WD97: "Blue Background, White Text" Option Makes Text Disappear (196436)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q196436

SYMPTOMS

Black text on a white background may become invisible when the "Blue background, white text" option is selected. For example, this problem may occur when you have text typed in a text box.

The text is visible in print preview but not in normal or page layout views; however, the text prints correctly, as shown in print preview.

CAUSE

By default, the background shading (fill color) of text boxes is white. When "Blue background, white text" is selected, text contained in a text box is also displayed as white; therefore, the text is not visible against the white fill color of the text box.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Set the Text Box Fill Color to No Fill

  1. Select the text box.
  2. On the Format menu, click Text Box.
  3. On the Colors And Lines tab, under Fill, change the Color box to No Fill, and then click OK.

Method 2: Clear the "Blue Background, White Text" Option

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. On the General tab, click to clear the "Blue background, white text" check box.
  3. Click OK.

Method 3: Change the Font Color to Black

To use a font color other than white, follow these steps:

  1. Select the text that is not visible in "Blue background, white text" mode.
  2. On the Format menu, click Font.
  3. On the Color list, select Black (instead of Auto).

MORE INFORMATION

The "Blue background, white text" option changes the background color of the document to blue and changes the text color to white. Some users find this setting to be easier to read than the default setting (black text on a white background).

In addition, if you choose the General tab in the Options dialog box on the Tools menu and select the "Blue background, white text" option, you may have difficulty seeing the green underlining for items flagged as grammar issues.

Currently there is no option for changing the color of underlined grammar flagged text in Word 97.

REFERENCES

For more information about the blue background with white text feature, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

170944 WD97: Page Border Art Has a White Background

127093 Word Uses Orange Highlight Color When Blue/White Selected

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/24/2006
Keywords:kbprb KB196436
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