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Adding Custom Colors (NOT Theme Colors) in PPT

Anonymous
2020-11-25T16:31:15+00:00

I am trying to add custom colors in addition to the 10 Theme colors you can already customize in PPT. I have found a few posts that show you how to edit the .xml file to add in the custom colors, but I have not been successful in getting it to load and show up in my ppt. I am including a screenshot of a deck that I've seen that has custom colors, as well as a link to the instructions I have followed. Has anyone had any success with this, or know if this feature is even supported? I have tried on both Mac and PC.

Thanks!

https://www.empowersuite.com/en/blog/your-own-colors-in-powerpoint-master-color-theme-and-custom-colors

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-11-25T19:48:27+00:00

    Thank you for the reply and for the link!

    Here is a screenshot of the xml file. When I first opened it, I did not see <a:extraClrSchemeLst/> so I added that in before I added in the custom colors. Once I have the xml edited correctly, I'm unclear what the process is to get the additional colors to show up in PPT. 

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  2. Jim G 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2020-11-25T19:13:07+00:00

    Hi Trish,

    I can verify that John Kochok's method of editing XML works. Here's a screen shot to prove it!

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-11-25T16:49:29+00:00

    It does work but those are not very clear instructions.

    Have a look at Echo's page

    Adding Custom Colors to PowerPoint (echosvoice.com)

    Editing XML is not tolerant of even small mistakes so be careful!

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  4. John Korchok 232.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2020-11-25T20:48:01+00:00

    The custom color section is fine, it's the rest of the theme file that has problems. Between lines 2 and 3, you would normally see:

    <a:themeElements>

    <a:clrScheme name="Colors1">

    Then after line 14:

    </a:clrScheme>

    <a:fontScheme name="Fonts1">

    <a:majorFont>

    <a:latin typeface="Calibri Light" panose="020F0302020204030204"/>

    The entire font and effects theme sections are missing. Try creating a new blank presentation in PowerPoint, then copy and paste the text from its theme1.xml file and add your modifications to it.

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  5. John Korchok 232.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2020-11-25T18:50:26+00:00

    The most common problem I see with edited XML that doesn't work is the use of curly or "smart" quotes instead of straight quote marks.

    Feel free to post your XML here and we'll take a look.

    Here's my article on Custom Colors, in case you haven't seen it yet: OOXML Hacking: Custom Colors

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