The [_BACKGROUNDCOLOR](_BACKGROUNDCOLOR) function returns the current background color.

## Syntax

> BGcolor& = [_BACKGROUNDCOLOR](_BACKGROUNDCOLOR)

## Description

* Use it to get the current background color to restore later in a program.
* Returns the closest attribute value of the background color.

## Example(s)

Storing a background color for later use.

```vb

SCREEN 0
COLOR 1, 3
CLS
BG% = _BACKGROUNDCOLOR
PRINT BG%

```

```text
3

```

Understanding the function output

```vb

SCREEN 0
COLOR 1, 11
CLS
BG% = _BACKGROUNDCOLOR
PRINT BG%                  'prints the attribute as 3 instead of 11

```

```text
3

```

> *Explanation: SCREEN 0 background colors over 7 will return the lower intensity color attribute values: EX: attribute - 8

## See Also

* [_DEFAULTCOLOR](_DEFAULTCOLOR)
* [COLOR](COLOR), [SCREEN](SCREEN)
* [SCREEN (function)](SCREEN-(function))
* [Windows Libraries](Windows-Libraries)