Change background color behind text in Word

You can add color behind text in Word using the Highlight tool, which puts a colored background directly on the words you select. This is the fastest way if you want to mark up specific sentences or phrases — like you would with a highlighter pen on paper.

Select the text you want to highlight, then click the arrow next to the highlighter icon in the toolbar (it looks like a marker pen). Choose your color from the dropdown menu. The color appears immediately behind your selected text.

If you do not see the highlighter icon in your toolbar, click the arrow at the far right of the formatting buttons and select Highlighting from the list that appears. This adds it permanently to your toolbar.

Key Takeaways

  • The Highlight tool puts colored background directly behind selected text and is the quickest method for marking up specific words or sentences.
  • Page background color fills the entire page behind all text and is set through the Design or Layout tab, depending on your Word version.
  • Paragraph shading adds background color to an entire paragraph or section without affecting the rest of the page.
  • Highlight color is temporary formatting that does not print by default, while page and paragraph backgrounds print with your document.

Add background color to an entire page

If you want the whole page to have a colored background, use the page color feature instead of highlighting. This fills the entire page behind all your text and images.

In Word 2019 and earlier, go to the Design tab, then click Page Color. In Word 365 (the subscription version), this is under the Layout tab instead. Click the dropdown arrow next to Page Color and choose your color from the palette.

The color appears behind everything on the page. If you want to remove it later, go back to the same menu and select No Color.

Use paragraph shading for sections of your document

Paragraph shading puts a background color behind one paragraph or a group of paragraphs without coloring the entire page. This is useful when you want to highlight a section — like a warning, a quote, or an important note — but keep the rest of the page white.

Click anywhere in the paragraph you want to shade, or select multiple paragraphs by clicking and dragging. Go to the Home tab, then click the arrow next to the paint bucket icon (it says Shading when you hover over it). Choose your color.

The background color fills the width of the page for that paragraph only. If you select multiple paragraphs at once, they all get the same background color. You can change the color later by selecting the paragraph again and choosing a different shade.

Understand the difference between highlight and background color

Highlight is meant for marking text temporarily, like you would with a marker pen. It only colors the text itself, not the full width of the page. Highlight also does not print by default — if you print your document, the highlighting usually disappears unless you change the print settings.

Page color and paragraph shading are permanent formatting. They print with your document and fill the entire width of the page (or paragraph). Use these when you want the background color to be part of the final document.

If you are sharing your document with others, keep in mind that highlight is easier to remove — someone can select the text and turn off the highlight in seconds. Page and paragraph colors require going back to the Design or Home tab, so they feel more intentional.

Change or remove background color

To change the color of highlighted text, select the text again and click the arrow next to the highlighter icon. Choose a new color from the menu. The old color disappears and the new one takes its place.

To remove highlighting entirely, select the text and click the arrow next to the highlighter icon, then choose No Color.

For page color, go back to the Design or Layout tab (depending on your Word version), click Page Color, and select No Color. For paragraph shading, select the paragraph and click the arrow next to the paint bucket icon, then choose No Color.

Troubleshoot background color problems

If you added page color but it does not appear on screen, check that you are not in Read Mode. Click View at the top, then select Print Layout or Web Layout. Page color does not show in Read Mode.

If highlighting or background color is not printing, open the File menu and go to Options. Click Display, then check the box that says Print background colors and images. This setting is off by default in most versions of Word.

If the color you chose looks different on screen than in print, this is usually because your printer cannot reproduce the exact shade. Try a darker or more saturated color, or print a test page to see how it actually looks before printing your final document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I highlight text in different colors in the same document?

Yes. Select each piece of text separately and choose a different color from the highlighter dropdown for each one. You can use as many different highlight colors as you want in a single document.

Does highlight color print?

Not by default. Highlight is designed as temporary marking. If you want highlighting to print, go to File > Options > Display and check Print background colors and images. After that, all highlighting will print with your document.

What is the difference between page color and paragraph shading?

Page color fills the entire page behind all text. Paragraph shading fills only the width of one paragraph or a group of paragraphs you select. Use page color for a document-wide background and paragraph shading to highlight specific sections.

Can I use a picture as a page background instead of a solid color?

Yes, but Word calls this a watermark, not a background. Go to Design (or Layout in Word 365), click Watermark, and choose Custom Watermark. You can upload an image there, though it will appear faded behind your text.

Why does my background color look different on my phone than on my computer?

Different devices display colors slightly differently depending on screen settings and brightness. If you are sharing the document, test it on the devices your readers will use. Darker, more saturated colors tend to look more consistent across devices than light pastels.