Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change a Black OneNote Page Background to White

Natalie Taylor Oct 7, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to change a black OneNote page background to white to make text easier to read.

How to Change a Black OneNote Page Background to White

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reading or editing notes where the current black background makes text illegible or visually uncomfortable.
Observed behavior: The page displays a black background, causing visibility issues with the existing custom colored text.

Before you start

Check whether the issue affects the entire OneNote interface (which indicates Dark Theme is active) or just the specific page's background color.

Solution 1Recommended

Switch the Office Theme to White

Use this method if the entire OneNote application interface, including menus and toolbars, is black or dark.

OneNote includes a system-wide Dark Mode that affects both the user interface and the page canvas. Changing the overall Office Theme will force the application to use a bright layout, restoring the white background.

Open OneNote Options

Launch the desktop OneNote application. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner and select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.

Change the Office Theme

In the Options window, navigate to the 'General' tab. Locate the 'Office Theme' dropdown menu under the 'Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office' section.

Apply White Theme

Select 'White' or 'Colorful' from the dropdown list and click 'OK'. This will instantly change the app's background and interface to a light theme.

Tip: If you are using OneNote for Windows 10, click the three dots (...) in the top right, go to Settings > Options, and change the Color option from Dark to Light.

Solution 2

Change the Specific Page Color

Use this method if only the note-taking canvas is black while the rest of the application interface remains light.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my OneNote background suddenly turn black?

This typically happens if your system's default app mode changed to Dark Mode and OneNote is set to 'Use system setting', or if the Office Theme was accidentally switched to Black or Dark Gray.

Will changing the page color to white affect my colored text?

No, changing the page background color or Office theme will not override the custom font colors you have manually applied to your text. The text will retain its original formatting.

How do I toggle dark mode quickly without changing the theme?

In the 'View' tab, you can use the 'Switch Background' button to quickly toggle the page canvas between dark and light modes without affecting the overall interface color of the Office theme.

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