Office Background Color with Dark Theme

Question

I have recently changed to a dark theme in Windows 7.

This mostly works nicely, but the problem is the page backgrounds in Word and Excel (2010) become dark, too. I don't want that, because I want what I see on the screen to correspond to how a printed page will look. Also, the dark page background doesn't work well with text colors, etc., in existing documents.

Is there anyway to make Word and Excel display a white page background by default, no matter the system settings?

Changing the normal template was recommended for Word, but it doesn't seem to work. Also, that would only work for new documents I created, anyway.

Thanks for your help.

Update: I want to keep the Windows window color dark. Otherwise, things such as Explorer have a white background, too, which kind of ruins a dark theme. I just don't want this to apply to Office documents. It seems like a reasonable request to want to distinguish between the two: Office documents are not part of the Windows user interface; they are documents.

Solution

Using a high contrast theme will require you to adjust the properties manually.

1. Go to Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Personalization
2. At the bottom of the window click Window Color
3. In the Item: drop-down choose Window
4. To the right choose what color you want under Color 1:
5. Click Apply, then OK

Note: This image is for reference only. Yours will look different.

Now when you open Word or Excel the background should be the color you chose.

Comments

[Raystafarian]

What do you mean a dark theme changes the paper color?

[dan1111]

@Raystafarian, I mean that I don't want Word to have a dark background. I want it to stay white, so it corresponds to what a printed page would look like.

[Raystafarian]

So you mean the theme (color scheme) for office? Like if you go to word options and pick blue/silver/black? Maybe some screen shots would help. How did you apply the windows theme? Word has never had a white background window in 2010

[dan1111]

@Raystafarian, no the problem is the page background becomes dark. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Raystafarian]

That was my first question, the paper isn't white? A screenshot might help.

[dan1111]

Yep, if you change Window background in Windows 7, Word's page background changes, too. Even when though I am supposedly viewing in "Print Layout"! This is quite dumb, I think. Hence my question.

[dan1111]

Thanks, but I know about this. The problem is, I want the window color to be dark, just not in Word or Excel. Editing question to clarify this.

[CharlieRB]

Yep, that would have been nice to know before I answered.

[KAE]

By 'option', do you mean 'Word > Option'?