How you remove background color in Google Docs depends on where the color is. If the whole page is colored, go to File > Page setup and set Page color to white. If only some text has a colored background, select it, click the Highlight color tool (the marker icon), and choose None. If a whole paragraph is shaded, use Format > Paragraph styles > Borders and shading and reset the background color. For text pasted from a website, selecting it and pressing Ctrl + \ (Clear formatting) usually removes everything at once.
Below are the steps for each type of background color and how to tell which one you’re dealing with.
Figure out what kind of background color it is
| What you see | Type | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Entire page colored, including margins | Page color | File > Page setup |
| Color only behind certain words | Text highlight | Highlight color > None |
| Color block across the full width of a paragraph | Paragraph shading | Borders and shading |
| Color inside table cells | Cell background | Table properties or the fill color tool |
| Odd colors and fonts on pasted text | Pasted formatting | Clear formatting |
Remove page color
- Click File > Page setup.
- Click Page color and choose white.
- Click OK.
To make white the default for new documents, click Set as default before clicking OK. In pageless documents, use Background color in the same dialog.
Remove text highlighting
- Select the highlighted text.
- Click the Highlight color button (a marker icon) on the toolbar.
- Click None.
Remove paragraph shading
- Click inside the shaded paragraph, or select several.
- Click Format > Paragraph styles > Borders and shading.
- Click Reset at the bottom, or set Background color to none, and click Apply.
Remove background color from table cells
- Select the cells.
- Click the Background color (paint bucket) tool that appears on the toolbar when you’re in a table, and choose white or None. Or right-click, choose Table properties, open Color, and change Cell background color.
Clear formatting from pasted text
- Select the text, or press Ctrl + A (Command + A on a Mac) for the whole document.
- Press Ctrl + \ (Command + \), or click Format > Clear formatting.
This removes highlights, fonts, colors and sizes and returns text to your normal style. It may not remove paragraph shading or page color, so check those separately. To avoid the problem next time, paste with Ctrl + Shift + V (Paste without formatting).
If the color won’t go away
- Dark mode: In the Google Docs mobile app, dark theme can make pages look dark even when they’re white. Turn off View in light theme or change the app theme in settings.
- Images: A colored rectangle could be an image or drawing behind the text. Click it to see if it’s selectable and delete it.
- Headers and footers: Color in the header area may come from a table or image in the header. Double-click the header to edit it.
- Suggestions: In Suggesting mode, colored text shows tracked changes. Accept or reject the suggestions.
Related: remove text highlighting in Google Docs.
Related: change border color in Google Docs.
Related: change the background color on Google Sites.
Related: Change the page color of a Google Doc.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Google Doc background black?
Either the page color was set to black, or you’re viewing in dark mode on the mobile app. Check Page setup on a computer.
Does page color print?
Yes. Page color prints and appears in PDFs you download. Set it to white to save ink.
Can I remove background color on the Google Docs app?
Yes. Select the text, tap the Format (A) button, and adjust the highlight color. For page color, tap the three dots > Page setup.
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.