the Page Background in Word – Instructions

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Change the Page Background in Word: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Selecting a Page Background Color or Fill Effect,” shows you how to change the page background in Word. This video lesson is from our complete Word tutorial, titled “Mastering Word Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Change the Page Background in Word: Overview

How to Change the Page Background in Word

            You can easily change the page background in Word. You can change the page background in Word to a color or apply a fill effect to it to make it more visually interesting. To change the page background in Word, click the “Design” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Page Color” drop-down button in the “Page Background” button group.

How to Change the Page Color in Word

            To change the page color in Word, then choose a color from one of the sections in the drop-down menu that then appears. Alternatively, to apply a custom page background color, click the “More Colors…” command to open the “Colors” dialog box. Then either click the “Standard” tab and select one of the colors in the honeycomb of color choices or click the “Custom” tab to select a color from the rainbow gradient and then use the slider to the right to change its darkness or lightness. Then click the “OK” button to apply the color and close the dialog box.

How to Apply a Fill Effect to a Page Background in Word

            Alternatively, to apply a fill effect as a page background in Word, select the “Fill Effects…” command from the “Page Color” button’s drop-down menu, instead. Doing this then opens the “Fill Effects” dialog box. You can then use the “Gradient,” “Texture,” “Pattern” and “Picture” tabs in this dialog box to change the settings of the fill effect to apply to the page background. After making your desired fill effect choice in the “Fill Effects” dialog box, then click the “OK” button at the bottom of the dialog box to apply it to your document as the new page background. Let’s look at the different fill effects you can apply to change the page background in Word.

How to Apply a Gradient as a Page Background in Word

            To apply a gradient to a page background in Word, click the “Gradient” tab in the “Fill Effects” dialog box. Then choose a gradient color from the “Colors” section and then use any drop-down(s) and slider that appears to the right of those option buttons to select the desired color(s) or preset. The “Transparency” section is unavailable for page backgrounds. Next, select the angle of the gradient from the “Shading styles” section. Then choose the specific variation of the selected shading style to apply by clicking it within the “Variants” section.

How to Apply a Texture or Pattern as a Page Background in Word

            Alternatively, to apply a texture as a page background in Word, click the “Texture” tab. Then click the texture to apply within the “Texture” list. Alternatively, to apply a pattern, click the “Pattern” tab and then click the desired pattern from the “Pattern” list. Then use the “Foreground” and “Background” drop-down to set the desired foreground and background colors.

How to Apply a Picture as a Page Background in Word

            As a last option, to insert a picture as a page background in Word, click the “Picture” tab. Then click the “Select Picture…” button to open the “Insert Pictures” dialog box. This dialog box contains three options. To use a picture from your computer, click the “Browse” button next to the “From a file” choice to open the “Insert Picture” dialog box. Navigate using the “Insert Picture” dialog box to find and select the local image file to use. Then click the “Insert” button in this dialog box to finish.

Change the Page Background in Word - Instructions: A picture of a user changing the page background in Word by using an image file.

Change the Page Background in Word – Instructions: A picture of a user changing the page background in Word by using an image file.

            Alternatively, to look for an image using the Bing Image Search, type your keyword or phrase by which to find an image into the “Search Bing” field next to the “Bing Image Search” label. Then either press the “Enter” key on your keyboard or click the adjacent “Search Bing” button, which looks like a magnifying glass at the right end of the field, to show the results of the image search within this dialog box. Click to select the image to use in this dialog box and then click the “Insert” button to finish.

            Alternatively, to use a picture saved to your associated OneDrive account, click the “Browse” button next to the “One Drive” link to show all your OneDrive folders within this dialog box. Then click a folder to show its contents in this dialog box. If needed, you can click the “Back” button in the upper-left corner of this dialog box to move back to the previous folder. Once you find the image to insert in your OneDrive folders, click it to select it, and then click the “Insert” button in the dialog box to finish.

How to Remove a Page Background in Word

            To remove a page background in Word after applying one, click the “Design” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Page Color” drop-down button in the “Page Background” button group. Then select the “No Color” choice from the button’s drop-down menu to remove any page background color or fill effect.

