How do I set a background image in LibreOffice Writer 5?

I want to set an image as a background for the page in LibreOffice Writer 5. I found plenty of articles on the web, including in the LibreOffice documentation, however, they are not helpful, because apparently that whole area of the application was reworked in the 4.3/4.4 timeframe, and the menus mentioned in the documentation simply don't exist anymore. I even found one comment claiming it is impossible.

LibreOffice Writer 5 clearly does still support background images, since I can open existing documents with background images just fine, I just can't find a way to create new ones.

I found a menu that lets me choose between a predefined set of existing background images in Format→Page→Area→Bitmap. However, I want to use my own background image.

I found an article that says I have to first open LibreOffice Draw and add my background image to the Gallery there, then I can use it in LibreOffice Writer, however even after adding my image to the Background section in LibreOffice Draw (and restarting LibreOffice, just to be safe), it still doesn't show up amongst the backgrounds in the dropdown list in LibreOffice Writer.

So, how can I set the background to a user-defined image? Or is it really impossible?

Answer

How do I set a page background image to a customised bitmap?

The missing step in your question is importing the bitmap using Draw

1. Import the bitmap to the "Fill" list using Draw (this step is not required in Libreoffice 5.0.1.2)


2. Set the page background image using Writer

Note:

• The lastest version of Libreoffice 5.0.1.2 has an additional "Import Graphic" button on the "Area" > "Bitmaps" dialog so step 1 above can be omitted.

---

Import the bitmap to the "Fill" list

• Close Writer


• Open Draw


• Menu "Format" > "Area"


• Select "Bitmaps" tab


• Click "Import"


• Choose a bitmap


• Give the bitmap a name


• Press OK


• 
  

  Press OK again

  
  

  

  
  


• 
  

  Here I have added a bitmap named "Desktop Background"

  
  


• Close Draw

---

Set the page background image

• Open Writer


• Menu "Format" > "Page"


• Select "Area" tab


• 
  

  Set "Fill" to "Bitmap"

  
  
  
  
  • Press "Import Graphic" (Libreoffice 5.0.1.2)
  
  
  
  


• Select a bitmap


• 
  

  Press OK

  
  

  Libreoffice 5.0.1.2:

  
  

  

  
  

  Libreoffice 5.0.0.5 (Note missing "Import Graphic" button)

  
  

  

  
  


• 
  

  Here I have selected the bitmap "Desktop Background" added previously