Formatting Issues

How to Change White Word Ink to a Printable Color in Microsoft Word

Aamir Naveed Akram Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to change white ink strokes drawn in Word's Dark Mode to a printable color so they are visible when printed or viewed on a light background.

How to Change White Word Ink to a Printable Color in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing a document containing ink annotations for printing or sharing on light backgrounds.
Observed behavior: Ink drawn in white while using Dark Mode becomes completely invisible when printed on standard paper or viewed in light mode.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved your current document progress and verify which version of Microsoft Word you are using, as interface options for Dark Mode may vary slightly depending on your system.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Dark Mode and Recolour Ink Strokes

Turn off Dark Mode to make the white ink visible against a standard background, allowing you to select and change it to a printable color.

When you draw with white ink in Dark Mode, Word does not automatically invert the ink color for printing. Disabling Dark Mode allows you to locate the white strokes against the white page and modify them to a readable color.

Access General Preferences

Open Microsoft Word, click on 'Word' in the top menu bar, and select 'Preferences'. Then, choose 'General'.

Turn Off Dark Mode

Locate the 'Personalize' section within the General preferences and select the option to 'Turn off Dark Mode'.

Restart Microsoft Word

Close and restart the Word application to ensure the appearance changes take effect completely across your document.

Select and Change Ink Color

Open your document, select the previously white ink strokes (which you can now find on the canvas), and change their color to black or another dark, printable color from the ink format options.

Disable Dark Mode and Recolour Ink Strokes

Version Differences: The exact location of the Dark Mode toggle may vary depending on your specific version of Microsoft Word or your operating system settings. Windows users may find this under File > Account > Office Theme.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Editing and Formatting

If you frequently encounter formatting or display issues with Microsoft Word's Dark Mode, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative with intuitive reading and editing modes.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your device.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word document containing the ink annotations.
3. Edit Ink Seamlessly: Navigate to the Draw or Review tab to effortlessly manage, select, and format your ink strokes without visual bugs.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats, ensuring your formatting and ink annotations are preserved flawlessly.Intuitive Eye Protection and Night modes that don't interfere with your document's printed output colors.Free and lightweight, offering a familiar user interface with no steep learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my ink disappear when I print my Word document?

If you drew with white ink while using Dark Mode, the white strokes will blend into the white paper when printed. You must change the ink to a dark color before printing.

Can I print a document with a dark background in Word?

Yes, but you need to explicitly change the page color to black in the Design tab and ensure your printer settings are configured to print background colors and images.

Where do I find the Dark Mode toggle in Windows?

In Word for Windows, you can typically find the Office Theme settings by going to File > Account, and then changing the Office Theme to White or Colorful instead of Black.

How do I select invisible ink in my document?

You can use the Selection Pane (Home > Select > Selection Pane) to find and select ink objects that are currently invisible against your page background.

Document & File Issues