How to color pages in a Word document

Need to add a splash of color to your Word document? Whether you’re designing a cover page, making a handout pop, or just want a more visual layout, changing page color is simple. Here’s how to do it in Microsoft Word.

Why Color a Page?

Adding color to a page can:

• Highlight key sections
• Improve readability
• Make documents more engaging
• Help differentiate parts of a longer report or proposal

Let’s walk through how to do it.

📄 How to Change the Page Color in Word

1. Open your document in Word.

2. Go to the “Design” tab on the top menu.

3. Click “Page Color.”
You’ll find it on the right side of the ribbon in the “Page Background” group.

4. Choose your color.
A dropdown will appear with theme colors, standard colors, and the option to select “More Colors” for custom choices.

✅ Done! Your entire document background is now colored.

🖌 Want to Color Just One Page?

Unfortunately, Word doesn’t have a built-in feature to color individual pages directly. But there’s a workaround:

1. Insert a full-page shape (rectangle):

• Go to the “Insert” tab → Click “Shapes” → Choose the rectangle.
• Draw it to cover the whole page.

2. Set the shape’s color:

• Right-click the shape → Choose “Format Shape.”
• Under “Fill,” select your color.
• Set “Line” to “No Line” to remove the border.

3. Send it to the background:

• Right-click the shape → Click “Send to Back.”

This creates the appearance of a colored page without affecting the rest of the document.

📝 Extra Tips

• Use light colors for readability, especially if you’re printing.
• Save as PDF if you’re sharing the document and want to preserve the look.
• Be mindful of accessibility—avoid color combinations that are hard to read.

Final Thoughts

Adding page color in Word is a small tweak that can make a big visual difference. Whether you’re prepping a flyer, a report, or a cover sheet, now you know exactly how to do it—and how to get around Word’s limitations if needed.

Got questions or other Word tricks you want to learn? Drop them in the comments!