Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Creating See-Through Text Boxes.
Word allows you to create text boxes in your document. These can be used to create special document elements, such as sidebars or boxed text. There may be times when you want the text box to be transparent, meaning that whatever is behind the text box shows through. There are two ways you can handle this: you can either make the text box partially transparent or make it fully transparent. To control the transparency, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Colors and Lines tab of the Format Text Box dialog box.
Figure 2. The Layout tab of the Format Text Box dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (609) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Creating See-Through Text Boxes.
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2015-04-30 11:46:51
Chris
Hi and thanks for the tips.
In my personal experience I am already aware of this particular tip for text boxes in Microsoft Word.
However, I am using Microsoft Word 2003 to design a web site (by designing it in Word and then clicking File, then "save as web page" and then usually choosing "web page filtered" format). The problem only comes in when I make the text box fill colour semi transparent. When I do that I get white criss-cross and diagonal lines across the entire area that I made transparent in Word. In other words in works in MS Word, but not once I save the document as a website and test by uploading it to the web server, or opening in the web browser.
I know I am asking a lot here, but do you have any idea how to overcome this particular problem?
2015-03-15 04:13:40
S Jane Minard
hi, I am looking for see through box 6" x 2.5" x 2.5" (charity only, not for personal)
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
kind regards Jane
2014-12-13 19:49:27
Serena
Selecting "square" in formatting the text box (at least with Word 2013) did not work for me. I had to select "behind text" in order for my text to show up inside the text box.
2014-06-17 12:58:13
Dave
HOWEVER: It might look fine on your screen, but won’t print out that way. See this web link:
http://msgroups.net/microsoft.public.publisher/printing-transparent-text-boxes-ov/198533
Their solution at the bottom is to create the photo and text box separately, save them as a photo, i.e. jpeg, then insert them. This will work for some designs but not all. Microsoft says this is a work-around for a known Publisher problem.
2014-06-17 12:31:18
Dave
Next steps: On "Colors and Lines" Tab, Click "Fill Effects". On "Gradient" click "One Color". Move the slider all the way to the right for "Light". On "Transparency" slide or click "From" to 20%, and slide or click "To" to 20%. Finish by clicking "OK" then "OK". This might not be the exact effect you need, but you can adjust it from here.
2014-06-17 11:50:29
Dave
I was able to use this tip in Microsoft PUBLISHER as well! It was exactly what I was looking for: shading back a portion of the photo (square) to insert text, with the screened back photo showing through behind the text. This allows the text to be readable, and it doesn't look like a solid square was pasted over the picture. The key steps are "RIGHT click the Text Box, then select "FORMAT TEXT BOX".
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
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