How to Darken a PDF?

Rachel Howe
ILLUMINATION
Published in
8 min readApr 13, 2023

If you are having trouble reading PDF files with high contrast or need to blend them in with graphical designs, darkening the PDF can be a useful solution. Are you wondering how to darken a PDF easily? Well, in this article, we will discuss different tools you can use to adjust the background color of your document. Simply follow the steps outlined in this article and learn all you need to know.

How to darken PDF
Image created by author, © the author assumes responsibility for the provenance and copyright.

Part 1. How to Darken PDF for Printing and Reading? (Two Easy Ways)

To darken a PDF for printing or reading, you can use a PDF editor such as UPDF. This editor allows you to adjust the brightness and contrast of the document, making it darker and easier to read. One advantage of using a UPDF is that it allows you to customize the darkness of the PDF according to your preferences. You can adjust the opacity of the background to make it dark enough for your needs.

Another advantage is that this PDF editor has other features that enhance your reading experience. For example, you can use the zoom feature to enlarge the text, use the highlighting tool to mark important information or set the watermark of your company. Continue reading this part to get familiar with the ways of darkening a PDF with UPDF.

Way 1: Darken a PDF via Background Color

Most of the time, darkening a PDF to improve its readability or make it easier on the eyes is necessary. One of the most preferred ways to achieve this is by changing the document’s background color. Follow the straightforward steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Launch UPDF and Explore the Options

Launch UPDF and click “Open File” at the center of the screen to locate and open the desired PDF document you want to darken. After that, select the “Page Tools” mode from the left sidebar to set the desired background.

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Step 2: Set the Preferred Background Settings

Following this, select the “Background” option from the top toolbar and press “Add” at the bottom right of the screen to open the “Add Background” settings. Afterward, select any dark color from the “Background Color” that suits your needs. You can also adjust the “Ratio of Background” and “Opacity” to further enhance the PDF.

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Step 3: Save or Print Your PDF Document

After you are done, press the “Save” option at the bottom left to apply the changes. Next, tap “File” at the top-left side to open a drop-down menu. You can now select “Save” or “Save As” to successfully save your file or select “Print” to print your document.

Way 2: Darken A PDF Via Background Picture

Another way to darken a PDF is by setting the background picture color. This can be especially useful if you want to apply a specific pattern or texture to the background.

Step 1: Add a Black Picture in the Background

On your UPDF screen, select the “Page Tools” tool from the left sidebar and tap “Background” at the top of the screen. Next, click on the “Add” button, and under the “Add Background” section, select the “Image” option to add a black picture in the background by clicking on “Three Horizontal Dots.”

Screenshot by author

Step 2: Set the Ratio and Opacity Before Saving the File

You can now set the image’s desired “Ratio of Background” and “Opacity” to match the PDF document. Click on “Save” at the bottom right corner and then continue to “Save” or “Print” your file by selecting the “File” tab from the top left corner.

Part 2. How to Make PDF Darker Via Photoshop?

If you want to know how to darken a PDF darker using Photoshop, convert it to an image format such as JPEG or PNG using UPDF. Once you have an image file, follow the steps below to make it darker in Photoshop.

However, you can also open the PDF file in Photoshop to perform the steps that we will discuss in this part. The only disadvantage of opening the document in Photoshop is that it can disturb the formatting of your file, making it more difficult for you to read.

Step 1: After converting the file into an image, open it in the Photoshop app. Next, select the “Ellipse Tool” from the left sidebar to expand all the available tools. Click on “Rectangle Tool” and draw it on your whole document.

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Step 2: Head to the top toolbar and select the black color from the “Fill” to apply it in the rectangle box. Following this, from the left side panel, click on the “Layers” tab, and you will find the “Opacity” option, change it accordingly.

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Step 3: Finally, print or save the final document on your device at the desired location by clicking on the “File” tab. Remember to use the solid black color for the perfect background match.

