Are you looking to change the color scheme in your PowerPoint presentation to better match your brand or personal style? PowerPoint’s Design Ideas feature makes it easy to quickly try out different color options and find the perfect look for your slides. In this article, we’ll walk you through step-by-step how to modify colors in PowerPoint Design Ideas to create stunning, professional presentations.
What is PowerPoint Design Ideas?
PowerPoint Design Ideas is a feature introduced in recent versions of PowerPoint that automatically generates design suggestions for your slides based on the content you’ve added. These design recommendations include layout options, color schemes, font choices, and more.
Design Ideas uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyze the text, images, and other elements on your slide. It then provides tailored design suggestions based on principles of effective presentation design. The aim is to enhance your presentation’s visual appeal, clarity, and impact while saving you time and effort.
Steps to Change Color in PowerPoint Design Ideas
Follow these simple steps to modify the colors in your PowerPoint presentation using Design Ideas:
Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation
Start by opening the PowerPoint presentation you want to edit in PowerPoint. If you’re starting a new presentation from scratch, begin by adding some initial slide content, such as a title, subtitle, and a few key points. PowerPoint’s Design Ideas feature requires some content on the slide to generate design suggestions.
Step 2: Access Design Ideas
Once you have some basic content on your slide, navigate to the Design tab in the PowerPoint ribbon menu. Look for the Design Ideas button, typically located on the far right side of the ribbon. Click this button to open the Design Ideas pane on the right side of your PowerPoint window.
If you don’t see the Design Ideas button, you may need to enable Design Ideas first. Go to File > Options > General and check the box next to “Automatically show me design ideas” under the PowerPoint Designer section.
Step 3: Select a Design Idea
In the Design Ideas pane, PowerPoint will display a gallery of suggested slide designs based on your current slide content. Scroll through the various design options and click on a design that you like to preview it applied to your slide in real-time.
Keep in mind that Design Ideas will only show suggestions for the currently selected slide. If you want to see design options for a different slide, simply navigate to that slide and the Design Ideas pane will refresh with new suggestions.
Step 4: Change Color Scheme
Once you’ve selected a Design Idea you like, you can now modify the colors to better suit your preferences or brand guidelines. In the Design Ideas pane, locate the Color Scheme drop-down menu. Click the arrow icon to expand the menu and view the available color scheme options.
PowerPoint organizes the preset color schemes into themed categories such as Colorful, Dark, Light, and more. Click on a category that aligns with the style you’re going for to see the specific color scheme options within that category.
Take your time to browse through the color schemes, previewing how each one looks when applied to your slide. Consider factors such as brand alignment, emotional tone, and visual contrast when making your selection.
Step 5: Customize Color Scheme
If none of the preset color schemes quite match what you’re looking for, you have the option to create a custom color scheme. Below the standard color scheme options in the drop-down menu, click on the Customize Colors button.
This will open the Create New Theme Colors dialog box, where you can select specific colors for various elements of your presentation. The options include:
- Main color: The primary color used most prominently in your slides
- Accent colors: Additional colors used for emphasis and visual interest
- Hyperlink and followed hyperlink colors: Colors for linked text in your presentation
- Background and text colors: Colors used for slide backgrounds and text elements
For each color option, use the drop-down menu to select a color from the predefined palette or click More Colors to define a custom color using RGB or Hex values. This is useful for precisely matching your organization’s official brand colors.
After customizing each color to your liking, give your new color scheme a descriptive name in the “Name” field and click Save to add it to your theme colors.
Step 6: Apply Color Scheme to All Slides
In most cases, you’ll want to apply your carefully selected color scheme to all slides in your presentation for a cohesive, consistent appearance. To do this, right-click on your preferred design in the Design Ideas pane and select Apply to All Slides from the pop-up menu.
PowerPoint will then update all slides in your open presentation with your chosen design layout and color scheme. This ensures a uniform look and feel throughout your slide deck.
Tips for Choosing Effective PowerPoint Color Schemes
Choosing the right colors for your PowerPoint presentation is a critical aspect of effective slide design. Keep these tips in mind as you select a color scheme in Design Ideas:
- Align with your brand identity
Whenever possible, choose colors that match or complement your official brand colors. This creates a professional, consistent look and reinforces your brand identity to your audience. Refer to your organization’s brand guidelines for the specific colors and hex codes to use. - Limit your color palette
Using too many colors in your presentation can be visually overwhelming and distracting. Stick to a palette of 2-3 main colors (including both light and dark shades) to maintain a clean, focused design. Use additional accent colors sparingly for emphasis on key points or graphics. - Consider color psychology
Colors have the power to evoke specific emotions, moods, and associations. When selecting your presentation colors, think about the psychological impact you want to have on your audience. For example, blue conveys trustworthiness and calm, green suggests growth and harmony, while red can energize and instill passion. - Prioritize readability and contrast
It’s essential that your text and graphic elements are easily readable against your background colors. Always choose color combinations that provide high contrast between background and foreground elements, such as dark text on a light background or vice versa. Be mindful of the needs of audience members with visual impairments such as colorblindness. - Test your colors on target screens
Keep in mind that colors may appear differently on various display screens and projectors. Whenever possible, test out your presentation on the actual device you’ll be using to present. This allows you to adjust your colors if needed for optimal clarity and impact in your target presentation environment.
By thoughtfully selecting color schemes in PowerPoint Design Ideas and applying these tips, you can take your slide designs to the next level. Compelling, brand-aligned color choices will help you deliver presentations that are more engaging, memorable, and persuasive.
Final Thoughts
PowerPoint’s Design Ideas feature is a powerful tool for quickly experimenting with different slide layout and color options. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily change colors in PowerPoint Design Ideas to create presentations that look professional and visually stunning.
Don’t be afraid to explore different color scheme options, create your own custom color palettes, and apply your chosen designs consistently across all slides. A well-designed presentation with thoughtful color choices will help you capture and maintain your audience’s attention, communicate your message more effectively, and leave a lasting positive impression.
FAQs
Can I apply different color schemes to individual slides?
Yes, you can apply Design Ideas and color schemes to individual slides. After selecting a design and color scheme, right-click and choose “Apply to This Slide” or “Apply to Selected Slides”.
How do I go back to my original formatting after applying Design Ideas?
If you want to undo changes made by Design Ideas, go to the View tab and click “Slide Master”. In the Slide Master view, click the top slide thumbnail, then click the “Reset” button in the “Edit Master” group. This will remove Design Ideas formatting and restore your original slide designs.
What if I don’t see the color I need in the theme colors palette?
If your desired color isn’t available in the standard palette, you can create a custom color by clicking “More Colors” and defining custom RGB or Hex values. You can then add this color to your theme colors palette.
Can I save my custom color scheme to use in other presentations?
Yes, custom color schemes are saved in your Custom Office Themes. To access saved themes, go to the Design tab, click the More arrow in the Themes group, and select your custom theme under “Custom”.
Are Design Ideas available in all versions of PowerPoint?
PowerPoint Design Ideas are available in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 on both Windows and Mac. Some Design Ideas features, like customizing theme colors, require PowerPoint version 2019 or later.
Can I use my brand colors in PowerPoint Design Ideas?
Yes, you can create a custom color scheme using your specific brand colors. In the “Create New Theme Colors” dialog box, select “Customize Colors” and input the RGB or Hex values for your brand colors to ensure consistency with your brand guidelines.
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