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Using 'fill' and 'line' to change color of .svg icon in PPT

Anonymous
2024-04-13T03:51:30+00:00

Hello-

I converted a .png flat icon to an .svg icon and imported to PowerPoint without an issue. I can change the color of the icon, not the background, using the fill tool. However, I have seen .svg icons where the color of the icon can be changed with the line tool. In addition, it allows you to change the thickness of the lines.

Why can some svg icons' colors be changed using the fill vs the line function? I prefer using the line tool because it allows me to change the thickness of the icon.

Thanks,

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For business | Windows

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  1. Steve Rindsberg 99,156 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-04-13T21:35:07+00:00

    SVG files can contain vector and raster graphics. Your converted PNG will only contain the raster (ie, image) graphics from the PNG. As an image, it's composed of colored dots that *look* like lines and shapes, but actually aren't. So you can't adjust the fill/outline of what only LOOKS like shapes.

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-04-13T13:01:20+00:00

    Dear Todd C_498,

    Greetings! Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you.

    As far as I know, whether you can change an SVG icon's color using the fill or line function depends on how the SVG was created. SVG files are made up of vector shapes defined by paths, and these paths can have both "fill" and "stroke" properties:

    • Fill: This is the inside color of the shape. When you use the fill tool in PowerPoint, it changes this property.
    • Stroke (or Line in PowerPoint): This is the outline color of the shape. The line tool in PowerPoint is used to change this property. The stroke can also have a 'stroke-width' property that determines the thickness of the outline.

    Here's why you might be able to change some SVG icons using the line tool and not others:

    1. SVG Icons Without a Stroke Property: If the SVG icon's paths do not have the stroke property defined, there will be nothing to change with the line tool in PowerPoint. These icons will only be affected by the fill tool.
    2. SVG Icons With a Stroke Property: If the SVG icon's paths have a stroke property, you can change the color of the lines and their thickness using PowerPoint's line tool.

    If you have an SVG that you want to change the stroke properties for but the icon was not created with a stroke, you cannot add a stroke property to it from within PowerPoint. You would need to edit the SVG code directly or use a vector graphic editor (like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape) to add a stroke to the paths. Once a stroke is added, the SVG can be re-imported into PowerPoint, and you should then be able to change the stroke color and width using the line tool.

    If you are familiar with SVG syntax, you can open the SVG file in a text editor and check for the 'stroke' and 'stroke-width' attributes within the path elements. If they are missing or set to "none", the lines will not be visible or editable in terms of color and thickness in PowerPoint. Adding or modifying these attributes will allow the SVG to be edited using the line tool in PowerPoint. However, please proceed with caution, as manual editing can lead to errors if not done correctly.

    I will also keep this thread open.

    Welcome community members and MVPs who have similar experience to share insights and suggestions here.

    Thanks for your time and cooperation! Hope you have a nice day!

    Sincerely,

    Tina | Microsoft Community Moderator

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