- What is a slide master? Article
- Add, rearrange, duplicate, and delete slides in PowerPoint Article
- Apply a slide layout Article
- Add color and design to your slides with Themes Article
- Start with a template Article
- Get design ideas for slides Article
- Customize a slide master Article
- Change the page orientation in PowerPoint between landscape and portrait Article
- Organize your PowerPoint slides into sections Article
- Add a DRAFT watermark to the background of slides Article
- Create, merge, and group objects on a slide Article
- Guides for arranging things on a slide in PowerPoint Article
- Change the order in which stacked objects, placeholders, or shapes appear on a slide Article
- Rotate or flip an object Article

Add color and design to your slides with Themes
PowerPoint provides a variety of design themes —including coordinated color schemes, backgrounds, font styles, and placement of placeholders.
Note: You may be looking to learn about using the Design Ideas button available for Microsoft 365 subscribers. See about working with PowerPoint Designer.

Pick a theme when you do File > New to start a new presentation.
These built-in themes are great for widescreen (16:9) and standard screen (4:3) presentations. To change the slide size, see Change the size of your slides .
If offered, choose a color variation, and then select Create .
If you change your mind, you can always change the theme or variant later on the Design tab.
On the Design tab, pick a theme with the colors, fonts, and effects that you like.
To apply a different color variation of a particular theme, in the Variants group, pick a variant.
Note: If you don't see any variants, it could be because you're using a custom theme, an older theme designed for earlier versions of PowerPoint, or because you imported some slides from another presentation with an older or custom theme.
Select right arrow in the Variants group to select different Colors , Fonts , Effects , or Background Styles and choose from built-in options or customize your own.

Create and save a custom theme
You can create a custom theme by modifying an existing theme or by starting from scratch with a blank presentation.
Select your first slide, and then on the Design tab, select the down arrow in the Variants group.
Select Colors , Fonts , Effects , or Background Styles and choose from built-in options or customize your own.
When you're done customizing styles, select the down arrow in the Themes group, and then select Save Current Theme .
Give your theme a name, and select Save . By default, it is save with your other PowerPoint themes and will be available in the Themes group under a Custom header.
Use or create themes in PowerPoint
Combining colors in PowerPoint: Mistakes to avoid .
Apply multiple themes to a presentation
Apply a template to your presentation

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How to Make changes to a Design Ideas Slide in PowerPoint
By Sharyn Baines
Posted: July 2, 2018
Let's look at how to edit Design Ideas in PowerPoint.
If you're like me, you probably love, love, love the Design Ideas slides in PowerPoint.
Design Ideas is available in PowerPoint for Office 365.
[Watch on YouTube] / [Subscribe to our YouTube Channel]
Design Ideas in PowerPoint
You can find the Design Ideas option on the Home tab...

Or, as you create your presentation in PowerPoint, you may see the Design Ideas pane pop up on your screen.
PowerPoint displays on this pane a gallery of professional design ideas for the slide you are currently on.

Just scroll through the suggestions and click the design you most like and your slide will suddenly be transformed into this design.

I use this all the time. I do not mind telling you that I'm not creative.
I know what I like when I look at it and see it, so I skim through these all the time, looking for slides that are going to make my PowerPoint presentation have a little bit more 'pizazz'.
But what I found, was when I wanted to edit design ideas slides and make changes to the objects that were on the slide, I couldn't select them.
However, when I used the Selection Pane , I could!
Edit Design Ideas slides
BTW, if you still have the Design Ideas pane displayed you might like to turn this off so that you have more room on your screen.

The Selection Pane allows you to select the objects on the slide.
For example, clicking on 'Oval 26' on the Selection Pane will select the small grey circle in the centre of the slide.

Once the object is selected you can change the format (colour, outline etc) or you can delete it.

