What is the set of preset colors fonts backgrounds and formatting effects known as?

This article is based on legacy software.

Using themes for your PowerPoint presentations can be very convenient and efficient. Design Themes include preset fonts, color palettes, formatting effects, and backgrounds that give your presentation a professional look. PowerPoint provides a number of choices for working with slide themes. If you choose an existing theme, you can customize it to meet your needs. You also have the option of building your own theme.

Changing to a Different Theme

If you have created a presentation and decide that your original theme no longer meets your needs, you can change themes at any time. This can be especially helpful if you are ready to present and you discover the current theme does not display well with the equipment you are using or in the room in which you are presenting.

CAUTION: Some design themes will cover up previously inserted images and backgrounds.

1. With your presentation open, from the Design tab, in the Themes gallery, select the desired theme

Customizing Themes

When you customize a theme, changes are implemented on all slides. Customizing a theme allows you to format fonts, backgrounds, formatting effects, and colors to make your presentation meet your creative needs. The following directions show how to quickly alter your theme with presets. Options can be previewed by hovering over selections in each pull-down list. To have even more control over your design theme, you can also manually create your theme presets for colors, fonts, and backgrounds.

1. Select a slide in your presentation

2. From the Design tab, in the Themes group, on the Themes gallery select a theme

3. To change the color palette for the theme, in the Themes group, click COLORS

   » select a color palette
   OR
   Build a custom color palette

4. To change the font set for the theme, in the Themes group, click FONTS

   » select a font set
   OR
   Build a custom font set

5. To change the formatting effects for the theme, in the Themes group, click EFFECTS

   » select an effects set

6. To change the backgrounds for the theme, in the Background group, click BACKGROUND STYLES

   » select a background
   OR
   Build a custom background

Building a Custom Color Palette

By building a color palette manually, you can have complete control over how your presentation is colored. This can be useful if, for example, you are working for a university and want to use that university's colors.

1. From the Design tab, in the Themes group, on the Themes gallery select a theme

2. From the Design tab, in the Themes group, click COLORS

   » select Create New Theme Colors
   The Create New Theme Colors dialog box appears.
   

3. To change any of the listed color elements, from the pull-down gallery buttons

   , select an element color
   NOTE: The Sample section displays a dynamic image that is representative of the different elements of a slide. The colors in the sample will change as you build your custom color palette.

4. To start over from the colors you began with, click RESET

5. To save your color palette,
   1. In the Name text box, type a name

   2. Click SAVE
      Your color palette is saved and added to the Colors pull-down gallery.

Building a Custom Font Set

PowerPoint allows you to create custom sets of fonts that correspond with the headings and body text of your slides. The following steps show how to build a custom font set.

1. From the Design tab, on the Themes group, in the Themes gallery, select a theme

2. From the Design tab, in the Themes group click FONTS

   » select Create New Theme Fonts
   The Create New Theme Fonts dialog box appears.
   

3. To change the heading font, from the Heading font pull-down list, select the desired font
   NOTE: The Sample section displays dynamic text that is representative of the fonts you have selected. The fonts in the sample will change as you build your custom font set.

4. To change the body text font, from the Body font pull-down list, select the desired font

5. To save your font set,
   1. In the Name text box, type a name for the set

   2. Click SAVE
      Your font set is saved and added to the Fonts pull-down gallery.

Building a Custom Background

You can customize the background to your theme, so that each slide has the same one. When customizing the background, there are a variety of options available to you through the Format Background window, including gradient backgrounds, solid colors, textures, and images. For instructions on how to customize your theme background, refer to Customizing Backgrounds.

Building a New Theme

If the PowerPoint theme designs do not appeal to you, or if you have special design considerations for your presentation, you may want to build your own theme. To build your own theme from scratch, you will be using the Slide Master view. When building your own theme, you have the freedom to customize your choice of fonts, colors, background, placeholders, and images.

1. From the OFFICE button menu

   , select New

2. In the Blank and recent section, select Blank Presentation

3. Click CREATE

4. From the View tab, in the Presentation Views group, click SLIDE MASTER

   
   NOTE: For more information, refer to Working with a Slide Master.

5. Use the Edit Theme group options to customize the colors, fonts, and formatting effects
   NOTE: For more information, refer to Customizing Themes above.

6. To add an image to your theme so that it appears on every slide,
   1. In the Slides pane on the left, select the Slide Master (slide 1)
   2. From the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click PICTURE
   3. From the Look in pull-down list, select the location of your picture
   4. Select the desired file

   5. Click INSERT
      NOTE: For more information on inserting images, including how to insert Clipart, refer to Working With Images.

7. From the Slide Master tab, in the Edit Theme group, click THEMES

   » select Save Current Theme...
   The Save Current Theme dialog box appears.

8. In the File name text box type the desired file name

9. Click SAVE
   Your theme has been saved.

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