I have chosen a background for my file on microsoft word but when I print it the background is not showing!?

Question

I am sure that I have color ink. So what's the problem and how can I get the file effected background printed as well?

Answer 1

check page setup and make sure you told it to print the background.

Answer 2

In Word 2007, click on Office Button | Word Options | Display | check the boxes for "Print drawings created in Word" and "Print background colors and images" | Advanced | scroll down to the "Show document content" section, check the boxes for "Show background colors and images in Print Layout view" and "Show drawings and text boxes on screen", and uncheck the "Show picture placeholders" box | OK.

In Word 2003, click on Tools | Options | View tab | check the "Drawings" box and uncheck the "Picture placeholders" box | Print tab | check the boxes for "Drawing objects" and "Background colors and images" | OK.

In Word 2002 or earlier, you cannot print backgrounds inserted from the Format | Background menu.

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garfield-n-odie

Microsoft MVP 2005-2008

http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Answer 3

Two possibilities:

1. You're using a "background" rather than a "watermark."  Backgrounds are only for Web pages and don't print.  Watermarks print, however, a watermark can be a graphics file, that is, essentially a background.

2. You don't have the Print Objects option selected.

If you have your document in Web Layout view, you can't get to Watermarks. Switch to Print Layout to get to Watermarks (backgrounds still won't print, though).

First, set up a graphic file with the background you want.  This might be an image or a color.

Then, to get to watermarks in Word versions prior to Word 2007 (Vista), while in Print Layout View,

1. Click on the Format->Background->Printed Watermarks menu item.

2. Click the Picture Watermark radio button.

3. Click the Select Picture button.

4. Navigate to and select the graphics file you created above.

5. Click the Insert button.

6. You might want to select Washout so the background doesn’t fight with the foreground for attention.

7. Click OK.

Also, be sure to set Drawing Objects to print this way:

5. Click the Tools->Options menu item.

6. Click the Print Tab.

7. Under Include with Document, check the checkbox for Drawing Objects.

8. Click OK.

In Word 2007 (Vista):

1. Click the Page Layout tab on the ribbon.

2. Click the Watermark item.

3. Click Custom Watermark.

4. Click the Picture Watermark radio button.

5. Click the Select Picture button.

6. Navigate to and select the graphics file you created above.

7. Click the Insert button.

8. You might want to select Washout so the background doesn’t fight with the foreground for attention.

9. Click OK.

If the watermark still doesn’t print, try this:

10. Click the Office button.

11. Click the Word Options button.

12. Click the Display section.

13. Click Print Background Colors and Images.

14. Click OK.

Hope that helps.