However, it’s not as easy if you want to move or resize an object.
Here’s a work-around to move and resize objects on a Design Ideas slide
You may have noticed that you can’t select the object to move or resize it, which can be a bit of a pain.
Whenever I have an object that is in the way, not placed where I want it, too big or too small, I just select the object using the Selection Pane , delete it and manually replace it.
If you’re unsure of how to do this, please watch my video for a demonstration on how I did this.
It’s not ideal, I know, but it will give you a work-around.
BTW, manually changing your slide doesn’t change the Design Ideas slide, so you will need to do this for every slide that you need updated.
Was this blog helpful? Let us know in the Comments below.
If you enjoyed this post check out the related posts below.
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So helpful, thank you
Thank you for letting us know. So happy it helped Mrehan ?
Wonderfully helpful! I’ve been wanting to do this for, like, YEARS!
Not necessarily for public reading, but as an FYI…to return the favor, I tried to share on Facebook, but when the link is clicked in Facebook, a 404 page is shown…
Thank you so much for this! I love Design Ideas formats but often abandon them because of colors – really appreciate you sharing this and your instructions were so clear. Thank you, thank you!
Ha ha! So great it helped. Thank you!
Thank you so much for letting us know. Really appreciate it! We’ll check it out.
Thanks Ann! Lovely to hear it was helpful to you.
This is exactly what I was looking for! I could not even find this information on the official Microsoft pages. Thank you!
Thanks Jessica. You are so welcome. I’m so glad it helped you out!
I have been looking this over months!! Thank you so much Sharyn!
I’m so happy it was helpful Mohammad! Thank you for letting me know it helped 🙂
You are so welcome. I’m so glad it helped!
Thanks for this!!!! So helpful.
Thanks Kate! So glad it helped.
This was very helpful, thanks!
You’re welcome. So glad it helped 🙂
I don’t have the editing section and options on my Mac. Is it somewhere else?
Hi Penny. I did write this post for Windows but I beleive you can access the Selection Pane option from a different tab. First select any shape on your slide (if you don’t have one just draw a temporary shape and then delete it latter). Then go to the Shape Format tab and then click the Selection Pane button. The selection pane will be opened at the right side of the slide. Please let me know if this worked for you and I’ll add the instruction to the blog post. Thanks!!
I’m missing the editing area in my version of Powerpoint on Mac, can anyone help?
having the same issue and the tip above did not work
did not work no Mac nothing opened to the right os the slide 🙁
Hi Michelle. Thankfully we had a lovely contributor who uses a Mac share ‘how to find the Selection Pane on a Mac’ on our YouTube Channel. This is what Katie wrote: “Thank you for this video! I use a Mac and had trouble finding the selection pane tool, so I figured I would comment for anyone else struggling with this. On the home tab, select arrange, and then you will see selection pane. Then make changes as this wonderful video shows! This is a game changer for me, seriously! THANK YOU!” You can check out the video and Katie’s comment here https://youtu.be/4u9bex_Hhs4 I hope it helps.
Thank you so much!
Thanks Shamim, so happy our post was helpful to you 🙂
THANK YOU!! So frustrating to see those weird little design details and not be able to fix them.
So happy we could help! Thank you so much for letting us know 🙂
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Can you change the color of PowerPoint Design ideas?
If you change your mind, you can always change the theme or variant later on the Design tab . On the Design tab, pick a theme with the colors, fonts, and effects that you like. To apply a different color variation of a particular theme, in the Variants group, pick a variant.
Can I edit Design ideas in PowerPoint?
How do you change the color of a slide design, how do i change the color of my design idea.
- From the Design tab, click the drop-down arrow in the Variants group.
- Select Colors, then click Customize Colors. …
- A dialog box will appear with the 12 current theme colors. …
- In the Name: field, type the desired name for the theme colors, then click Save.
What is the use of slide master?
A slide master is the top slide in a hierarchy of slides that stores information about the theme and slide layouts of a presentation, including the background, color, fonts, effects, placeholder sizes, and positioning . To create a master slide: On the View tab, click Slide Master.
How can we format or edit a picture in a slide?
- Select the image you want to modify in your PowerPoint presentation.
- On the Picture Format tab, in the Size group, click Crop.
- Click and drag the handles to modify the cropping.
- When you’re done, click anywhere outside the image and the mask.
How do you insert a text box into a slide?
On the Home tab, under Insert, click Text. On the pop-up menu, click Text Box. On the slide, click the location where you want to add the text box. Type or paste your text in the text box .
How will you create a new theme colors?
- On the Design tab, click the arrow under Variants, and point to Colors.
- Click Customize Colors.
- Click a color box that you want to change. …
- Click a new color in the Colors dialog box.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each color you want to change.
- Close the Colors dialog box.
Why can’t I use Design ideas in PowerPoint?
If you can see the Design Ideas button in PowerPoint but it’s grayed out, it means: You aren’t connected to the internet, or . A single slide isn’t selected . This can be the case when multiple slides are selected in the slide thumbnail pane in Normal view, or when the focus in the thumbnail pane is between two slides.
How do I make elements in Canva?
- On the editor side panel, click the Elements tab.
- Use the search bar to look for specific elements, or browse suggested collections by clicking See all next to them.
- To add an element to your design, click on it from the results.
How do I make a presentation slide?
- Open PowerPoint.
- In the left pane, select New.
- Select an option: To create a presentation from scratch, select Blank Presentation. To use a prepared design, select one of the templates. To see tips for using PowerPoint, select Take a Tour, and then select Create, .
How do you open a blank presentation?
How do we create a new custom layout.
- Start the exteNd Director development environment and open the project of interest.
- Select File>New>File. …
- Click the Portal tab.
- Click Advanced, then choose Layout Definition and click OK. …
- To add a section container of type row and an initial section, click Add Row.
How do I get rid of picture Style?
2 more rows
How do I remove part of a picture?
- Download the app and Click the “Removal” button in Photo Edit mode.
- Paint the object you want to remove.
- Use Eraser to adjust the chosen area.
- Click the Finish button and see the results instantly!
How do you apply a slide Design?
- Select the slide to which you want to apply the design.
- On the Design tab, right-click the design in the Themes group, and then click Apply to Selected Slides.
What is a slide layout?
In PowerPoint, a slide layout is like a slide template, and contains formatting (such as applied themes) and placeholders . A placeholder is a container that holds text and graphics, such as pictures, clip art, tables, charts and more.
How do you add color in Word?
Go to Design > Page Color. Choose the color you want . If you don’t see the color you want, select More Colors and then pick a color from any of the options in the Color box.
How do I save a Font as a color in Word?
- Go to the design tab.
- Select ‘Colors’
- Choose ‘Customize colors’
- Change one of the Accent colors to your desired color.
- Press save.
- Save document.
What fonts are in Canva?
- League Spartan. League Spartan is a modern typeface with strong structure and geometric form. …
- Julius Sans One. …
- Archivo Black. …
- Libre Baskerville. …
- Bebas Neue. …
- Lora. …
- Roboto Condensed. …
- Cooper Hewitt Bold.
How do I remove a background in Canva?
To remove your background with Canva, simply:
Click on the Edit Image button on the top toolbar. Next, select ‘BG Remover’ on the left side panel that appears. Then, click ‘Erase’ to remove the background. After clicking ‘Erase’, like magic, the background will disappear.
[HOW-TO] Change the Slide Background Color in Design Ideas (PowerPoint)
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How to Change Colors in a PowerPoint Presentation

