Adding a Background to Your Document

You probably are already aware that Word provides many different ways for you to get fancy with your documents. For instance, you can add graphics and WordArt that convey information much better—at times—than mere words alone can.

One of the ways you can make your document fancy if it is destined for a Web page is to add a background. Simply follow these two simple steps if you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007:

1. Choose Background from the Format menu. Word displays a small palette that shows colors and has a couple other choices.
2. Choose the color you want to use for the background of your documents.

If you are using Word 2007, follow these steps instead:

1. Make sure the Page Layout tab of the ribbon is displayed.
2. Click the Page Color option in the Page Background group. Word displays a small palette that shows colors and has a couple other choices.
3. Choose the color you want to use for the background of your documents.

Word automatically switches to Online Layout view (Word 97) or Web Layout view (Word 2000, Word 2002, and Word 2003). Note that the color you selected is visible as a background for the document. You should note that the background colors are not visible in any other view. (In Word 2007 the background color is visible in both Print Layout and Web Layout views.) If you switch to a view that doesn't support the background color, the document looks normal again (with a white background), but switching back to a supporting view again displays the same background color.

If you want to get rid of the background, follow the same steps, above, but in the second step, choose "No Fill" or "No Color" from the color palette.