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How to change theme colors in Google Slides

Google Slides offers many themes for you to pick from for an attractive and consistent appearance for your slideshow. You might see a theme you like but want to match your company logo, your school colors, or even the seasonal shades.

You can customize a theme you choose in Google Slides by changing the colors. This lets you add a personal touch to your presentation.

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • Web browser

  • Google account

Choose a theme in Google Slides

You can pick a theme at any point in your presentation creation. But if you choose one from the start, you can more easily visualize the overall appearance as you place your elements on the slides.

Step 1: When you open a blank presentation in Google Slides, you should see the Themes sidebar open at the same time. If not, simply select a slide and pick Theme in the toolbar at the top.

Step 2: You’ll see over 20 themes display in the sidebar. You can pick from basic light or dark, casual and colorful, or elegant options.

Select the one you want, and you’ll see your slideshow update immediately with the new color scheme, fonts, and design.

Theme button in the Google Slides toolbar.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Use the X on the top right of the Themes sidebar to close it.

Change theme colors in Google Slides

Like selecting a theme, you can customize a presentation's color scheme at any point during your editing process.

Step 1: Choose a slide in your presentation, select the Slide tab, and pick Edit theme.

Edit Theme in the Slide menu.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: You'll then see the Theme Builder open. This displays all slides in the theme along the left side, beginning with the master slide at the top.

Optionally, you can choose Rename at the top if you want to give the theme a different name.

Step 3: Pick a slide to get started. Keep in mind that when you change the colors, it changes them on each slide in that theme.

Select Colors in the toolbar at the top.

Colors button in the Theme Builder toolbar.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: When the sidebar displays on the right, open the Choose a theme color drop-down box.

Step 5: Pick one of the theme colors that you want to change. You’ll see options like text and background, accent, and link.

Theme elements drop-down menu to pick an option.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 6: You can then enter the hex code, use the shade tool, move the hue slider, or choose a default color. You’ll see your change immediately on the slides to the left in the Theme Builder.

Google Slides theme colors changed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 7: When you finish changing all of the colors you want, use the X on the top right to close the sidebar and then the X on the top right of the Theme Builder to close it too.

You’ll then be back to the normal view for your presentation, where you can continue editing your slideshow.

Now that you know how to change theme colors in Google Slides, check out more ways to customize your slideshow. Look at how to draw on Google Slides or how to add audio or video to your presentation.

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Sandy Writtenhouse
Sandy has been writing about technology since 2012. Her work has appeared on How-To Geek, Lifewire, MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog…
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