Add a background color and border

You can add color to the background of a paragraph that extends from margin to margin. You can also add a border or line at the top, bottom, or sides of paragraphs, and add a border around a page.

Tip: You can’t control the opacity of a background color. If you want to change its transparency, add a block of color and make it a master object, which you can customize however you like.

Add a background color to paragraphs

Select the paragraphs where you want the background color to appear.
In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click the Layout button.
Click the disclosure triangle next to Borders & Rules.
Choose a color in the Background Color section.
- To see colors that go with your template: Click the color well on the left.
- To see all colors: Click the color wheel, then choose a color in the Colors window.

Tip: If you don’t want the color to extend from margin to margin, you can add color behind selected text instead.

Add a border or rule to paragraphs

Select the paragraphs you want to add the border or rule to.
In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click the Layout button.
Click the disclosure triangle next to Borders & Rules.
Choose a line type from the pop-up menu, then click the arrows in the topmost value field to adjust the thickness of the line.
Choose a color from the color well or the color wheel next to the line style pop-up menu.
- To see colors that go with your template: Click the color well on the left.
- To see all colors: Click the color wheel, then choose a color in the Colors window.
Click a Position button to set where the line appears.
Click the arrows for the Offset field to adjust the spacing between the line and the text it surrounds.

To remove a line, select the paragraph, then choose None from the line type pop-up menu.

Add a border around a page

Click Shape in the toolbar, then choose the square or rounded square.
Drag the selection handles until the edges of the square are the size you want for the border.
In the Arrange pane of the Format inspector, click Stay on Page in the Object Placement section, then choose None from the Text Wrap pop-up menu.
Click Style in the Format inspector, then do any of the following:
- Apply a shape style: Click one of the shape styles at the top of the pane to quickly apply a fill color, gradient, shadow, or other attribute.
- Change the border line: Choose Line from the Border pop-up menu, then choose a line style from the pop-up menu below it. Click the color wells to change the color of the line, and click the arrows to change the thickness of the line.
- Use a picture frame style: Choose Picture Frame from the Border pop-up menu, then choose a picture frame style from the pop-up menu below it.
- Change the opacity of a fill color: Drag the opacity slider to make a fill color or image more or less opaque.
To use the border on every page in a section, choose Arrange > Section Masters > Move Object to Section Master (from the Arrange menu at the top of your computer screen).
The border is only applied to pages in that section. If your document has more than one section and you want the border to appear on every page in the document, add the border to the section master for each section.