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How to Change the Page or Subpage Color in Microsoft OneNote

Muhammad Talha Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know how to change the background color of an individual page or subpage in Microsoft OneNote across different platforms.

How to Change the Page or Subpage Color in Microsoft OneNote

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing digital notes and customizing the aesthetic appearance of notebook pages using background colors.
Observed behavior: The user is looking for the correct settings to change page colors, while noting that the OneNote Android application lacks a built-in option for this feature.

Before you start

Verify which version and platform of OneNote you are using, as background color customization is fully supported in desktop versions (like OneNote for Microsoft 365) but is not currently available in the Android mobile app.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Page Color in OneNote for Microsoft 365 (Desktop)

Use the View tab in the desktop application to easily change the background color of your active page or subpage.

The desktop version of OneNote provides extensive page formatting options. You can apply pastel background colors to your pages to reduce eye strain or to visually categorize your notes.

Select the target page

Open OneNote on your computer and navigate to the specific page or subpage you want to customize.

Open the View tab

Click on the 'View' tab located in the top ribbon menu to access the page formatting options.

Apply a new Page Color

Click on the 'Page Color' button. A dropdown menu will appear with various color swatches. Select the color you prefer to instantly apply it to the background.

Change Page Color in OneNote for Microsoft 365 (Desktop)

Quick Formatting: Changing the page color only affects the currently selected page. It will not alter the background color of other pages in your notebook.

Solution 2

Handling Page Colors on OneNote for Android

Understand the limitations of the OneNote Android application and how to submit a feature request.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for Rich Document Customization on All Devices?

If you are restricted by platform limitations in Microsoft Office applications, consider WPS Office. It is a powerful, lightweight, and free office suite that offers comprehensive page customization for your documents across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android without missing core features.

1. Download WPS Office: Install WPS Office for free from the official website or your device's app store.
2. Open WPS Writer: Launch the application and create a new Word document using WPS Writer.
3. Customize Page Background: Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab and click on 'Page Color' to easily set a custom background color for your entire document.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a default page color for all new pages in OneNote?

OneNote does not have a global setting to change the default page color for all new pages at once. However, you can create a page with your desired background color and set it as a 'Page Template' for that specific section. New pages created in that section will then inherit the template's color.

Will my custom page color print when I export the OneNote page to PDF?

By default, OneNote may exclude background colors when printing or exporting to PDF to save ink. If you want the color to appear in your PDF, you must ensure that your printing preferences or export settings in Windows are configured to include background colors.

Why can't I see the Page Color option on my Mac or iPad?

Feature parity varies significantly across Microsoft OneNote platforms. While fully supported on OneNote for Windows desktop versions, options like 'Page Color' might be missing or located in different menus on Mac and iPad versions. Always ensure your app is updated to the latest version.

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