---
title: How do I add a background image to my form? | Paperform Help Center | Paperform
description: Go to Theme & Appearance → UI Elements → Background → Background Image and upload an image.
url: "https://paperform.co/help/articles/how-to-add-background-images-to-forms"
type: static
generatedAt: "2026-04-04T00:42:02.372Z"
---

How do I add a background image to my form?
### Appearance & Theming
        ![(iframe)](https://www.loom.com/embed/0d5680c245434fe886dbec79b1d21288?hide_owner=true&hide_share=true&hide_title=true&hideEmbedTopBar=true)

Looking for some pizzazz for your forms? Let's add a background image. *For this exercise, we recommend choosing an image that is at least 1500 to 2500 pixels wide.*

![A contact form asking for name, email and phone number over an ochre background with pottery bowls.](https://img.paperform.co/fetch/f_auto,w_1400/https://d3gw2uv1ch7vdq.cloudfront.net/img/background1.png)

 1. In the form editor, go to **Theme & Appearance → UI Elements → Background → Background Image.**
 1. Click "CHOOSE A FILE."
 1. The image selection window will appear. You can drag images saved to your computer on top of this window to upload them or click inside the frame to choose an image to upload. You can also upload images from [Unsplash](https://paperform.co/help/articles/how-can-i-add-images-to-my-form-with-unsplash/), [GIPHY](https://paperform.co/help/articles/how-can-i-add-gifs-to-my-form-with-giphy/), and [Adobe Creative Cloud](https://paperform.co/help/articles/adobe-creative-cloud-app-integration-overview/).
 1. Choose an image. This may take a moment to upload and optimize.

You can apply an overlay color, set the transparency and amount of blur on your image by scrolling down to the "Overlay" section in the Background tab.

![The options to blur your background image and add an overlay color appear below the "Background Video" section.](https://img.paperform.co/fetch/f_auto,w_1400/https://d3gw2uv1ch7vdq.cloudfront.net/img/overlay-highlighted.png)

### Editing Your Background Image

After you've uploaded your image, you can use our [built-in image editor](https://paperform.co/help/articles/can-i-edit-my-images/) to crop it, adjust levels, or add annotations. Click on the uploaded image to open the editor.

### Gotchas

 - Background images are limited to a maximum file size of 6 MB.
 - We recommend uploading JPGs for larger background images (still under the 6MB limit) for performance reasons.

### Related Articles
  [Can I add GIFs as my background?  Yes, you can natively upload a GIF as your background.](/help/articles/can-i-add-gifs-as-my-background/)
[Can I change transparency of the background image?  You can adjust the transparency of your background image within Theme & Appearance → UI Elements → Background by modifying the Overlay Color.](/help/articles/can-i-change-transparency-of-the-background-image/)
[Can I have a background video?  You can add a background video to your form under Theme & Appearance → UI Elements → Background.](/help/articles/can-i-have-a-background-video/)
[Can I make my form's background transparent?  You can adjust the transparency of the form colors in the Theme & Appearance editor.](/help/articles/can-i-make-my-form-more-transparent/)
[How can I change the background color?  You can change your background color in Theme & Appearance Settings.](/help/articles/how-can-i-change-the-background-color/)