Create a Custom Page Background in Publisher – Instructions

Create a Custom Page Background in Publisher: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Customizing Page Backgrounds,” shows how to create a custom page background in Publisher. This lesson is from our complete Publisher tutorial, titled “Mastering Publisher Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Create a Custom Page Background in Publisher: Overview

How to Apply or Remove a Page Background

            You can create a custom page background in Publisher using the “Fill Effect” formatting also applied to shapes and pictures. To display the available default page background choices, click the “Page Design” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Background” button in the “Page Background” button group. You can then click any of the choices in the drop-down list to apply it to your currently selected page. To remove the currently applied page background, choose the “No Background” choice from this drop-down menu.

How to Apply a Custom Page Background

            To create a custom page background in Publisher, select the “More Backgrounds…” command from the drop-down menu. Doing this then opens the “Fill” category within the “Format Background” task pane. You can use this to create a custom page background in Publisher.

Create a Custom Page Background in Publisher – Instructions: A picture of the “Fill” category in the “Format Background” task pane in Publisher.

How to Apply a Solid Color Background

            To create a custom page background in Publisher that is a solid color, select the “Solid fill” option button. Then use the “Color” drop-down to select the desired color to apply. You can then use the “Transparency” slider to set the level of color transparency to apply.

            To select a specific color not available in the “Color” button’s drop-down palette of choices, select either the “More Colors…” command to open the “Colors” dialog box or select the “Tints…” command to open the “Tints” dialog box. If you open the “Colors” dialog box, you can then select any color you want from the tabs shown. Then click the “OK” button to apply it. If you open the “Tints” dialog box, select a color and tint to apply and then click the “OK” button.

How to Apply a Gradient Background

            To create a custom page background in Publisher that is a gradient, click the “Gradient fill” option button in the “Format Background” task pane. To apply a preset gradient, choose one from the “Preset gradients” drop-down. Alternatively, to make a custom gradient, use the buttons and sliders to customize the gradient. Use the “Type” drop-down to select the type of gradient. “Linear” and “Path” are the two types of gradients available. A “Linear” gradient changes colors from one side to another across a straight line. A “Path” gradient changes colors along the path of a line that you draw.

            If you select “Linear,” choose the specific variation from the “Direction” drop-down. To change the angle at which it changes colors, enter the angle, in degrees, into the “Angle” spinner box.

            The “Gradient stops” section lets you set the number and appearance of changing points in the gradient’s color scheme. A gradient must have at least two gradient stops. For example, a black to white linear gradient has at least two gradient stops. You can have more, if desired.

            In the “Gradient stops” section, click the gradient stop whose properties you want to set. You can click and drag a gradient stop to change its position in the gradient. Alternatively, you can also enter its position, as a percentage, into the “Position” spinner box. Then use the “Color” drop-down to set the color at the selected point. Then use the “Transparency” slider to set the color’s transparency level.

            To add more gradient stops, click into the gradient line where you want to place the new gradient stop. Alternatively, you can also click the “Add gradient stop” button to the right of the gradient. To remove a gradient stop, select the gradient stop to delete. Then click the “Remove gradient stop” button.

How to Apply a Picture or Texture Background

            You can also create a custom page background in Publisher that is a picture or texture. Textures are simply preset images included in Publisher. To do this, choose the “Picture or texture fill” option button back at the top of the task pane in the “Fill” category options.

            To apply a preset texture, select a choice from the “Texture” drop-down. To use a picture from your computer, click the “File…” button to open the “Insert Picture” dialog box. Then use the dialog box to select the picture from your computer to insert. Alternatively, you can also copy an image and click the “Clipboard” button to paste it into the page background. To insert an online picture into the background, click the “Online…” button. Then use the “Insert Pictures” window to search for online pictures to insert into the page background.

            You can set the transparency of the background image by using the “Transparency” slider. To tile, or repeat, the background image, check the “Tile picture as texture” check box. Then, in the “Tiling options” section, set the “Offset X” and “Offset Y” options to set the amount of horizontal and vertical offset to apply to the tiled background image. Use the “Scale X” and “Scale Y” spinner boxes to set the percentage of the image to display in the tiled background. Then use the “Alignment” drop-down to set the alignment of the background image within the page. Then you can use the “Mirror type” drop-down to select the type of reflection to apply to the tiled images.

            If you de-select the “Tile picture as texture” checkbox, image offset options appear, instead. Use the “Offset left”, “Offset right”, “Offset top”, and “Offset bottom” spinner boxes to input the percentage by which the image should be offset from the selected side.

How to Apply a Pattern Background

            You can also create a custom page background in Publisher that is a pattern. To do this, choose the “Pattern fill” option from the top of the “Fill” options section. Then select a desired pattern to use as the fill from the choices shown in the “Pattern” section. Then use the “Foreground color” and “Background color” drop-downs to set the desired foreground and background colors to use for the selected fill pattern.