Choosing colors is quite important when creating a presentation. In deed, you must adapt the hues depending on the topic and your audience. In this post, we are going to learn how to work with colors in your PowerPoint template . Remember that our templates are 100% editables! You can change the color of all their elements!
How to change the color of themes
Appling colors and gradients: texts, vectors and backgrounds, how to edit color: gradients and transparencies, downloading and editing a color variant.
If you have read a little bit about how to choose hues for your presentation, you may have made your mind about the colors you want to employ. Are you willing to create your own color palette? Remember that our templates already include their own color palettes.
- Go to View, in the toolbar, and select Slide master.
- Look for the section Colors, and then click on Customize Colors…
- A dropdown menu with different options will appear
- Let’s have a look at the sections in the menu: Text/Background-Light (1, 2), Text/Background-Dark (1,2), Accent (1-6), Hyperlink and Followed hyperlink.
- If you click on the color square close to the sections, a series of hues will appear. Note that it also includes the Theme colors.
- To add a custom color to the section, you need to click on More colors.
- There, you will encounter two different tabs: Standard and Custom.
- In Standard, there is a hexagon with different colors plus a square that shows the current color and the new one. It works as a comparative. In the hexagon, click on any color and then click OK → Save.
- If you prefer any other tone, instead of choosing between the ones that the hexagon offers, click on the Custom tab.
- Here, you can enter a hex code or simply play around with the picker. In Color mode, you can choose RGB or HSL. In RGB, you can add the number of Red, Green and Blue bits there (i.e., you’ll need to insert the hex code manually, adding the needed number of bits per color). In HSL, you need to work with Hue, Saturation and Lightness. When you finish, click OK → Save.
- The new color is now applied to all the elements that had the Text/Background-Dark 1 hue! Of course, we have used the Text/Background-Dark 1 as an example. Choose the one you need!
- Click on Close Master View (upper right corner) when you finish.
Let’s stop for a moment. Do you remember the color sections that we have mentioned? Text/Background-Light (1, 2), Text/Background-Dark (1,2), Accent (1-6), Hyperlink and Followed hyperlink. Have a look at the previous section! Although those are default names, the hyperlinks section is different. If you want to change hyperlink colors in PowerPoint, you need to make use of this section. If you change its color, all the links you add will appear in this hue! In any case, all the color sections are applied to different elements: backgrounds, vectors, texts… If you change the color of one section, It will be automatically applied to all the elements with such tone. Do you want to learn more about applying those colors to text?
- First of all, if Formatting Texts is not your cup of tea, it’s time to learn a little bit more about it!
- If you have read the tutorial, decide the typefaces you are going to use! Apply them. For changing the color, select your text. In the toolbar, click on Font color. The first row of colors correspond to Theme Colors. Choose any of them!
Let’s focus on changing the color of vectors. They can be part of the master slides, but let’s begin with those that are not part of the master. Now, we will focus on vectors that are not part of the master slide:
- Did you find an element in an image and you want to change it? Cool! Click on the image and, then, on the element.
- Click on Shape Fill.
- Choose a Theme color (the first row of hues).
If the vector you want to change in the master slides, you can change it as well.
- Click on View in the toolbar → Slide Master.
- Find the vector you want to change.
- Double click on it, and then right click → Fill. Select a color from the first row, the ones belonging to the theme. If you need it, you can also change the Outline.
- Click on the first slide and select Close Master View.

