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How to Change Background Color in Word (Without Hurting Your Eyes)

AuthorZhoumandyLast modified

Staring at a bright white document for hours can quickly lead to eye strain, fatigue, and headaches. The good news: Microsoft Word provides a simple, built-in way to change the page background color, and if you work in Word for long periods, you can go further with Comfort Mode in Kutools for Word to create a more professional, eye-friendly workspace. This guide walks you through both approaches step-by-step so you can find the option that fits the way you work.

Change background color in Word example

💡 Quick Navigation:

Add or change background color in Word

You can change the background in two main ways depending on your needs:

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Method 1 – Use Word’s built-in Page Color

Use Page Color when you want to style a specific document — for example, training materials, worksheets, or simple colored pages.

  1. Open your document in Word.
  2. Go to the Design tab on the ribbon, then click Page Color in the Page Background group.
    Click Page Color in the Page Background group
  3. Select a color from the palette, or click More Colors to define a custom color.
    Select a color
  4. Result: The selected color is applied to the background of all pages in the current document and is saved with the file.
    The selected color is applied to the background of all pages in the current document
Note: To return to the default white background, click Design > Page Color > No Color to turn it off.

📌 Things to keep in mind:

  • Limited flexibility: The background color is applied to this document only and is saved with the file. If you open another document, you need to set Page Color again.
  • Printing: By default, Word does not print background colors. To include the background color, turn on File > Options > Display > Print background colors and images. This will use more ink or toner.
  • Sharing: The background color is saved with the file, so recipients may see it when they open your document (depending on their settings).

Method 2 – Use Comfort Mode in Kutools for Word

If you work in Word every day, changing Page Color in each document quickly becomes tedious. Comfort Mode in Kutools for Word is designed for this—it lets you use ready-made and custom comfort themes that you can apply, reuse, and turn off with a single click.

After downloading and installing Kutools for Word from the official website, do the following:

  1. Open your document in Word. Go to the Kutools tab on the ribbon, and click Comfort Mode. A softer default background is applied instantly.
    Comfort Mode in Kutools for Word
  2. Once Comfort Mode is enabled, click the ⌄ drop-down arrow next to the Comfort Mode button. In the menu that appears, use the available options:
    • Select one of the three built-in eye-comfort themes to apply it instantly.
    • Or click Custom Color 1, 2, or 3 to configure and save custom background colors for quick reuse, then select any saved color to apply it instantly.
      Choose default colors or customize colors
  3. Result: The selected color is applied to all pages in your open documents and will be used automatically for future documents.
    The selected color is applied to the background of all pages

✨ Key advantages of Comfort Mode:

  • One-click switch: Turn the comfort background on or off from the Kutools tab without manually picking colors each time.
  • Set once, reuse everywhere: Instead of redesigning each file with Page Color, you keep a familiar, eye-friendly workspace wherever you work.
  • Built-in comfort themes: Use carefully chosen soft themes that reduce glare and eye strain during long sessions.
  • Reusable custom colors: Save your own favorite backgrounds (for day, night, or different monitors) and apply them again in other documents instantly.
  • For heavy Word users: Ideal for writers, editors, lawyers, students, and office professionals who spend hours in Word.

Notes:

  • The next time you enable Comfort Mode, your previously used comfort theme can be applied with a single click.
  • To return to the default white background, click Comfort Mode again to turn it off.

📌 Things to keep in mind:

  • Enable smoothly: Comfort Mode won’t start if Page Color is set—choose Design > Page Color > No Color, then try again.
  • Printing: If Print background colors and images is enabled, the comfort background may also be printed. Leave this off unless you specifically want colored pages.
  • Sharing: For formal sharing, turn off Comfort Mode so recipients see a standard background; re-enable it later for your own editing.

Best practices: which method should you choose?

  • Use Page Color if:
    • You only need to change the background for one specific document.
    • You want a quick, built-in option and are comfortable setting the color manually for each document.
  • Use Comfort Mode in Kutools for Word if:
    • You work in Word for many hours and care about long-term eye comfort.
    • You want reusable, eye-friendly themes and custom colors that you can apply across documents in one click.
    • You like being able to turn the comfort background on while you work, and off again when you share or print, without redesigning the document each time.

In short, use Page Color for simple one-off designs, and use Comfort Mode as your everyday, flexible solution for comfortable reading and editing.

✨
Kutools for Word offers 100+ smart features to make your Word work easier
Comfort Mode for eye-friendly backgrounds — plus powerful page tools, PDF conversion, symbols & emojis, and built-in AI to speed up everyday work without leaving Word.
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Remove or reset background color

❗ Important: Remove the background using the same method you used to add it.

  • If you used Page Color, set Design > Page Color > No Color.
  • If you used Comfort Mode (Kutools), turn Comfort Mode off.

Option 1 – Remove Page Color

  1. Go to the Design tab.
  2. Click Page Color.
  3. Select No Color to restore the default white background.
    Select No Color to restore the default white background

Option 2 – Turn off Comfort Mode

  1. Go to the Kutools tab.
  2. Click Comfort Mode to disable it. Your document returns to the normal background.
    Comfort Mode in Kutools for Word

FAQ: Printing, dark mode & sharing

+–Will my background color be printed?
By default, Word does not print page background colors. If you enable Print background colors and images in Word Options, your chosen background (Page Color or Comfort Mode) can be printed and will use more ink or toner.
+–Is this the same as Word’s dark mode?
No. Dark (or black) mode mainly changes how Word looks on your screen as a viewing preference. It does not permanently redesign the document or guarantee the same appearance for others. Use Page Color or Comfort Mode to control the document background itself.
+–Will other people see my background color?
They might. If a background color is saved in the file, recipients may see it depending on their Word version and settings. For a neutral look, reset to No Color (Page Color) or turn Comfort Mode off before sending.
+–Is changing the background color enough to protect my eyes?
Changing the background color is a strong first step, but it works best with sensible brightness, contrast, font size, and regular breaks. Comfort Mode helps create a softer, sustainable working environment—especially for users who stay in Word for many hours.
+–Why can’t I enable Comfort Mode?
Comfort Mode won’t start if the document already has a Page Color set or the file isn’t editable (e.g., Protected View, read-only, or restricted). Set Design > Page Color > No Color and make the document editable, then try again.

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