Open the Document Menu and Find Page Colour

To change the background colour of your Google Docs document, open the document you want to edit. At the top of the page, click the File menu. From the dropdown, select Page setup. A box will open on the right side of your screen with colour options.

The page setup panel shows a paint bucket icon next to a white or coloured square. This square represents your current page colour. Click on it to open the colour picker.

Key Takeaways

  • Page colour is found in File > Page setup, not in the toolbar or Format menu.
  • You can choose from preset colours or enter a custom hex code for exact colour matching.
  • The background colour applies to the entire document, not individual paragraphs or sections.
  • Changing the page colour does not affect how the document prints unless you adjust print settings separately.
  • You can remove a background colour by selecting white or clicking the eraser icon in the colour picker.

Choose a Colour from the Palette or Create a Custom One

When you click the colour square, a palette appears with preset colours arranged in rows. You can click any of these to apply it immediately. The document background will change as soon as you select a colour.

If you want a colour not shown in the preset palette, look for the custom colour option, usually shown as a plus sign or a blank square at the bottom of the palette. Click it to open a larger colour picker where you can enter a hex code (a six-character code like #FF5733) or use a colour slider to find the exact shade you want.

Understand What the Colour Change Affects

The background colour you select applies to the entire page — you cannot set different colours for different sections of the same document. If you want some pages to have one colour and other pages to have another, you would need to create separate documents and combine them later, or use a workaround like inserting a table that covers the page.

The colour you set in page setup is what appears on screen and in shared versions. When you print the document, the background colour may or may not print depending on your printer settings. Most printers skip background colours by default to save ink. If you need the colour to print, check your printer's settings before printing.

Remove or Change the Background Colour Later

To remove a background colour you have already set, go back to File > Page setup and click the colour square. Select white from the palette, or look for a small eraser or "none" icon in the colour picker. Click it to clear the background.

You can change the colour as many times as you want. Each time you select a new colour from the page setup panel, the document updates immediately. There is no limit to how many times you can modify the background.

Troubleshooting Colour Changes That Do Not Appear

If you set a background colour but it does not show up, check whether you are viewing the document in Suggestion mode. When Suggestion mode is on, some formatting changes may not display correctly on screen. Click the pencil icon in the top right and switch to Editing mode to see the colour.

If you are sharing the document with others, they will see the same background colour you set. If a collaborator reports that the colour is not showing on their screen, ask them to refresh the page or close and reopen the document. Cached versions sometimes display outdated formatting.

Colour Choices That Work Well for Different Document Types

Light colours like pale yellow, light blue, or light grey work well for documents you plan to read on screen for long periods, as they reduce eye strain compared to pure white. Darker colours like navy or charcoal can make text harder to read, so use them only if your text colour is also adjusted to contrast well.

If you are creating a document for printing, remember that background colours use ink and may not print as you see them on screen. Test a print preview before printing a full batch. For documents shared with others, stick to neutral or light colours unless you have a specific reason for a darker background, as some people may have accessibility settings that conflict with dark pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different background colours on different pages in the same document?

No. The page colour setting applies to the entire document at once. If you need multiple colours, you can create separate documents with different colours and combine them, or use a full-page table with different background colours in each section as a workaround.

Will the background colour print when I print the document?

Not usually. Most printers skip background colours to save ink. If you need the colour to print, go to your printer settings before printing and look for an option like "Print backgrounds" or "Print graphics." This setting varies by printer model.

What if I cannot see the colour I want in the preset palette?

Click the custom colour option (usually a plus sign or blank square at the bottom of the colour palette) to open an expanded picker. You can enter a hex code or use sliders to create any colour you need.

Does changing the page colour affect how collaborators see the document?

Yes. All collaborators see the same background colour. If someone reports that the colour is not showing, ask them to refresh their browser or close and reopen the document.

How do I remove a background colour I no longer want?

Go to File > Page setup, click the colour square, and select white from the palette. You can also look for an eraser icon or "none" option in the colour picker to clear the background completely.