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Part 3. How to Darken PDF Via Word?

To darken PDF using Microsoft Word can be tricky if you do not convert it into a Word document first. You need to convert the PDF to a Word document using the UPDF PDF editor. Once the PDF is converted, you can use Word’s formatting tools to darken the text and images.

Users can also convert multiple PDF documents with different design options with UPDF. Follow these steps to learn how to make PDF darker via Word:

Step 1: Locate the converted Word file on your device and open it. Next, click the “Design” tab from the toolbar of MS Word, and from the “Page Background” section, click “Page Color” to open the pop-up menu.

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Step 2: Afterward, select the solid black color from “Theme Colors” to apply to your converted PDF file. Once it’s done, click the “File” at the top-left corner and choose the “Save” or “Print” file option as per need.

Screenshot by author

Part 4. How to Darken Text in PDF via Google Docs?

To make color changes or add watermarks to your PDF files using Google Docs, you first need to convert the PDF to a Word file using a UPDF. Once you have the Word file, you can use Google Docs’ watermark inserting feature to upload a black background and darken PDF.

Try to use a high-quality watermark for your Word file, and this method is used to darken PDFs online. Follow the after-mentioned steps:

Step 1: Open Google Docs and press the “Ctrl+O” key on your keyboard to open the Word file you just converted. Select “Insert” at the top of the Google Docs screen and click “Watermark” from the drop-down menu.

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Step 2: Afterwards, under the “Watermark” section, tap “Select Image” and then “Browse” the black background image file and open it.

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Step 3: You can now set the “Formatting” based on requirements or head to “More Image Options” to make the necessary “Adjustments” by setting “Opacity,” “Brightness,” and “Contrast” values.

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Part 5. How to Darken a PDF in Preview?

Darkening a PDF in the Preview can be necessary for several reasons. If the PDF contains text or images that are too light, it cannot be easy to read or see clearly. In such cases, darkening PDFs, enhancing the contrast, and making the text or images more visible is the right way.

Furthermore, if the PDF is going to be printed or shared online, it may be necessary to adjust the brightness and contrast to make it more legible. You can follow the steps described below to learn how to darken a PDF with Preview:

Step 1: Go to the “Finder” on your Mac and locate the file you want to darken. Select the file and press “Control+Click” on your keyboard to open the drop-down menu. Following this, select the “Open With” option to open your file with Preview.

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Step 2: When it opens, select “File” from the top sidebar and choose the “Export” option. Now, in the “Quartz Filter” drop-down menu, choose the “Lightness Decrease” option and click “Save” at the bottom right side. After saving it, open your file, and it will be darker than the original version of the document.

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Part 6. How to Darken Text in PDF?

We often use a PDF format to create and distribute read-only documents that preserve the layout of a page. However, texts are meant to be non-editable, but with UPDF, you can also edit the texts. You can set the text color to dark and apply various editing features. Furthermore, follow these steps to learn how to darken a text in PDF:

Step 1: Select the Desired PDF Text

Open the file in the UPDF that you want to make changes to and select the “Edit PDF” mode from the left sidebar. After that, select the desired text you want to modify by double-clicking on that, and a mini menu bar will appear.

Step 2: Select Color and Save the File

Select the “Downward Arrow” icon of the “Color” option and choose the solid black color from the menu for your text. After that, press “X” to close it and “Save” or “Print” your file as required by accessing the “File” tab from the main toolbar of UPDF.

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Conclusion

Understanding how to darken a PDF can be incredibly useful for many purposes, whether trying to enhance a document’s readability or ensure that confidential information remains hidden. With the right tool, darkening a PDF is a straightforward process that can be accomplished in just a few clicks.

One of the best tools for darkening a PDF is UPDF, which offers a range of powerful tools for editing, annotating, and securing PDF documents.

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Rachel Howe
ILLUMINATION

Love tech, travel, and life. Hope I can write down all what I know.