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How do you change the page colour of an email in the new outlook?

Hayley A Smith 5 Reputation points
2025-08-05T11:37:13.3766667+00:00

We are changing over from the old Outlook to the new one and have some users in the office who need to have a differentiation in the page background of their email due to their visual needs. So we need to be able to change the email page from a white background to a softer grey or another colour. It could be done before by going into file and options and then themes. So I am not talking about the background and the aesthetic of the screen but actually the working email document itself. How can that be done on the new outlook?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Other
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  1. AceRobertT 14,430 Reputation points
    2025-08-05T12:12:01.1033333+00:00

    Hello Hayley. In the new Outlook experience, Microsoft actually had removed the ability to change the background color of the email composition window where a feature that was previously available in classic Outlook via File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts. While you can still modify the overall application theme (light, dark, or system default), this does not affect the actual page color of individual emails being composed. This change has impacted users with visual accessibility needs, and Microsoft has not yet confirmed if the feature will return in future updates.

    As a workaround, you can manually insert a colored background into an email by using the Format Text > Page Color option while composing a message. However, this only applies to that specific email and doesn’t change the default background for all new messages. For broader accessibility, consider enabling dark mode or adjusting system-level contrast settings.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

    Best regards,

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  2. Branka Kajiš 100 Reputation points
    2025-08-05T12:09:14.0833333+00:00

    Hello,

    In classic Outlook for Windows, you can change the email background using the Themes group:

    New Email → Options → Page Color (in the Themes group with Colors, Fonts, Effects).

    Pick a color or use Fill Effects for gradients, textures, or patterns.

    In the new Outlook for Windows, the Themes/Page Color option is no longer available. Workaround: Insert a 1×1 table, stretch it to fill the email, and set the table fill color to simulate a page background.

    If you need this feature often, switch back to Classic Outlook.

    Branka Kajiš

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