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How to Change the Background Color of Your Outlook Email: A Masterclass

So, you’re tired of the same old white canvas staring back at you every time you open Outlook? You crave a splash of color, a visual refresh, a personalized touch to your email experience? You’ve come to the right place. Changing the background color of your Outlook email is surprisingly straightforward, though the specific steps vary depending on whether you’re looking to alter the message composition background, the overall Outlook interface, or the background of a specific email you receive. This article will meticulously guide you through each scenario, turning you into an Outlook background color maestro.

Changing the Background Color for New Emails (Composition Background)

This is the most common scenario: you want the background of your new emails to be a different color as you’re writing them. Here’s how to do it in modern versions of Outlook (Microsoft 365/Outlook 2016 and later):

Open a New Email: Start by clicking “New Email” in the upper-left corner of Outlook.
Navigate to Options: In the new email window, look for the “Options” tab in the ribbon at the top. Click it.
Find the “Page Color” Option: Within the “Options” tab, you should see a “Page Color” button. It’s often located within a group labeled “Format Text” or a similar category.
Select Your Color: Clicking “Page Color” will reveal a color palette. Choose the color you desire for your email background. You can select a standard color or click “More Colors…” for a wider range of options, including custom colors and gradients.
Start Composing: The background color of your new email will now be the color you selected. You can compose your message as usual, enjoying your customized visual environment.

Important Note: This change only affects the background color of new emails you are composing. It does not change the background color of emails you receive, nor does it change the overall Outlook interface.

Changing the Overall Outlook Theme (Interface Color)

If you’re looking for a more dramatic change, affecting the entire Outlook interface, including the reading pane, navigation bar, and ribbon, you need to adjust the Outlook theme. Here’s how:

Go to File > Options: In Outlook, click the “File” tab in the upper-left corner. Then, click “Options” in the left-hand menu.
Select “General” in the Outlook Options Window: In the Outlook Options window, select the “General” section.
Find the “Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office” Section: Look for a section labeled something similar to “Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.”
Choose an Office Theme: Within that section, you’ll find a dropdown menu labeled “Office Theme.” This is where you select your overall Outlook theme. Options typically include:
- Use system setting: Uses the theme selected in Windows settings.
- White: The standard, bright theme.
- Dark Gray: A darker, less bright theme.
- Black: A completely dark theme.
- Colorful: The default theme with color accents throughout the interface.
Click “OK”: After selecting your desired theme, click “OK” at the bottom of the Outlook Options window. The Outlook interface will immediately update to reflect your chosen theme.

Key Consideration: Changing the Outlook theme affects all Microsoft Office applications, not just Outlook. So, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will also adopt the same theme.

Changing the Background Color of Received Emails (Conditional Formatting & Accessibility)

You cannot directly change the background color of emails you receive using standard Outlook settings. The sender determines the formatting of their email. However, there are a few workarounds and considerations:

Conditional Formatting (Limited): For specific senders or email types, you might be able to use conditional formatting to highlight certain emails in your inbox based on criteria, potentially changing the background color of specific emails in your inbox list, but not within the opened email itself. This is complex and often not worth the effort for simply changing the background.
Accessibility Settings: Some operating systems and accessibility tools allow you to invert colors or apply color filters at the system level. This would affect the appearance of all content on your screen, including Outlook emails. This is not an Outlook-specific solution.
Contacting the Sender: If you consistently find the background color of emails from a particular sender difficult to read, the most direct solution is to contact the sender and politely ask them to consider using a different color scheme in their emails.

Caveat: Trying to force changes to the background color of received emails can be technically challenging and may render the email unreadable. It’s generally best to accept the sender’s formatting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why can’t I change the background color of emails I receive?

The sender controls the formatting of their emails. Outlook respects this formatting to ensure the message is displayed as intended. Allowing recipients to override the sender’s formatting could lead to inconsistencies and potentially render important information unreadable.

2. Does changing the background color affect how others see my emails?

No. When you change the background color of your new emails (composition background), it only affects what you see while composing the email. Recipients will see the email according to their own email client’s settings and the formatting you apply to the content of the email (text color, highlights, etc.).

3. Can I use HTML to change the background color of my emails?

Yes, if you’re comfortable with HTML. When composing a new email, you can switch to HTML mode (usually found in the “Format Text” or “Options” tab, depending on your Outlook version) and insert HTML code to define the background color. For example: <body bgcolor="#E6E6FA">. However, be aware that not all email clients render HTML consistently, so your background color might not appear as intended for all recipients. Furthermore, avoid using this feature for mass emails as some spam filters may flag emails with embedded HTML styling.

4. Can I use a picture as my email background?

Yes, but it’s generally not recommended. While you can insert a picture as a background, it often makes the email difficult to read and can significantly increase the file size. If you absolutely must use an image, keep it subtle, low-resolution, and ensure the text remains easily readable.

5. How do I change the background color of my calendar in Outlook?

Changing the calendar background is done through the Outlook theme, as described above. Altering the “Office Theme” in “File > Options > General” will change the overall color scheme of Outlook, including the calendar. Specific calendar event colors can be set separately.

6. I changed the Outlook theme, but it didn’t change the email composition background. Why?

The Outlook theme affects the interface, not the composition background. To change the email composition background, you must use the “Page Color” option within a new email, as described in the first section of this article.

7. Can I change the background color of specific sections within an email?

Yes, you can highlight specific sections of text within an email using the “Highlight” tool (often represented by a marker icon). This is different from changing the overall background color, but it allows you to draw attention to specific parts of your message.

8. How do I revert to the default white background?

Composition Background: In a new email, go to “Options > Page Color” and select “No Color.”
Outlook Theme: Go to “File > Options > General” and set the “Office Theme” to “Use system setting” or “White.”

9. Is there a way to change the background color based on the sender of the email?

Not directly within Outlook’s standard settings. Some third-party add-ins might offer this functionality, but use caution when installing add-ins, as they can pose security risks.

10. Can I use a gradient as the email background?

Yes, when changing the “Page Color” you can select “More Colors…” where you can use a gradient. However, using a gradient may render your email as not readable to all. So, be mindful when you use this option.

11. My Outlook is a very old version. Will these instructions still work?

The exact steps might vary slightly depending on your Outlook version, particularly older versions (2010 or earlier). However, the general principles remain the same. Look for options related to “Page Color” (for composition background) and “Options > General” (for the overall theme).

12. Will changing the background color impact email accessibility for recipients with visual impairments?

Potentially, yes. Using high-contrast color combinations (e.g., dark text on a light background) is generally considered best practice for accessibility. Avoid using overly bright or distracting background colors, as they can make it difficult for some users to read your emails. Consider using more conservative color schemes and test how your email appears in different email clients and on different devices to ensure readability.