Change the Page Background in Word: Instructions

Instructions on How to Change the Page Background in Word

  1. To change the page background in Word, click the “Design” tab in the Ribbon.
  2. Then click the “Page Color” drop-down button in the “Page Background” button group.

Instructions on How to Change the Page Color in Word

  1. To change the page color in Word, then choose a color from one of the sections in the drop-down menu that then appears.
  2. Alternatively, to apply a custom page background color, click the “More Colors…” command to open the “Colors” dialog box.
  3. Then either click the “Standard” tab and select one of the colors in the honeycomb of color choices or click the “Custom” tab to select a color from the rainbow gradient and then use the slider to the right to change its darkness or lightness.
  4. Then click the “OK” button to apply the color and close the dialog box.

Instructions on How to Apply a Fill Effect as a Page Background in Word

  1. Alternatively, to apply a fill effect as a page background in Word, select the “Fill Effects…” command from the “Page Color” button’s drop-down menu, instead, to open the “Fill Effects” dialog box.
  2. Then use either the “Gradient,” “Texture,” “Pattern” and “Picture” tabs in this dialog box to change the settings of the fill effect to apply to the page background, using the following instructions, as desired.
  3. To apply your fill effect document as the new page background after making your desired fill effect choice within the “Fill Effects” dialog box, simply click the “OK” button at the bottom of the dialog box.
Instructions on How to Apply a Gradient as a Page Background in Word
  1. To apply a gradient, click the “Gradient” tab in the “Fill Effects” dialog box.
  2. Then choose a gradient color from the “Colors” section and then use any drop-down(s) and slider that appears to the right of those option buttons to select the desired color(s) or preset.
  3. The “Transparency” section is unavailable for page backgrounds.
  4. Next, select the angle of the gradient from the “Shading styles” section.
  5. Then choose the specific variation of the selected shading style to apply by clicking it within the “Variants” section.
Instructions on How to Apply a Texture or Pattern as a Page Background in Word
  1. Alternatively, to apply a texture, click the “Texture” tab and then click the texture to apply within the “Texture” list.
  2. Alternatively, to apply a pattern, click the “Pattern” tab and then click the desired pattern from the “Pattern” list.
  3. Then use the “Foreground” and “Background” drop-down to set the desired foreground and background colors.
Instructions on How to Apply a Picture as a Page Background in Word
  1. As a last option, to insert a picture as a background, click the “Picture” tab and then click the “Select Picture…” button to open the “Insert Pictures” dialog box, which contains three options.
  2. To use a picture from your computer, click the “Browse” button next to the “From a file” choice to open the “Insert Picture” dialog box.
  3. Navigate using the “Insert Picture” dialog box to find and select the local image file to use.
  4. Then click the “Insert” button in this dialog box to finish.
  5. Alternatively, to look for an image using the Bing Image Search, type your keyword or phrase by which to find an image into the “Search Bing” field next to the “Bing Image Search” label.
  6. Then either press the “Enter” key on your keyboard or click the adjacent “Search Bing” button, which looks like a magnifying glass at the right end of the field, to show the results of the image search within this dialog box.
  7. Click to select the image to use in this dialog box and then click the “Insert” button to finish.
  8. Alternatively, to use a picture saved to your associated OneDrive account, click the “Browse” button next to the “One Drive” link to show all your OneDrive folders within this dialog box.
  9. Then click a folder to show its contents in this dialog box.
  10. If needed, you can click the “Back” button in the upper-left corner of this dialog box to move back to the previous folder.
  11. Once you find the image to insert in your OneDrive folders, click it to select it, and then click the “Insert” button in the dialog box to finish.

Instructions on How to Remove a Page Background in Word

  1. To remove a page background in Word after applying one, click the “Design” tab in the Ribbon.
  2. Then click the “Page Color” drop-down button in the “Page Background” button group.
  3. Then select the “No Color” choice from the button’s drop-down menu to remove any page background color or fill effect.
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