Editor's note: In the video, Brandon Vigliarolo uses Microsoft Office 365 and walks through the steps of calculation colors or images to the background of your Give-and-take documents. In the following tutorial, Susan Harkins explains the procedure when using Discussion 2010. This article was first published in December 2011 and was updated in March 2019.

Most documents are rather slow–the aforementioned black text on a white background. That's the way it should be though considering nigh documents don't crave special graphics and colors. Still, when a document requires more, Word offers many visual possibilities. For example, you lot might want to change the background's color or even use a picture equally the certificate'due south groundwork. Both are easy to attain, technically speaking, and in this article, I'll bear witness you how to practise both.

Keep in mind that calculation a background color or motion picture to a document is much easier than designing a visually effective document. I'll share only the mechanical procedure; how you implement the characteristic is up to you.

I'g using Office 365 Word (desktop) on a Windows x 64-fleck organization, but you lot can use older versions. You'll find these options on the Design tab in the Page Background group. (In earlier versions, look for the Page Layout tab.) The browser edition doesn't support the groundwork feature.

LEARN More than: Office 365 Consumer pricing and features

Add color

Calculation a bit of color is probably the easiest manner to liven upwardly an otherwise irksome document. You might decide to add together a sedate colour to a promotional letter or resume. To add together color to a document'southward background, you'll work from the Blueprint tab, every bit follows.

  1. Click Page Color in the Page Background group.
  2. Choose a colour from the gallery (palette) as shown in Figure A.

Figure A

It doesn't get much easier than that. You tin click More Colors to fine-melody a gallery color. Choose No Colour to remove a colored background.

Although simple, you could create some ghastly backgrounds. At that place'southward a lot to consider when introducing colour into a certificate. Color-wise, at that place are several attributes, hue, blush, then on.

Your main consideration should exist legibility. In that regard, contrast is usually the most important gene: the higher the contrast, the more legible the text. It also adds to the layers of separation, every bit shown in the illustration in Figure B. The more contrast, the more depth, which improves readability. I'chiliad not suggesting that you lot take a crayon-box attitude to your documents though. This illustration is simply that, an analogy–not a recommendation for these detail colors.

Figure B

Limiting your choices volition produce the best results. Limit your color palette to two or three colors. Use different shades (hue) and saturation (chroma) to add variation. And remember, even in digital class, there's nothing wrong with a white background.

Add a moving picture

The procedure for adding a film to a document'south background is similar to inserting a picture into an AutoShape–you use the Fill Effects option.

Note:This feature has the potential to produce more ghastly results, so only because yous tin can add together a motion-picture show doesn't hateful you should.

You'll employ the aforementioned Page Colour selection on the Page Layout tab (in the Page Background grouping) to add a flick, as follows.

  1. Click the Page Color option and choose Fill Effects.
  2. Click the Picture tab.
  3. Click Select Picture.
  4. Locate the picture you want to insert and click Insert.
  5. Click OK.

Figure C

Effigy C shows an interesting background that might work well with the right subject thing, but it presents quite a challenge. What colour font would you use? How much text could you add? Balancing all the requirements takes skill, but most of us can learn those skills with the right training. If yous change your mind, information technology'south like shooting fish in a barrel to remove, admitting not intuitive: Choose No Color from the Page Color dropdown.

Every bit I mentioned, calculation color or a moving-picture show to a document's background is easy. Producing a visually effective document takes specialized knowledge.

Send me your question about Part

I reply readers' questions when I tin can, but in that location'due south no guarantee. Don't transport files unless requested; initial requests for help that arrive with attached files will exist deleted unread. Yous can ship screenshots of your information to help analyze your question. When contacting me, be as specific as possible. For example, "Please troubleshoot my workbook and set up what's incorrect" probably won't get a response, but "Tin y'all tell me why this formula isn't returning the expected results?" might. Please mention the app and version that yous're using. I'one thousand not reimbursed by TechRepublic for my time or expertise when helping readers, nor do I inquire for a fee from readers I help. You tin can contact me at susansalesharkins@gmail.com.

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