How to Change the Background Color in Notion

Adding color to a Notion text or block makes it easier to spot important information. Plus, it adds to the overall appearance of the page. While you may be familiar with changing the text color, other color settings may still be Greek to you.

If you’re looking for detailed steps on how to change the background color in Notion, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll share everything there is to know about the topic whether you’re a PC, iPhone, or Android user.

How to Change the Background Color in Notion on a PC

Changing the background color in Notion involves changing the color of the blocks of content you work with. There’s currently no full-background color customization tool available yet, even though many users have been asking for it. But changing the color of blocks adds a gentle touch of diversity to your Notion pages, making the content more easily organized and accessible.

Follow the steps below to change the background color of blocks in Notion on a PC:

1. Launch the Notion app on your PC.
   
2. Head over to the page you wish to edit.
   
3. Wait for the page to load and hover over the block for which you wish to change color.
   
4. Click on the multi-dotted icon that appears on the left-hand of the block once you hover over it.
   
5. A new menu will pop up. Hover over the “Color” section towards the end.
   
6. You’ll see two sections: “Color” and “Background.” Head down to the “Background” section and click on the hue you want for that block.
   

Additionally, you can use commands to change block background colors. For example, by typing “/red” inside the block, you can change its color to red. Just make sure to click on red from the “Background” color section and not from “Color,” which is for text.

Beware that the steps above work for all blocks except for databases. To add a background to a database, you need to add it to a toggle list first.

Here’s how to do so:

1. Hover over the database and click on the plus icon on the left-hand side.
   
2. Type in “/toggle list” and click on the option that pops up.
   
3. Name the block, hover over it, and click on the multi-dotted icon on the left.
   
4. Click on the “Color” section in the bottom part of the menu and select a hue from the “Background” section.
   
5. Drag and drop the database block to the toggle list. Don’t be surprised if the database disappears from the main page.
   
6. Click on the arrow next to the toggle list name to reveal it.
   
7. The database will appear colored in the background hue you chose.
   

Ultimately, you can change the color mode of your Notion app to change the overall background color. However, there are currently only two modes available: bright and dark. Here’s how to tweak your current settings:

1. Launch Notion on your PC and head over to the “Settings and Members” section.
   
2. Navigate to “Appearance.”
   
3. Select “Dark” from the drop-down menu. If your current mode is set to “Dark,” you can switch it back to “Light.”
   

How to Change the Background Color in Notion on the Android App

Changing the background color of a block can make your content more fun and engaging. Other than allowing easier access to information, it also makes your whole page more appealing. Fortunately, changing the background color in Notion on the Android app is a relatively easy process.

Just follow the steps below:

1. Launch the Notion mobile app on your phone.
   
2. Sign into your account.
3. Hit the three horizontal lines from the upper left-hand side and open a page where you want to change colors.
   
4. Tap on a block you wish to customize. You don’t have to select all its text. Tapping on the block will do the job.
   
5. Select the “Color” icon from the bottom toolbar. It’s a small square with the letter “A” in it.
   
6. Scroll down to the “Background” section and select the option you like. Note that the “Color” section that comes before “Background” will change the color of the text only.
   
7. Repeat the steps for all blocks you want to customize.

The Notion app for Android doesn’t allow changing colors of databases yet. To do so, you’ll have to create a toggle list and insert your database inside via your PC and do the rest of the steps on your Android phone.

We recommend doing so on your PC because the steps are more complicated when followed by a phone. They involve linking the database to the toggle list, with the original version still being out of the toggle.

Once you’ve inserted the database inside the toggle list, follow the steps below on your Android phone:

1. Tap on the toggle list with the database in it.
   
2. Scroll to the right of the toolbar menu and tap on the “Color” icon. It’s a square with the letter “A” inside it.
   
3. Pick a color from the “Background” section for your toggle list.
   

Your toggle list will now change its background color, and so will the database.

You now know how to change the color of your Notion pages on your Android device.

How to Change the Background Color in Notion on the iPhone App

Changing the background color in Notion using the iPhone app is a straightforward process as well. It involves changing the background color of the blocks that make up your page. Here is the detailed step-by-step guide:

1. Launch the Notion app on your iPhone.
   
2. Make sure you’re signed into your account.
3. Tap on the three horizontal lines from the upper left-hand of the screen.
   
4. Enter the page you wish to customize.
   
5. Find a block you want to change the colors of and tap anywhere inside it. Don’t select all its content – simply tapping will do.
   
6. Choose the “Color” icon. It’s the one with a little square with the letter “A” in it.
   
7. Head to the “Background” section and choose a color you like. If you pick a color from the “Color” section, it will change the text hue instead.
   
8. Apply the steps above for all blocks you wish to color.

You can also change the background color of a database on your iPhone. The only condition is to create a toggle list and insert the database inside that toggle on your PC. Otherwise, you can only link your database to the toggle list via your phone. Once you’ve got this part sorted out, continue with the following steps on your iPhone:

1. Select the toggle list containing the database.
   
2. Tap on the color icon from the toolbar menu. It’s the one with the letter “A” in a small square.
   
3. Change the color by selecting a hue from the “Background” section.
   

Both the toggle list and the database will change their background color.

You now know how to change the background color in Notion on your iPhone.

Making Your Notion Pages Stand Out

After going over the steps on how to change the background color in Notion, you may be surprised by how simple it is to perform these changes. We know Notion can be a bit overwhelming for newbies, and it’s completely understandable why you might need help at this point. Even though it’s still impossible to change the color of the whole page in the app, you can customize the content blocks, which can still be useful.

Everything you need to know about changing background color in Notion is now under your belt. You can go ahead and create beautifully designed Notion pages to boost your productivity and make your notes more organized.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding this topic, drop us a comment below.