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Do it nowPage backgroundHow to change the background color of a PDF
A bright white page is not always the most comfortable to read, and a colored background can mark sections in a printed pack or bring slides into a brand color. Page background puts a color behind everything already on the page, so text, images and links stay exactly as they were.
Updated September 28, 20263 min read
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Add a background color, step by step
Only the pages you pick are colored, so different sections can get different colors by running the tool once per section.
- Open Page background and add the PDF.
- Pick a soft preset — cream, pale blue, pale yellow, pale green or light gray — or any color with the color picker.
- Choose all pages or only some, for example 1-4 for a cover section.
- Run the tool and download the PDF.
Behind the content, not on top of it
Many tools add color by laying a see-through rectangle over the page, which also tints and softens the text. Here the color is placed underneath the page’s own content, so black text stays black and images keep their colors.
Choosing a color
A pale color works for almost every purpose; a few points help decide.
- For long reading on screen, many readers find cream or pale blue easier on the eyes than bright white.
- For printing, keep it pale: a dark background uses a lot of ink and makes text harder to read.
- For accessibility, check that text still has strong contrast against the color you pick.
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Frequently asked questions
Scanned pages are a single picture of the paper, and that picture covers the whole page, including the background. The color shows on pages with real text.
Keep the original file. The color is added as its own layer behind the page, so the original is the easiest way back.