Of course, you can change the background color:
- In the toolbar, go to View → Slide Master.
- Then, click on Background Styles → Format Background.
- You have different colors, styles and the like, Let’s explore them.
- In Solid Fill, you can choose the Color and the level of Transparency.
- Do you like gradients? Cool! Click on Gradient Fill. There, you have different options you can choose from: Preset gradients, Type (Linear, Radial, Rectangular...), Direction, Angle, Gradient, Stop, Color, Position, Transparency and Brightness.
- In addition, you could add a picture or textures in the background. Click on Picture or texture fill. Choose its transparency, the picture or texture!
- If you prefer adding a pattern in the background, click on Pattern fill. Choose the one you like the most and select a Foreground and Background color.
- Finished? Click Apply to all. Then, go to the first slide and click on Close Master View.
As seen above, you can apply transparencies to your background, but you can use them with shapes and vectors as well. Let’s learn how to do so!
- First, click on the preferred image and once again on the element you want to change.
- Right click on the element → Fill → Gradients.
- Click on More gradients.
- In Fill, make sure that Solid option is marked. Then, choose the preferred transparency.
We include some color variants for different templates. Would you like to learn how to download them?
First of all, go to our webpage and look for a theme you like. If it has variants, they include bubbles in different colors.
- To go to the main page of the template, click on its title.
- On the right side, there are some Themes. Under it, click on each of the bubbles to see a preview of the variants.
- Choose Download a PowerPoint template.
- Done! Now go ahead and edit the template as above!
→ Did you like the Sketchnotes Lesson theme and the E-Learning Presentation ? Try them now, they’re free and 100% editable!! Rock the theme colors in your PowerPoint presentation!
Do you find this article useful?
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PowerPoint: How to change a color scheme of the presentation to a different preinstalled color scheme?
In new versions of PowerPoint a button for changing color themes “Theme Colors” (to preinstalled or standard) is located at the very top of the window (at one level with “Open”/”Hide”/”Close” buttons, but on the opposite side). That’s how the button looks like:

After clicking the button, you’ll see pop-up menu with samples of color schemes. Move the cursor to previously see the color scheme of the current slide. Select the color scheme you need by clicking on it. Changes will be applied to every slide of your presentation.
Select “Design” tab at the top toolbar. In a pop-up tab the big field with “Variants” preview represents color themes “Colors”. Use “Colors” button to preview the results of the color scheme changes (by pointing) or click on the theme you need to apply it for every slide of your presentation.

In the slide master editing mode (View>Slide Master) at the top toolbar you’ll find “Colors” button. Use it to preview a result of the color scheme changes (by pointing) or click on the theme you need, to apply it for every slide of the presentation. When changes done, click “Close Master View” in the top menu.

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10 Pro PPT Tips: PowerPoint Design Ideas
It’s not difficult to design a PowerPoint presentation. Designing an effective presentation, however, is an entirely different story.
Studies show that 91% of presenters feel more confident when presenting a slideshow with a great design. But, the problem is that 45% of professionals find it difficult to design creative layouts.
A PowerPoint presentation is not just about creating a few slides with bright colors and images. It mainly needs to be able to convey your message more effectively, maintain your audience’s attention, as well as to persuade and convince them.
Designing such a slideshow is not a Herculean task. You just need to know the right tricks.
In this guide, we share some useful PowerPoint tips and PowerPoint design ideas to help you learn how to craft creative slide layouts more easily. Without further ado, let’s get started.
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Use the Built-In Design Ideas Tool
PowerPoint Designer is one of the best built-in tools available in the software that many users are still not aware of. This tool allows you to instantly apply high-quality design layouts to slides with just a few clicks.

You can find the PowerPoint Designer under the Design tab of the software. Simply add some text and an image to a blank slide and the Design Ideas tab on the far-right will start suggesting different design layouts. All you have to do is pick one.
This AI-powered feature in PowerPoint works wonders when you have to quickly put together a slideshow. The only downside is that this tool is only available in the Office 365 version of PowerPoint. If you’re using PowerPoint 2019, using a good template is the best alternative.
Get a Professional Template
Coming up with a great slide layout design is a big responsibility. And it’s probably why it takes over 8 hours for most professionals to design a PowerPoint presentation.

