Add a background color to text in Pages for iCloud
You can add a background color behind a specific text selection or behind an entire paragraph so that the color extends from margin to margin. If you print your document or download it as a PDF, the background color is visible in the printed copy or PDF.
Note: You can also add a color behind text that isn’t visible when you print or download your document. See Add a color highlight.
Add a background color behind a text selection
Select the text you want to change.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Style button near the top. If the text is in a table cell, click the Cell tab at the top of the sidebar instead of the Style button.
In the Font section, click the Action pop-up menu
, then select the Text Background checkbox.Click the color well to the right of the text box (it looks like a rectangle), then choose a color.
Add a background color behind a paragraph
Click in a paragraph or select multiple paragraphs.
Tip: If you don’t want subsequent paragraphs to use the background color, add the color after you press Return to begin a new paragraph, or add the color when you’re finished typing.
In the Format
sidebar on the right, click the Layout button near the top.Select the Paragraph Background checkbox, then click the color well (it looks like a rectangle) and choose a color.
Remove the color behind a text selection or paragraph
Select the text or paragraphs with the background color you want to remove.
In the Format
sidebar on the right, do either of the following:If the color is behind the text only (not into the margins): Click the Style button near the top, click the Action pop-up menu
, then deselect the Text Background checkbox.If you’re not sure whether the color extends into the margins, deselect the checkbox to see if the color disappears. If it doesn’t, follow the instructions below.
If the color extends from margin to margin (or the full width of a text box, shape, or table cell): Click the Layout button near the top, then deselect the Paragraph Background checkbox.
If both background checkboxes are deselected but you still see color behind the text, the color may have been added as a color fill (if it’s inside a text box, shape, or table cell), or a color highlight. See remove a color fill or remove a color highlight.