PowerPoint 2016: How to change the theme in PowerPoint

Let's say you really like the style of a theme, but want to experiment with different color schemes. Don't worry, it's not a problem. 

If you are new to PowerPoint 2016, readers may want to review the lesson Apply themes in PowerPoint 2016 to learn the basics of using themes.

How to choose a new theme color

If you don't like the colors of a particular theme, it's easy to apply a new theme color and everything else about the theme will remain unchanged.

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group and select Colors.

2. Choose the desired theme color.

3. The presentation will update to display the new theme colors.

How to customize colors

Sometimes users may not like every color included in a set of theme colors. It's easy to change some or all of the colors to suit your needs.

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group.

2. Select Colors, then click Customize Colors.

3. A dialog box will appear with the 12 current theme colors. To edit the color, click the drop-down arrow and choose a different color. It may be necessary to click More Colors to find the exact color.

4. In the Name: field enter the desired name for the theme color, then click Save.

5. The presentation will update to display the new custom theme colors.

With some presentations, users may not notice a significant difference when changing the theme color. For example, the background will not change when the theme color is changed. When trying out different theme colors, it's best to choose a slide and use multiple colors to see how the new color will affect the presentation.

How to choose a new font for the theme

It's easy to apply a new font set to the theme without changing the overall look and feel of the theme. The built-in theme fonts are designed to work well together and help keep presentations unified.

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group and select Fonts.

2. Select the desired font for the theme.

3. The presentation will update to display the new fonts for the theme.

How to customize fonts for themes

If you have a specific font in mind for your presentation, it's easy to choose your own theme font.

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group.

2. Select Fonts, then click Customize Fonts.

3. A dialog box will appear with the two current theme fonts. To change the font, click the drop-down arrow and select the desired font.

4. In the Name: field , enter the desired name for the font, then click Save.

5. The presentation will update to display the new custom theme font.

When changing the theme font, users do not necessarily need to update all the text in the presentation, only the text using the current theme font needs to be updated.

How to choose new theme effects

PowerPoint 2016 makes it easy to apply new theme effects, which can quickly change the appearance of shapes in a presentation.

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group and select Effects.

2. Select desired theme effects.

3. The presentation will update to show the new theme effects.

Applying the new theme effect will change different shape styles from the Format tab, when editing a shape or SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 2016. It's important to note that this change will only apply to shapes. Use Subtle Effect, Moderate Effect and Intense Effect .

Background style

To further customize the slides, users can change the background color by selecting a different background style. Available background styles will vary depending on the current theme.

How to apply a background style

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group .

2. Select Background Styles.

3. Select the desired style. Available styles will vary depending on the current theme colors.

4. The new background will appear in each slide of the presentation.

If you want more control, click the Format Background command on the Design tab.

Different themes also include different slide layouts and background graphics.

Save custom themes

Once you've found your favorite settings, you may want to save the theme for use in other presentations. If you just want to use the theme in the current presentation, users will not need to save it.

How to save a theme

1. From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Themes group.

2. Click Save Current Theme .

3. A dialog box will appear. Enter a file name, then click Save.

4. When clicking the drop-down arrow in the Themes group, users will see the custom theme in the Custom section.

Custom themes have another unique and powerful feature: Any custom theme saved in PowerPoint can actually be used in other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word and Excel.

Good luck!

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Marvin Fry

Update 01 August 2024