Using a custom PowerPoint template is the easiest way to save hours of time and still design a professional-looking slideshow. You can download pre-made PowerPoint templates from third-party marketplaces and customize them with your own content. You can change the colors, fonts, and add your own images. It’s much easier than having to craft creative slide layouts on your own.
You can find inspiration by browsing our best PowerPoint templates collection.
Pick the Right Color Scheme
According to color psychology , specific colors have the power to evoke emotions in humans and even persuade them to take action.
For example, there’s a reason why Stop signs and For Sale signs use the same Red color. It’s simply hard-wired into our brain to stop and look when something is displayed in this color.

You can also leverage color psychology to design more effective PowerPoint slides. Based on the topic, you can pick colors to evoke the right emotions in your audience.
In order to do this, you need to pick a color palette for your slideshow design and create a consistent design across all slides in the presentation.
Add Custom Fonts
The text you use in each slide is the driving force behind educating and convincing the audience. Needless to say, it’s very important to make sure your titles and descriptions are easily readable and clearly visible in each slide.

Find a great font family for your presentations and avoid using the default system fonts. This will give your slideshow a unique and professional look.
You can check out our best fonts for PowerPoint collection to find a unique font for your designs.
Learn to Use Master Slides
The aptly named Master Slides in PowerPoint is where you can master the art of customizing your slide layouts.

From the View tab, you can find the Slide Master option to open the editor. Here, you can customize the pre-built layouts included in the slide theme you’re currently using.
You can change the colors, fonts, styles and the changes will automatically apply to all of the master slides in the theme. You can even design your own custom slide layouts to quickly add slides to your presentations in the future.
Learning to use Master Slides will make your presentation design process much simpler.
Adopt Design Trends
Fusing design trends into your PPT slide layouts is another great way to make your presentations look creative and relevant.

For example, using pastel colors in PowerPoint slide design is a popular trend these days. You can use such trends to add unique and personalized layouts to your presentations.
Vintage design, Art Deco, dark color themes, and geometric are a few other PPT design trends you can use.
Include Infographics & Charts
Presenting numbers and data is an important part of a PowerPoint slideshow. It’s much more difficult to convince your audience without data to back your claims.
The way you present the data in a presentation is also important. Because if you present them in plain numbers, you’ll have a tough time getting through to the audience.

Instead, visualize your data in a more appealing way. You can do this by using infographics, charts, timelines, and graphs.
You don’t have to hand-craft these visuals. In fact, there are PowerPoint templates that come loaded with editable infographics and charts you can use in your own presentations.
Follow the 10/20/30 Rule
Guy Kawasaki, a popular author, speaker, and entrepreneur, introduced a very simple rule for creating effective PowerPoint presentations called the 10/20/30 rule . It goes like this:

- Use no more than 10 Slides in your presentations
- Present the slides in under 20 Minutes
- Use a 30-Point Font for text
It’s simple and straightforward. The main goal of this strategy is to create short and efficient presentations without filler content.
While these rules are too strict for delivering certain presentations, you can still use them as guidelines to create better slideshows.
Use Illustrations Instead of Stock Images
If you’re tired of seeing the same images in every presentation, blog post, and social media post, keep in mind that your audience is just as tired as you are.
There are many great free stock photo sites with great selections of images. Unfortunately, these images are used by thousands of people all over the web. If you use the same images, the chances are your audience will easily recognize them.

A good alternative you could try in your presentations is to use illustrations. With the right illustrations, you can make each slide look and feel unique. As well as add personality to your presentation.
Illustrations are easy to find. You can download illustration packs from marketplaces like Envato Elements or download them from free sites.
Remember The KISS Principle

KISS , the design principle popularized by the US Navy in 1960 is still relevant today. The idea behind the Keep It Simple, Stupid principle is to encourage designs that are simpler and easier to understand.
Follow this principle when designing your presentations. Instead of filling each slide with long paragraphs of text, use short sentences. Instead of adding lots of images, use just one or two images per slide. Keep It Simple and Straightforward.
Hopefully, these PPT design tips will help you craft better and more effective presentations in the future. Learning new tips and tricks is part of the design process. So keep learning and keep experimenting with new ideas.
Also, check out our complete guide to using PowerPoint templates to learn more about presentation design.
- What is a slide master? Article
- Add, rearrange, duplicate, and delete slides in PowerPoint Article
- Apply a slide layout Article
- Add color and design to your slides with Themes Article
- Start with a template Article
- Get design ideas for slides Article
- Customize a slide master Article
- Change the page orientation in PowerPoint between landscape and portrait Article
- Organize your PowerPoint slides into sections Article
- Add a DRAFT watermark to the background of slides Article
- Create, merge, and group objects on a slide Article
- Guides for arranging things on a slide in PowerPoint Article
- Change the order in which stacked objects, placeholders, or shapes appear on a slide Article
- Rotate or flip an object Article
Add color and design to your slides with Themes
PowerPoint provides a variety of design themes —including coordinated color schemes, backgrounds, font styles, and placement of placeholders.
Note: You may be looking to learn about using the Design Ideas button available for Microsoft 365 subscribers. See about working with PowerPoint Designer.

