Forum Discussion
Issue with Background Color Not Exporting Correctly in Word Office 365 for Mac
Hello,
I'm experiencing an issue with Microsoft Word on Office 365 for Mac. When I export a document that has a background color other than white, the exported document ends up with a white background instead of the color I set.
I've tested this on different Mac models, but the issue persists across all of them. However, the same document can be exported correctly on a Windows PC, where the background color is retained.
Has anyone else encountered this issue on a Mac? Any suggestions on how to resolve it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
1 Reply
1. Quick fixes
Basic Check:
Save as PDF Test
Click File > Export > Create PDF
Check “Preserve background color and images” in the options
2. Change the compatibility mode
File > Information > Convert Document
Select “Word 2016-2019 (.docx)” format to re-save
3.Targeted solutions
Scenario A: Abnormal print view
Go to View > Print Layout
Design > Page Color > Make sure the color is not “No Fill”.
Scenario B: Export to image/web page does not work.
Copy the content to a new blank document and export again
Avoid using custom RGB colors (use theme colors instead)
4. System-level adjustments
Mac display settings:
Open System Settings > Display > Color
Select “Color LCD” or “Adobe RGB” profile
Word Preferences:
Word > Preferences > Export
Check “Preserve layout properties in PDF”
5. Manually repair the document:
Insert > Shape > Rectangle (covers entire page)
Set shape fill to desired background color
Right-click on the shape > Place on Bottom > Lock Anchor Points
6. Terminal command to reset Word:
bash
defaults delete com.microsoft.Word
(resets all preferences)
7. Alternative export methods
Convert via Preview App:
Export to PDF first
Open with Mac Preview > File > Export > Select PNG/JPG
8. Screenshot backup:
Press Command+Shift+4 + Space → Click Window Capture
