Adding a background image to your Google Docs can help make your documents look more visually appealing and professional. Whether you want to use a photo, texture, or abstract design, setting a custom background is a great way to make your Docs stand out.
In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the steps for adding background images in Google Docs using different methods. We’ll cover:
- Using the Watermark tool
- Inserting images and adjusting text wrapping
- Importing slides from Google Slides
By the end, you’ll have the skills to customize Google Docs backgrounds to suit your needs. Let’s get started!
Using the Watermark Tool
The easiest way to add a background image is by using the Watermark tool. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open your Google Doc and go to Insert > Watermark from the top menu.
Step 2: Select the Image tab and click Select image. Choose an image from your computer or Google Drive to insert.
Important: Make sure your image is high resolution for best print quality. Landscape orientation works best.
Step 3: Adjust options like transparency to ensure text remains readable atop the image. You can also set image size and positioning on the page.
Step 4: Click Done once your watermark settings are complete.
The benefit of using Watermarks is that your background image will automatically repeat on every page. The downside is you have less control over text wrapping and layering.
Inserting Images & Adjusting Text Wrap
For more granular control, you can add a photo or graphic normally with Insert > Image, then adjust text wrapping.
Here is the process:
Step 1: Go to Insert > Image and select a file from your computer. Make sure it covers the whole page area.
Step 2: Click the image, then select the 3-dot menu in the upper right corner. Choose Image options.
Step 3: Go to the Text wrapping tab and select Behind text so content layers above the graphic.
Step 4: Adjust transparency if needed so text remains readable. Click Done.
Step 5: Position your cursor in the document and start typing above the image. Use Enter and Spacebar to move text freely.
The main advantage here is more control over text positioning. But the image won’t repeat automatically page to page.
Importing from Google Slides
You can also add a background in Google Slides, add text boxes atop it, then import the slide to Docs.
Follow these steps:
Step 1: Open a blank Google Slides presentation and insert an image via Insert > Image.
Step 2: Expand the image to fill the whole slide. Then add a text box using the Text box tool.
Step 3: Type and format text in the box atop the photo. Repeat to add more text.
Step 4: When finished, go to File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx). Save the file.
Step 5: Open the .docx version in Google Docs. This imports the slide, including background image and text boxes.
While this method takes a few extra steps, it gives you the most flexibility over text box positioning and formatting options.
Final Touches
A few final best practices when adding background images:
- Use high-quality, high-resolution photos for best print results
- Landscape orientation works better than portrait
- Make sure text remains readable atop images
- Experiment with transparency levels if needed
- Consider fonts that stand out against busy backdrops
So that wraps up this tutorial on setting images as backgrounds in Google Docs! With the skills above, you can start enhancing your documents in no time.
Conclusion
Adding custom backgrounds is a great way to elevate your Google Docs from basic to beautiful. Use the Watermark tool for all-page images, insert photos manually for more control, or import slides from Google Slides when advanced positioning is needed.
I hope this guide gives you the confidence to start designing eye-catching documents. Thanks for reading and happy documenting!
