How to Make the Header Black in Word: A Step-by-Step Guide

To make header text black in Word, double-click the header to open it, select the text (press Ctrl + A while in the header to select all of it), then go to the Home tab, click the Font Color arrow, and choose Black, Text 1 or Automatic. If the header only looks gray, that’s normal: Word dims the header while you edit the body, and it prints at full strength. To make the header background black, add shading or a black shape behind the header text.

This guide covers all three situations people mean by “make the header black”: header text that’s gray or colored, a header that looks faded on screen, and a solid black header bar with white text. Steps are for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, 2019, and 2016 on Windows, with notes for Mac and the web.

Why does my header look gray?

When you’re working in the body of a document, Word displays the header and footer in a lighter shade so you can tell them apart from the main text. Double-click the header and it returns to full color. This dimming is only on screen: when you print or save as PDF, header text prints in its actual color.

If the header is still gray while you’re editing it, the text itself has a gray color or a style that uses gray. Follow the steps below.

Method 1: Change the header text color to black

1. Double-click in the header area at the top of any page. The Header & Footer tab opens.
2. Select the header text. Press Ctrl + A to select everything in the header (on a Mac, Command + A).
3. Click the Home tab.
4. Click the arrow next to Font Color (the letter A with a colored bar).
5. Choose Black, Text 1 under Theme Colors, or Automatic.
6. Double-click the body of the document, or click Close Header and Footer.

Automatic is usually black, but it switches to white if the background is dark. Choose Black, Text 1 or a standard black if you always want black.

Method 2: Fix the Header style so it stays black

If new headers keep coming out gray or colored, the Header style (or your template’s theme) sets that color. Change the style once to fix every header.

1. Double-click the header and click in the text.
2. On the Home tab, open the Styles pane with the small arrow in the corner of the Styles group (or press Alt + Ctrl + Shift + S).
3. Hover over Header, click its arrow, and choose Modify.
4. Set the font color to black, select New documents based on this template if you want it for future files, and click OK.

Method 3: Make a black header background

Option A: Paragraph shading

1. Double-click the header and select the header paragraph.
2. On the Home tab, click the arrow next to Shading (the paint bucket in the Paragraph group) and choose Black.
3. Change the font color to White so the text is readable.
4. For more control, click Borders arrow > Borders and Shading > Shading tab, pick Black under Fill, and make sure Apply to is Paragraph.

Paragraph shading only fills the space between the page margins. For an edge-to-edge black bar, use a shape.

Option B: A full-width black shape

1. Double-click the header.
2. Click Insert > Shapes and choose Rectangle.
3. Drag across the top of the page to draw the bar.
4. On the Shape Format tab, set Shape Fill to Black and Shape Outline to No Outline.
5. Click Wrap Text > Behind Text so the header text shows on top.
6. Stretch the shape to the page edges, and change the header text to white.

Because the shape is in the header, it appears on every page that uses that header. Note that many printers can’t print to the very edge of the paper, so a thin white margin may appear on printed copies.

Different headers on some pages

If only some pages change, your document may use Different First Page, Different Odd & Even Pages, or section breaks. Repeat the steps in each header, or on the Header & Footer tab, turn on Link to Previous to make a section’s header match the one before it.

Word for Mac and Word for the web

• Mac – double-click the header, select the text, and use Font Color on the Home tab. Shading and shapes work the same way.
• Web – click Insert > Header & Footer, select the text, and choose a font color on the Home tab. Shapes behind text and some shading options are limited in Word for the web.

For a simple frame, read how to add outside borders.

Troubleshooting

• Text is black but prints gray – check File > Print > Printer Properties for a draft, toner-save, or grayscale mode.
• The header can’t be selected – the document may be protected. Check Review > Restrict Editing.
• Only part of the header turned black – fields such as page numbers or dates can keep their own formatting. Click them and set the color again.

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop Word from dimming the header?

You can’t turn off the dimming, but it’s only a display effect. To check how the page looks, use File > Print preview or View > Read Mode.

Can I make the footer black too?

Yes. Double-click the footer and use the same font color, shading, or shape steps.

How do I remove a black header background?

Select the header paragraph and set Shading to No Color, or click the black shape’s edge and press Delete.