Designing Backgrounds: Colors and Gradients
4 min readLast updated: February 20, 2026Templates & Editor
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The background is the foundation of your letter design. The right background can significantly enhance the impact of your letter -- from a simple white for business letters to eye-catching gradients for promotional campaigns.
Click on an empty area of the page in the editor (not on an element) to open the Background Panel in the properties area on the right. Alternatively, you can find the background option in the menu under Page > Background.
In the background panel, select Solid as the background type.
You have several options:
The color change is displayed immediately on the page. Check whether all text and elements remain legible on the new background.
For most business letters, subtle background colors work best: white (#FFFFFF), a very light gray (#F8F9FA), or a soft cream tone (#FFF9F0). These colors look professional and do not impair readability.
Gradients create a flowing transition between two or more colors and are especially suitable for eye-catching promotional letters, header areas, or decorative accents.
In the background panel, select Gradient as the background type.
Choose between two gradient types:
A gradient consists of 2 to 5 color stops:
AutoLetter offers 6 predefined gradients:
| Preset | Colors | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise | Orange to pink | Warm, inviting |
| Ocean | Dark blue to light blue | Professional, calm |
| Forest | Dark green to light green | Natural, fresh |
| Lavender | Purple to pink | Elegant, soft |
| Midnight | Dark blue to black | Dramatic, premium |
| Summer | Yellow to orange | Energetic, joyful |
The presets are starting points -- after selection, you can further adjust all colors, the direction, and the color stops. This gives you a professional gradient with minimal effort.
The background is configured per page. For multi-page templates, you can set an individual background for each page. This allows, for example:
Keep in mind that colors can look different on the printed letter than on screen. Dark backgrounds use more ink and can impair text readability. Ideally, test your design with a test print before launching a large campaign.
Select one of the 6 gradient presets as a starting point. The presets offer harmoniously coordinated color combinations that you can further customize.