Table colors
Give the whole table a calm, consistent color system—from its header to its summary rows.
FORMATTING
Table colors control the structure of the whole table, not individual fields. Every selector uses the familiar 21-color Confluence palette, and changes appear in the preview immediately.
Start with subtle colors across the table. Stronger colors work best when they carry meaning, such as for totals or grouped sections.
The six table color areas
Header colors the background behind column names. Odd rows and Even rows distinguish row surfaces, while Borders colors the grid lines. Group rows and Totals row apply only to summaries created by grouping or footer aggregation.
Column colors are separate: they format one specific field under Columns > Display, not the table structure.
| Area | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Header | Background behind column names |
| Odd rows | Primary data-row background |
| Even rows | Alternating data-row background |
| Borders | Table grid line color |
| Group rows | Rows created by grouping |
| Totals row | Footer row with calculated values |
Set table colors
Edit only the areas readers need to distinguish while scanning the table.
Open Formatting
Edit the macro and switch to the Formatting tab.
Find Table colors
In the Table colors panel, open the color picker for the area you want to change.
Choose the area and color
Choose a Confluence palette color for Header, Odd rows, Even rows, or Borders. The preview updates immediately.
Highlight summaries if needed
Under Summary rows, set Group rows and Totals row separately. These colors appear only when the matching grouping or footer calculation exists.
Review and save
Check contrast and readability in the preview. Save or publish the page when the table feels consistent.
TIP
Choosing a color turns the theme into Custom colors while retaining the other current theme settings. Make changes gradually and check the preview after each one.
What Reset colors actually resets
- Reset colors removes all custom table colors and resets the Table theme to Default.
- If you were using Compact or Comfortable, select that theme again after the reset.
- It does not change source data, column values, formulas, filters, or sorting.
Example: make a project report easier to scan
A PMO publishes a table of tasks across several teams.
- Before
- Every row looks the same. In long lists, readers lose their place and the summary at the bottom barely stands out.
- After
- The team gives the Header and rows subtle colors, then lightly differentiates the Totals row. The table stays calm, but status and the overall result are faster to find.