To change the theme in PowerPoint, go to the Design tab and pick a new theme from the Themes group; open the gallery with the Themes button to see them all. Right-click a theme to choose Apply to All Slides or Apply to Selected Slides. Use the Variants group for a different colour version.
A theme is PowerPoint's ready-made design package: colours, fonts, backgrounds and where the placeholders sit. Changing it can transform a tired deck in seconds, or pull a mismatched set of borrowed slides into one consistent look. It all happens on the Design tab, and you can apply a theme to the whole deck or just a few slides.
Switch to a different theme
- Go to the Design tab.
- In the Themes group, select the Themes button to open the full gallery.
- Point at a theme to preview it on your slide.
- Click it to apply it. Or right-click and choose Apply to All Slides.
Changed your mind? Microsoft says you can undo straight away with Alt+Backspace, or just pick another theme.
Theme options at a glance
| What you want | How to do it |
|---|---|
| New theme for the whole deck | Design, Themes gallery, right-click, Apply to All Slides |
| Theme on some slides only | Select slides, right-click a theme, Apply to Selected Slides |
| Same theme, different colours | Choose a variant in the Variants group |
| Custom colours or fonts | Variants down arrow, then Colors, Fonts, Effects or Background Styles |
| Plain look | Apply the Office Theme, which has a white background |
| Use a theme file from elsewhere | Themes gallery, Browse for Themes |
Apply a theme to just some slides
Select the slides in the thumbnail pane on the left, holding Ctrl to pick several. Open the Themes gallery, right-click the theme you want and choose Apply to Selected Slides. It's useful for a section divider or an appendix that should look different.
Use it sparingly, though. Microsoft explains that every theme in a presentation brings its own slide master and set of layouts, so two themes means two masters. That's fine for a deliberate section change, but it makes the deck harder to keep consistent if you're editing it later.
Variants: the quick colour change
If you like a theme's layout but not its colours, don't switch theme; choose a variant. In the Variants group on the Design tab, each option is a different colour version of the same design. Open the Variants down arrow to change the Colors, Fonts, Effects or Background Styles separately.
Microsoft notes that if you don't see any variants, you may be using a custom theme, an older theme made for earlier versions of PowerPoint, or slides imported from another presentation with an older or custom theme.
Why some slides don't change
This is the most common frustration. You apply a new theme and a few slides stubbornly keep their old look. Usually it's because those slides were pasted in from another deck with their own theme, or someone applied a theme to selected slides earlier. The fix is to select every slide in the thumbnail pane, right-click your chosen theme and choose Apply to All Slides, which brings the borrowed slides into line.
Text you've formatted by hand, such as a heading you made bright red, may also stay the same, because manual formatting sits on top of the theme. Reset those slides or clear the formatting if they still stand out.
Pick a theme that suits your brand
A built-in theme is a starting point, not a brand. When you're choosing, look past the sample picture and check three things: are the fonts easy to read from the back of a room, do the colours sit comfortably with your logo, and does the title slide leave room for your own photo? Preview a few by pointing at them in the gallery; PowerPoint shows each one on your actual slide, so you're judging it with your own content rather than placeholder text.
If none of them feel right, pick the plainest and use Variants to swap in your brand colours and fonts. That's usually quicker than hunting for a perfect match, and it keeps the layouts PowerPoint's designers already tested.
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Remove a theme for a plain deck
You can't have no theme at all, but you can get close. Microsoft's route is to apply the Office Theme, found under Office in the Themes gallery, for a simple design with a plain white background. Starting fresh? File, New, Blank Presentation opens one with a white background.
Save your own brand theme
Once you've set your brand colours and fonts using the Variants options, save them so every future deck can use them. Open the Themes down arrow, choose Save Current Theme, name it and select Save. Microsoft says it then appears in the Themes group under a Custom header. That's far quicker than recreating your colours each time.
Built-in themes suit both widescreen (16:9) and standard (4:3) slides, according to Microsoft. If you need to switch between them, see how to change slide size in PowerPoint. And if all you want is a different background rather than a whole new design, here's how to change the background in PowerPoint.
What I'd do
Design tab, Themes gallery, right-click, Apply to All Slides. Try a variant before switching theme, keep to one theme per deck unless you've a reason, and save your brand colours as a custom theme. If a slide refuses to change, select everything and apply again.
Frequently asked questions
Where are themes in PowerPoint?
On the Design tab, in the Themes group. Select the Themes button to open the full gallery.
How do I apply a theme to all slides?
Right-click the theme in the gallery and choose Apply to All Slides.
Can I use a different theme on one slide?
Yes. Select the slide, right-click the theme and choose Apply to Selected Slides.
How do I undo a theme change?
Microsoft says to press Alt+Backspace straight away, or pick a different theme.
How do I remove a theme in PowerPoint?
Apply the Office Theme, which gives a plain white background.
