Ed. note: If you do extensive reading on a computer screen you know how quickly stark black-on-white text can strain your eyes. One Lifehacker reader, tired of straining his eyes, changed the default background color with pleasing results.


We watch the #tips box every day to see all the tips, tricks, and clever uses Lifehacker readers come up with. Today's tip is focused on taking a widely adopted application—Adobe Reader—and tweaking the background to be less eye searing.

I read PDF files every day, whether it's an ebook, a report, or notes from my classes.


Unfortunately, the gleaming white background color of every PDF file was not easy on my eyes. So, I decided to change the default white background color. It's a simple change that can make reading PDF files easier on the eyes.

Example: [imgur.com]

1) Open Adobe Reader. Go to Edit - Preferences - Accessibility.

2) Make sure the "Replace Document Colors" is checked and click on Custom Color.

3) Click "Page Background" color and then select "other color." Here's my custom neutral color settings:

[imgur.com]

You can also do the same for any of your favorite word processor applications. It will make writing and reading easier on the eyes!

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Have a tip for tweaking the background color in other applications? Let's hear about it in the comments. Thanks for the tip SandHammer!