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ali_4619
Known Participant
March 23, 2025
Answered

Frame background colour won't change.

  • March 23, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 395 views

Hi, in InDesign, I am trying to change the background color of the white frames to the green background colour you’ll see on the page. So I select the frame – see top left as example. Then I set the CMYK values for the green in the CMYK boxes and select OK. But in my 10 or so attempts, the frames stay white. I

So I tried to change the swatch in the swatch panel. You can see over in the text box my three attempts but it is ignoring the numbers I have put up and coming up with three random alternatives – see swatch panel on right. The same thing happens when I try to add a swatch in the text panel. It just ignores the numbers I am entering. I have restarted InDesign in case there’s a temporary bug.

 

 

Correct answer Colin Flashman

Let me know if I've misunderstood, but you want the white frames to be the same green as the color currently behind the white frames - is this right?

If that is what you would like, click on the green background rectangle (if you cannot click on it, it may be on a locked layer, may be a locked object or be on a parent page) - if you can click on it, note the swatch it chooses from the swatches panel.

If you know the green colour, you can then click on the white box and click on the appropriate swatch colour. Another way would be to give the box no fill so that the box is transparent.

 

3 replies

Colin Flashman
Community Expert
Colin FlashmanCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
March 25, 2025

Let me know if I've misunderstood, but you want the white frames to be the same green as the color currently behind the white frames - is this right?

If that is what you would like, click on the green background rectangle (if you cannot click on it, it may be on a locked layer, may be a locked object or be on a parent page) - if you can click on it, note the swatch it chooses from the swatches panel.

If you know the green colour, you can then click on the white box and click on the appropriate swatch colour. Another way would be to give the box no fill so that the box is transparent.

 

If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!
A
ali_4619Author
Known Participant
March 26, 2025

Hi thank you so much. Your advice worked - much appreciated. But I've realised the step I was missing is this:  I didn't know that when I click in the swatches panel and select the color I want, I have to drag and drop it onto the frame. I thought all I had to do was click on the swatch color I wanted but clicking or double-clicking alone didn't change the colour for me. So I know to do that in future. Thanks a lot

Harshika Verma
Community Manager
Harshika VermaCommunity Manager
Community Manager
March 25, 2025

Hi ali_4619,

 

Hope you're doing well!

We would like to follow up on your issue. Are you able to resolve the issue by following our expert's advice? Please feel free to update the discussion if you need further assistance from us.

 

We would be happy to assist you further.

 

Thanks,

Harshika

Robert at ID-Tasker
Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
March 23, 2025

Your last three swatches on the list - they are white? 

 

You need to enter values way higher than 1 - for the 2nd and 3rd from the end of the list. 

 

And for 3rd - the one that you edit on your screenshot: 

 

For RGB - values close to 255 will give you white. 

 

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