Final Step

            After setting your desired page background, click the “OK” button within the “Format Background” task pane to apply it.

Create a Custom Page Background in Publisher: Instructions

Instructions on How to Apply a Page Background

1. To display a drop-down menu of default page background choices, click the “Page Design” tab within the Ribbon.
2. Then click the “Background” button in the “Page Background” button group.
3. Click any of these choices to apply it to your currently selected page as a background.

Instructions on How to Remove a Page Background

4. To remove the currently applied page background, click the “No Background” choice in this drop-down menu.

Instructions on How to Apply a Custom Page Background

5. To create a custom page background in Publisher, the “Page Design” tab in the Ribbon.
6. Then click the “Background” button in the “Page Background” button group.
7. Then select the “More Backgrounds…” command to display the “Fill” category within the “Format Background” task pane.

Instructions on How to Apply a Solid Color Background

8. To create a custom page background in Publisher that is a solid color, select the “Solid fill” option button.
9. To select the color to apply, use the “Color” drop-down in the “Fill” section of the “Format Background” task pane.
10. If you want to set the color transparency, use the “Transparency” slider in the “Fill” section of the “Format Background” task pane.
11. To select a custom color, select either the “More Colors…” command from the “Color” button’s drop-down to open the “Colors” dialog box or select the “Tints…” command to open the “Tints” dialog box.
12. If you open the “Colors” dialog box, select any color from the tabs within in the “Colors” dialog box.
13. Then click the “OK” button to apply it.
14. If you open the “Tints” dialog box, select a color and tint to apply.
15. Then click the “OK” button to apply it.

Instructions on How to Apply a Gradient Background

16. To create a custom page background in Publisher that is a gradient, click the “Gradient fill” option button.
17. To apply a preset gradient, choose one from the “Preset gradients” drop-down.
18. Alternatively, to make a custom gradient, use the “Type” drop-down to select the type of gradient.
19. If you select “Linear,” choose the specific variation from the “Direction” drop-down.
20. To change the angle at which the gradient changes colors, enter the angle, in degrees, into the “Angle” spinner box.
21. In the “Gradient stops” section, click the gradient stop whose properties you wish to set.
22. To change its position in the gradient, click and drag the gradient stop.
23. Alternatively, enter its position, as a percentage, into the “Position” spinner box.
24. To set the color of the selected gradient stop, use the “Color” drop-down.
25. Then use the “Transparency” slider to set the color transparency level.
26. To add more gradient stops, click into the gradient line where you want to place the new gradient stop.
27. Alternatively, you can also click the “Add gradient stop” button to the right of the gradient.
28. To remove a gradient stop, select the gradient stop to delete and then click the “Remove gradient stop” button.

Instructions on How to Apply a Picture or Texture Background

29. To create a custom page background in Publisher that is a texture or picture, choose the “Picture or texture fill” option button in the “Format Background” task pane.
30. To apply a preset texture, select a choice from the “Texture” drop-down.
31. To use a picture from your computer, click the “File…” button to open the “Insert Picture” dialog box.
32. Then use this dialog box to select the image file.
33. To use a copied image, copy the image to use.
34. Then click the “Clipboard” button in the “Picture or texture fill” menu to paste the copied picture into the background.
35. To insert an online picture into the background, click the “Online…” button to open the “Insert Pictures” window.
36. Use this window to search for online pictures to insert into the background.
37. To set the picture transparency, use the “Transparency” slider.
38. To tile, or repeat, the background image, check the “Tile picture as texture” check box.
39. To set the amount of horizontal and vertical offset to apply to the tiled background image, set the “Offset X” and “Offset Y” options in the “Tiling options” section.
40. To set the percentage of the image to display in the tiled background, use the “Scale X” and “Scale Y” spinner boxes.
41. To set the alignment of the background image in the page, use the “Alignment” drop-down.
42. To select the type of reflection to apply to the tiled images in the background, use the “Mirror type” drop-down.
43. If you de-select the “Tile picture as texture” checkbox, image offset options appear, instead.
44. To input the percentage by which the image should be offset from the selected side, use the “Offset left”, “Offset right”, “Offset top”, and “Offset bottom” spinner boxes.

Instructions on How to Apply a Pattern Background

45. To create a custom page background in Publisher that is a pattern, choose the “Pattern fill” option from the top of the “Fill” options section.
46. Select the pattern to use from the choices shown in the “Pattern” section.
47. To set the pattern’s foreground and background colors, use the “Foreground color” and “Background color” drop-downs.

Instructions on Finalizing Your Custom Page Background Choice

48. To apply your desired custom page background, click the “OK” button within the “Format Background” task pane.