Pick a theme when you do File > New to start a new presentation.
These built-in themes are great for widescreen (16:9) and standard screen (4:3) presentations. To change the slide size, see Change the size of your slides .
If offered, choose a color variation, and then select Create .
If you change your mind, you can always change the theme or variant later on the Design tab.
On the Design tab, pick a theme with the colors, fonts, and effects that you like.
To apply a different color variation of a particular theme, in the Variants group, pick a variant.
Note: If you don't see any variants, it could be because you're using a custom theme, an older theme designed for earlier versions of PowerPoint, or because you imported some slides from another presentation with an older or custom theme.
Select right arrow in the Variants group to select different Colors , Fonts , Effects , or Background Styles and choose from built-in options or customize your own.

Create and save a custom theme
You can create a custom theme by modifying an existing theme or by starting from scratch with a blank presentation.
Select your first slide, and then on the Design tab, select the down arrow in the Variants group.
Select Colors , Fonts , Effects , or Background Styles and choose from built-in options or customize your own.
When you're done customizing styles, select the down arrow in the Themes group, and then select Save Current Theme .
Give your theme a name, and select Save . By default, it is save with your other PowerPoint themes and will be available in the Themes group under a Custom header.
Use or create themes in PowerPoint
Combining colors in PowerPoint: Mistakes to avoid .
Apply multiple themes to a presentation
Apply a template to your presentation

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Best PowerPoint Design Ideas That Will Make Your Presentations Standout

