Office Compatibility Issues

Fix OneNote Pen Colors Appearing White or Faded on Desktop

Elise Williams Oct 16, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user's custom dark ink colors in OneNote appear light or white on a desktop computer after importing a PDF, despite displaying correctly as black on an iPad.

Fix OneNote Pen Colors Appearing White or Faded on Desktop

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Desktop and iPad
Scenario: Viewing and editing imported PDFs with custom ink annotations across different devices.
Observed behavior: Custom darker pen colors display incorrectly as white or faded on the desktop version of OneNote, while standard preset colors render without issues.

Before you start

Check if your OneNote application is currently set to Dark Mode, as the software sometimes automatically inverts dark custom ink to white to ensure contrast against a black background.

Solution 1Recommended

Test Multiple PDF Files to Isolate the Issue

Determine if the color rendering problem is specific to a single imported document or a system-wide application glitch.

Sometimes, the background encoding of a specific PDF file can interact poorly with OneNote's ink rendering engine during the 'Print to OneNote' process.

Import a new PDF

Create a new page in your OneNote notebook and import a completely different PDF file using the 'Insert' > 'File Printout' option.

Test custom ink colors

Use the same custom dark pen colors that previously failed to write or draw on the newly imported PDF.

Verify synchronization

Sync the notebook to your iPad and back to your desktop. Check if the colors appear correctly on the desktop monitor.

Reimport the original file

If the new PDF works perfectly, delete the original problematic PDF printout and reimport it, as the initial import process may have experienced a temporary rendering glitch.

Test Multiple PDF Files to Isolate the Issue

Temporary Workaround: If only custom colors are failing, stick to OneNote's default preset dark colors (which render correctly) until the underlying PDF conflict is resolved.

Solution 2

Update Application and Submit Feedback

If all PDFs display the same color distortion, updating the software or reporting the bug to Microsoft is necessary.

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1. Download and install: Get WPS Office for your desktop and iPad from the official website or app store.
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3. Annotate reliably: Select the 'Comment' tab to choose your precise pen colors and start drawing, knowing the colors will render identically across all your devices.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my pen colors change between my iPad and desktop in OneNote?

This is typically caused by differences in how the iOS and Windows/Mac rendering engines handle custom color profiles, or by Dark Mode settings on your desktop automatically inverting dark ink to light ink for better visibility.

How do I turn off Dark Mode in OneNote desktop to check my ink colors?

Go to 'File' > 'Options' > 'General'. Under 'Office Theme', change the setting from 'Black' or 'Dark Gray' to 'White' or 'Colorful', then check if your custom dark colors return to normal.

Why do preset colors work but custom hex colors fail?

Preset colors are mapped natively within OneNote's cross-platform code, ensuring they behave predictably. Custom colors generated via the color wheel sometimes fail to translate correctly between different operating systems during the sync process.

How do I properly reimport a PDF into OneNote?

Delete the original PDF printout from your page. Then, go to the 'Insert' tab, select 'File Printout', and choose your PDF again. This forces OneNote to generate a fresh rendering of the document.

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