#  `background`

Use a 1-page PDF as the background
## Usage
> pdftl `<input>` `background` `<background_pdf>` `[<page_spec>...]` `[layer_name` `<name>]` `output` `<file>`

## Details
The `background` operation places the first page of the background PDF
underneath pages of the input document.

If no page specs are given, the operation applies to all pages. Page specs use the same syntax as `rotate` and `cat` — see `pdftl help page_specs`.

Note: If the overlay/background PDF contains its own internal layers (OCGs), they will be flattened and merged into the page content. Individual toggleability of the source's internal layers is not preserved.
## Examples

> Apply background
```
pdftl in.pdf background letter.pdf output out.pdf
```

> Apply background to even pages only
```
pdftl in.pdf background letter.pdf even output out.pdf
```


**Tags**: in_place, overlay, layer

*Source: pdftl.operations.overlay*

*Read online: [https://pdftl.readthedocs.io/en/stable/operations/background.html](https://pdftl.readthedocs.io/en/stable/operations/background.html)*

*Type: Operation*