There used to be a time of simplicity – an era of no notifications, vibrating phones, or social media pings- when things were done one at a time.
Today is the age of hyper tasking. Something is trying to take our attention every step of the way- during waking, sleeping, driving, and working hours. The implication- take it as a given that people will lose focus. Translating this into what it means for presenters- People will have no patience for presentations that don’t hit the sweet spot. Boring, long, roundabout, data-heavy presentations will turn off your audience to the presentation and you as a presenter.
On the other hand, people can be persuaded to pay attention and buy your ideas via effective visual presentations. While there are no set rules for giving PowerPoint presentations that will win the day in every situation, there are Powerpoint design ideas that apply universally.
Table of Contents
Role of Presentation Design
Presentation design is like the secret sauce of an excellent presentation. It’s the visual representation of ideas and concepts that sets the tone and mood for the audience. It makes the presentation go from bland to bold, from forgettable to memorable.
A well-designed presentation can:
- Grab the audience’s attention
- Convey the message in a clear and concise manner
- Leave a lasting impression
- Evoke emotions and memories, and transport the audience to a different place and time.
- Establish a strong visual identity that is recognizable and memorable.
A well-designed presentation can distinguish between a forgettable and a memorable experience. It’s not just about making a presentation look pretty; it’s about using slides design ideas, and elements to enhance the message and make it more impactful. A presentation can evoke excitement, calmness, professionalism, and creativity by choosing the right color palette , font choices, and visual elements.
Understanding the Basics of Presentation Design
Presentation design is like a map for the audience, guiding them through the presentation and highlighting the most important points. It makes a presentation go from dull to dazzling, from forgettable to unforgettable.
Understanding the basics of PowerPoint slide design ideas is crucial for creating presentations that engage and inform the audience. The basics of presentation design include:
- Color theory: It is the study of color and how it affects human emotion and perception. In PPT design ideas , color can evoke emotions, set the tone, and grab the audience’s attention. For example, blue can evoke a sense of calmness, while red can evoke a sense of excitement. It’s essential to choose a color palette that aligns with the message and brand of the presentation.
- Typography: It is the art of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing. In presentation design, typography can convey information, establish a visual hierarchy, and enhance the overall design. It’s essential to choose a font that is easy to read, legible, and fits the brand and message of the presentation.
- Visual hierarchy: It is the arrangement of visual elements in order of importance. In Power Point layout ideas , visual hierarchy guides the audience through the presentation and highlights the most critical points. For example, using larger text for headings and smaller text for subheadings creates a visual hierarchy that makes the information easily understandable.
- Use of images and graphics: It can break up text-heavy slides and add visual interest to the presentation. In presentation design, images and PowerPoint graphics help explain complex information, provide context, and enhance the overall design. It’s important to choose images and graphics that align with the presentation’s message and brand and ensure they are high-quality and clear.
9 Failsafe Powerpoint Design Ideas To Engage Your Audience Till the End
Are you tired of using old, boring templates for your Powerpoint presentations? Look no further!
This section will provide you with innovative Powerpoint design ideas to elevate your presentations and make them stand out.
Consider Using A Minimalistic Presentation Theme
A presentation strategy that effectively conveys your point to your audience is being minimalist. Using a simple presentation theme , you draw the audience’s attention to the bare minimum they need to focus on. There won’t be any obtrusive photos, design in PowerPoint presentations , or graphics because you’re keeping things barebones.
Your readers won’t have to browse through a lot of “unnecessary” information to find what they are looking for.
Forget the 3-point rule (which says that each slide should make no more than 3 points); the guiding rule here is ONE point per slide and no more.
Make Your Presentation Simple To View
Moving ahead in our list of Powerpoint design ideas . You can exercise your creative muscle in many places within a presentation. Typography is one of them. However, the moment your text becomes hard to read either because of its size, background contrast, font family, or for any other reason, you have started to lose your way.
Know that there can be a variety of demographics in your audience – folks with color blindness , those with reading difficulties, people who will see your presentation on a small screen- the list goes on. People will lose interest in your presentation if they cannot read what is written on the slide.
Large fonts, with clear contrast, intelligent use of bolding (lose the italics unless you are writing Latin in your presentation- there is rarely a good reason to italicize your fonts). Always pick a suitable font family, such as Arial and Helvetica, that has legible typefaces to help your audience can read from a distance on any screen size. Learn more which are the best fonts for presentations .
Statistics Support It More
Using data is a powerful way to strengthen your argument while outlining an issue or explaining an ongoing scenario. Many presentations include statistics and data, yet we must remember to ask the so what question or, worse, not focus on the numbers that matter.
Make statistics simple to understand when distributing them. Use the correct table, number, PowerPoint infographic , or chart for the proper purpose. For example, Tables are ideal for comparing a small number of statistics, but a bar chart or combo chart can make it easy to work with complex information.
SlideUpLift.com has several examples and templates of the right formats and tools to use when presenting data.
Pose Inquiries
Questions and a highly interactive dialog is the hallmark of an excellent presentation. Innovative presenters prompt their audience with question and answer slides and encourage a two-way discussion while maintaining focus on their core presentation content.
There are, of course, many ways to do this: formal, informal, batched to the end versus sprinkled throughout. The method you pick may depend on the context and your style. The important part is to ensure that the audience actively engages and participates in your session. You demonstrate receptivity to it and encourage them to do so.
Use Color Without Fear
One of the most useful Powerpoint slide design ideas is to be bold and use color. You should consider employing colors if you’re wondering how to make your PowerPoint presentation appealing. It would not be an overstatement to say that colors can change how you and your presentation are perceived.
Although colors can make your slides more visually appealing, they can also turn viewers away if they need to be correctly blended or are too vivid. Please ensure the colors are pleasing to the eye; neither should they be very bright nor overly muted. Know more about the best colors for presentations .
