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August 4, 2016
Answered

change background color of pdf pages?

  • August 4, 2016
  • 7 replies
  • 217986 views

I have a CMYK PDF document that was meant to be printed on tan paper.  It turns out that it will be printed on white paper.  Could I shift the color of both the background and the text and images so the result will look like it was printed on tan?  Or is there a way to shift just the white background to tan?
Thanks.

Correct answer EkdoseisAlexandros

Well, you could create an image in Photoshop, with the color and texture you want and add it as a watermark from [Document>Watermark>Add]
or you could add a background color from [Document>Background>Add/Replace]. From color choose the color you like, adjust the opacity and select the [Page Range Options] from the top right corner. You could check the [Appearance Options] for [Show when Printing] and [Show when displaying on screen].  

7 replies

Participant
June 8, 2020

Use GIMP.  Search Google for method.  Just did myself to remove yellow background and convert back to white.  

EkdoseisAlexandrosCorrect answer
Participant
November 27, 2019

Well, you could create an image in Photoshop, with the color and texture you want and add it as a watermark from [Document>Watermark>Add]
or you could add a background color from [Document>Background>Add/Replace]. From color choose the color you like, adjust the opacity and select the [Page Range Options] from the top right corner. You could check the [Appearance Options] for [Show when Printing] and [Show when displaying on screen].  

Participant
November 23, 2019

Can you just create a Word document with all the features you want and then save as a PDF?

There's a page color function in the ribbon under the design tab. I'd probably do that and then edit the PDF with my Adobe DC.

Participating Frequently
June 20, 2018

Hello from Australia,

I would like to suggest this can be done quite easily in Windows and Acrobat X or XI. 

Here are the steps I use for files with black text on any scanned background color other than white.

I use it on BIG files (usually several hundred pages)

Please read this whole message before you try it - you need to decide how you will do the final delete steps. You may need to install a script or a tool.

* Open your scanned PDF file (easiest in Acrobat X or XI).

* Delete unwanted pages.

* TIP: Extract and save a couple of pages from the source file to check the process.

* Select Print.

* Set printer to: Adobe PDF.

* Select Advanced.

* In the left panel, select Output.

* Under Colour select Separations.  The output file will have four page sets of separations.  The Black page is the fourth page.

* Click OK.

* Check best page scale (usually: FIT)

* Click Print.

* Select the output folder and enter a file name in the dialog box (maybe hidden)

* Press OK - ### be prepared to wait a few seconds for a couple of pages, or a LONG time for a big file (the created file will open automatically.

* Check the fourth page in the displayed file has black text on a white background.

* Select Tools > Action Wizard

* Select Delete Pages - ### see the steps following the end of this procedure to install the Delete Pages wizard or other Delete Page option.

* Press Start

* Check Odd Pages is selected

* Press OK.  It is quick - this reduces file to two pages per set the Black separation is the the second page of each set.

* Click the close button at the top of Wizard panel to reset the Delete Pages wizard

* Run Delete Pages and check Odd pages is selected again.  Reduces the file to only the Black separation.

* Check at least the first few pages are black text on white.

* Save the file.

If you only want a white background, job is done.  If you want to add a different background, there are various ways described in this forum and elsewhere.

*** The Delete Page wizard is available as an Adobe sequence (script) file from https://acrobatusers.com/actions-exchange/delete-even-or-odd-pages.  The downloaded filename ends in .sequ.  If you have Acrobat X or XI, double click it and it installs, for other versions see  https://answers.acrobatusers.com/how-I-install-action-sequence-file-q200594.aspx or search for: Acrobat install .sequ files

The wizard appears in Tool > Action Wizard with the name Delete Pages.  Its default setting it to delete odd pages.

Hope that helps people in the future.

Kind regards,

Rob.

Reddwarf4ever
Inspiring
November 1, 2019

Hi

i read your post

 

Hello

I have a Lego instruction manual for Ghostbusters Fire Headquarters as a PDF, unfortunately the background is black, as is the printed manual, makes it difficult to read.....need to change the background to white..

tried Acrobat PRO, Edit, preferences, accessibility, but although I can change the background to white, I only have a save as option which doesn’t save the changes. If the saved file is opened in a browser it’s not changed.

would this just replace the black background with white ? Don't want to,lose the other colours as the various Lego bricks are different colours.....thanks

 

thanks

Willi Adelberger
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 5, 2016

If you want to have a full color page, you have to make a colored rectangle on the background as other described.

But when it comes to shift everything and every content as if would be printed on colored paper, you have to set any item to overprint and you have to communicate with the printer, that this is as it is wanted, otherwise the printer would probably consider it as handling error and remove the overprint property.

philippanmei
Participating Frequently
August 4, 2016

Obviously you can change the page background and text color as well, see the image.

Go to Preferences (press Ctrl+K) and select Accessibility

Thanks

Participant
April 1, 2025

This method changes the background color on all pages. What if you only want to change the background color for one page only?

S_S
Community Manager
Community Manager
May 18, 2025
I see. It looks like I must upgrade Adobe for it to work.

--
*Demetrios Gavrilos*

Hi @demetrios_9425,

 

Hope you are doing well.

 

Chiming in to see if things are up and running for you.

Please feel free to reply if you have further questions/concerns related to Acrobat.

 

Look forward to hearing from you.


Regards,
Souvik.

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 4, 2016

Moving to the Acrobat PDF Editing and Exporting forum