If your Word page isn’t white, it’s usually one of two things. A page colour set in the document: fix it with Design > Page Color > No Color. Or Word’s dark mode: in Microsoft 365, the Black theme darkens the page too, so click View > Switch Modes to show a white page, or change the theme in File > Account > Office Theme. Dark mode only changes what you see; the document still prints white.
Quick Answer
Page colour: Design > Page Color > No Color. Dark mode: View > Switch Modes, or File > Account > Office Theme: White or Colorful.
Steps to Make the Background White
- Open the Design tab.
- Click Page Color and choose No Color.
- If the page is still dark, open View and click Switch Modes.
- To change it permanently, go to File > Account and set Office Theme to White or Colorful.
What Causes a Coloured Background
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Page colour | Design > Page Color > No Color |
| Black Office theme | View > Switch Modes, or change Office Theme |
| Theme follows Windows dark mode | Office Theme set to “Use system setting”; pick White instead |
| Shading behind text | Home > Shading > No Color |
| Background picture or watermark | Design > Watermark > Remove Watermark |
Troubleshooting
- Only some text has colour behind it: See removing background colour after pasting.
- Grey behind text: See removing a grey background.
- Want colour on one page only: See background colour on one page.
- Theme options: See changing the Word theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does page colour print?
Not by default. Printing background colours is controlled in File > Options > Display.
Is there a setting to keep the page white in dark mode?
In recent versions, File > Options > General includes an option to disable dark mode for the page; wording varies by version.
Does this work on a Mac?
Yes. Design > Page Color is the same; dark mode follows macOS or Word > Preferences > General.
Summary
- Set Page Color to No Color.
- Use Switch Modes for dark mode.
- Change the Office Theme to keep it white.
- Check shading and watermarks.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.