Include Videos That Are Relevant to the Speech
Even if not everyone in your audience prefers videos to still images, some of them will. Videos give your debate life and can become incredibly interesting if they are relevant to the subject. Animations occasionally function perfectly. Look at some animated PowerPoint template examples.
Send Printed Materials As Pre-reads
When you send pre-reads, you are communicating your respect to your audience. People value pre-reads for various reasons- some adore having the ability to be in the know and avoid surprises, and some like taking printouts and having their questions ready. At the same time, you present your slides, and some just like the respect endowed to them to send the material in advance and appreciate your readiness and punctuality.
So send the pre-reads. If you want certain parts to remain in suspense until the time of the presentation, send background material- anything that helps your audience prepare well for your presentation. You can read the blog to learn how to print handouts in powerpoint .
Keep Your Speech to No More Than 20 Minutes
People have a lot to do- we already talked about that. They may not be willing to give you a big slice as much as you might want to indulge. Ensure that you only talk about the pertinent issues and omit everything that does not support your position.
Even if your presentation is mighty entertaining, after 25 minutes, your audience will begin to lose interest. Give a brief, enthralling, focused presentation in under 20 minutes. If your audience wants more after your presentation, you will know you were successful. Learn about storytelling in presentations by reading our blog.
Finalize Your Points With a Summary
Use the chance to reiterate the key topics you covered in your presentation toward the conclusion. Reminding your audience of what you have been talking about throughout should be the goal of your summary. Focus on the residual messages – what they must retain after forgetting everything else. Learn how to end a presentation to make a lasting impression.
How to Get Design Ideas on PowerPoint Using The In-built Design Ideas Feature
Design Ideas, also known as PowerPoint Designer, is your secret weapon for making your slides visually stunning. Simply add your text and images, activate the tool, and let it generate ideas for you.
The beauty of this tool is that each design suggestion is unique, so there’s a low chance that you’ll come across the same idea twice. This means that your presentations will always be original, even if you’re presenting on a common topic.
At present, only Office 365 subscribers have access to the Design Ideas feature within the desktop application.
No presenting concepts are known to work miracles. A presentation that engages the audience successfully conveys the essential points and accomplishes the overall goal is the finest presentation.
Yet, designing professional presentations is a cumbersome job. At SlideUpLift, we work hard to help you make it easier to incorporate these concepts and make them work for you. SlideUpLift provides an extensive array of free presentation templates that can make your work easy. Select one according to your required designs and create engaging PowerPoint presentations.
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COMMENTS
How do I change colours in Design Ideas suggested in power point? Hi I use desgin ideas for my presentations. I need to use official colour palette keeping in line with my organisation's brand guidelines. However, I am unable to change the colours in the designs. Can you advise a way this can be done? This thread is locked.
In many cases the Design idea adds freeform shapes or autoshapes and sets them to be non resizable / moveable. Try opening the Selection pane and looking for shapes that do not have adjustment handles. Select the shape in the list and see if the fill can then be changed in Format > Shape Fill www.pptalchemy.co.uk 29 people found this reply helpful
You can use your mobile device to change the theme or background color of your PowerPoint slides. On your Android tablet or phone Change the design theme Change the background color On your iPad or iPhone Change the design theme Change the background color On your Windows tablet or phone Change the design theme Change the background color
Select your first slide, and then on the Design tab, select the down arrow in the Variants group. Select Colors, Fonts, Effects, or Background Styles and choose from built-in options or customize your own. When you're done customizing styles, select the down arrow in the Themes group, and then select Save Current Theme.
For example, clicking on 'Oval 26' on the Selection Pane will select the small grey circle in the centre of the slide. Once the object is selected you can change the format (colour, outline etc) or you can delete it. However, it's not as easy if you want to move or resize an object.
PowerPoint [HOW-TO] Change the Slide Background Color in Design Ideas (PowerPoint) Office Tutorials 5.32K subscribers Subscribe 8 1.7K views 9 months ago Social Media JOB...
How do you change the color of a slide Design? Choose a slide. At the top, click Slide Change background. To the right of "Color," click the box and choose a color. You can select a hex code or manually adjust the color, hue, and transparency. How do I change the color of my design idea?
Choose a Theme color (the first row of hues). Done! Changing the color of vectors If the vector you want to change in the master slides, you can change it as well. Click on View in the toolbar → Slide Master. Find the vector you want to change. Double click on it, and then right click → Fill.
In the slide master editing mode (View>Slide Master) at the top toolbar you'll find "Colors" button. Use it to preview a result of the color scheme changes (by pointing) or click on the theme you need, to apply it for every slide of the presentation. When changes done, click "Close Master View" in the top menu. Menu "Slide Master" > "Colours"
For example, using pastel colors in PowerPoint slide design is a popular trend these days. You can use such trends to add unique and personalized layouts to your presentations. Vintage design, Art Deco, dark color themes, and geometric are a few other PPT design trends you can use. Include Infographics & Charts
Select your first slide, and then on the Design tab, select the down arrow in the Variants group. Select Colors, Fonts, Effects, or Background Styles and choose from built-in options or customize your own. When you're done customizing styles, select the down arrow in the Themes group, and then select Save Current Theme.
HOW TO: Make Changes to Design Ideas in PowerPoint Excel at Work 8.66K subscribers Subscribe 60K views 3 years ago #PowerPoint #PowerPointTips #PowerPointBeginner How to make changes to...
Get this eye-catching Change Color Of Design Ideas PowerPoint Template to present your business ideas more beautifully. It is an attractive business tool to make a colorful presentation. It is a 100% free template to make your presentation lively and natural using designs and colors. Its the time for you to avoid all those plain old templates.
Answer (1 of 2): Select your first slide, and then on the Design tab, select the down arrow in the Variants group. Select Colors, Fonts, Effects, or Background Styles ...
The basics of presentation design include: Color theory: It is the study of color and how it affects human emotion and perception. In PPT design ideas, color can evoke emotions, set the tone, and grab the audience's attention. For example, blue can evoke a sense of calmness, while red can evoke a sense of excitement.