Formatting Issues

How to Change the Background Color of One Page in Word

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to apply a background color to a single page within a multi-page document, bypassing the default behavior where the Page Color command applies to the entire document.

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing the design and formatting of a specific page within a larger document.
Observed behavior: The default Page Color feature changes the background color of every page in the document instead of applying it exclusively to the selected page.

Before you start

Ensure your document's text and layout are fully finalized before applying this workaround, as adding or removing text later may shift your pages and cause the background shape to misalign.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Section Breaks and a Header Shape

Since Word's native Page Color applies to the whole document, the best workaround is to isolate the target page with section breaks and insert a full-page colored rectangle into its header.

By placing a colored shape into an unlinked header, the color acts as a background that sits behind your text, affecting only the specific page you want to customize.

Insert section breaks

Place your cursor at the end of the page preceding your target page. Go to the Layout tab, click Breaks, and choose Next Page. Repeat this process at the end of the target page itself.

Open the header

Double-click the very top margin of your target page to open the Header & Footer tools.

Unlink the header

In the Header & Footer tab, click 'Link to Previous' to deselect it, severing the connection to the previous page's header. Scroll down to the page immediately following your target page and click 'Link to Previous' there as well to unlink it from the target page.

Insert a full-page shape

Navigate back to the header of the target page. Go to Insert > Shapes and select the Rectangle tool. Draw a rectangle so that it completely covers the target page from edge to edge.

Apply color and finish

Select the newly drawn shape, go to Shape Format, click Shape Fill to choose your desired color, and set Shape Outline to 'No Outline'. Finally, close the Header and Footer view.

Visual Display in Print Layout: The shape color might appear slightly faded or washed out while you are working in Print Layout view. This is normal behavior for header elements and will display in full color when printed or exported as a PDF.

Advanced Document Formatting

Customize Page Backgrounds Easily with WPS Office

WPS Writer offers an intuitive interface to handle section breaks and header shapes, making it simple to apply a custom background color to a single page. It is fully compatible with Microsoft Word documents and provides powerful layout control.

1. Insert Next Page breaks: Open your document in WPS Writer. Go to the Page Layout tab, select Breaks, and insert a Next Page Section Break before and after your target page.
2. Unlink headers: Double-click the header of the target page. Click the 'Link to Previous' icon to toggle it off. Do the same for the header on the page following the target page.
3. Draw a background shape: Click Insert > Shapes, select a Rectangle, and stretch it across the entire target page while still in the header editing mode.
4. Format the color: Use the Drawing Tools to apply your desired Shape Fill and remove the Shape Outline. Double-click the main document body to close the header and save your work.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formatting and .docx files.Intuitive shape and header editing tools for precise layout control.Free and lightweight alternative to heavy office suites.Seamless export to PDF with perfect color retention.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does changing the page color affect my entire document?

Word's native Page Color feature is designed as a document-wide theme setting. It applies the chosen color to the background of every page automatically. To color only one page, you must use workarounds like inserting a colored shape behind the text.

Will the inserted background shape cover my text?

If you insert the shape into the header or footer, it will automatically sit on a background layer behind the main body text. If you insert it directly onto the main page, you must right-click the shape, select 'Wrap Text', and choose 'Behind Text' so your content remains visible.

Why does my single page background color look washed out?

When an image or shape is placed in the header or footer, the software automatically dims it in the standard editing view to help you focus on the main text. The color will print and export perfectly normal at full opacity.

Can I remove the background color from just one page if the rest are colored?

Yes, you can use the exact same header shape workaround, but simply fill the rectangle with the color white (or your preferred neutral shade) to mask the document's global page color on that specific page.

Document & File Issues