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Set different background color on individual sections in word 2010

Anonymous
2013-04-14T19:10:39+00:00

How can I have a different background color for any different section I have in word 2010?

I need this background color to print to.

My problem is that b assigning Page color it applies to whole document and I can't find how to force it for a section.

Best regards

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Jay Freedman 207.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2013-04-17T02:11:32+00:00

    Alice, you would have to separate that page from the preceding one with a section break (probably a Next Page break is simplest) and turn off the Link to Previous in the new page's header. Then insert two rectangles anchored in the header, one sized and positioned to cover the top half of the page and the other to cover the bottom half. Fill each rectangle with the desired color for that part of the page.

    If the part at the bottom of the page continues onto the next page, you'll need another section break and a full-page rectangle in that section's header, again unlinked from previous.

    The drawback is that text can't flow across section breaks. That means you shouldn't insert the section breaks until the document is complete and won't be edited any more -- or else you might find that a section pushes one or more lines to a new page, then the section break forces another new page, and you're left with a mostly-blank page.

    To answer your question about "no header or footer in the middle of a page", if you insert a Continuous section break in the middle of the page, the second section's header and footer do exist (in the software) but they're hidden; the header and footer that appear on the page are both from the earlier section. For the purpose of displaying a rectangle anchored in the header, the answer is "they might as well not exist there because you can't see the rectangle".

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  1. Jay Freedman 207.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2013-04-14T22:09:54+00:00

    For your purposes, do not use the Page Color button at all.

    First, go into each section's header (and first-page and even-page headers, if you're using them) and look at the Header & Footer Tools ribbon to make sure the Link to Previous button is turned off. You don't want any header in any section to be linked to the corresponding header in the preceding section.

    With the cursor in the header of one section, insert a rectangle shape. Set its text wrapping to Behind Text and drag its corners to cover the whole page. Set its fill color to the color you want for that section. While the rectangle is still selected, copy it to the clipboard.

    Move to the header of the next section and paste the rectangle into it. Change its fill color as needed. Repeat for each of the other sections, and for first-page and/or even-page headers if they're used.

    Note that if you're printing to a typical inkjet printer, there will be a white border about 0.25 inch wide all around the page, because the printer driver is programmed not to print anything there. (You'd get the same result with the Page Background feature.) If your printer is a "photo" printer, there may be a setting in the Printer Properties dialog to "bleed" or print all the way to the edges.

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  2. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 322.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2013-04-14T22:09:10+00:00

    Anchor a text box (Insert Text Box) in the header and then apply the color to the text box which you need to set so that it is behind the text.

    You will need to unlink the headers so that you can have a different color in each text box.

    Note, your print can probably not print right to the edge of the paper and you will use a huge amount of ink\toner.  It's probably better to print each section onto different coloured paper.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-04-17T23:10:30+00:00

    Thank-you, Jay.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-04-17T00:53:20+00:00

    Jay, this information, and Suzanne's, is interesting and helpful, but what would you do if you wanted to start a new color in the middle of a page?  There is no header or footer in the middle of a page even if you insert a section break, is there?  Just curious.

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