Missing customize colors option (Word for Mac)

In Mac Office the ability to create Theme Colors is available only in PowerPoint. Once created they are available in each of the other programs which support Themes.

Other options include importing from files created using Win Office or writing the XML.

Dear Eric G
Welcome, and thank you sincerely for sharing your concern on the QA forum.

From the details you've provided, I understand you're experiencing difficulty using Microsoft Word on your new MacBook Pro, specifically, when attempting to select theme colors under the Design tab, the "Customize Colors" option that typically appears at the bottom of the list in Windows is missing.

After reviewing this issue, I’d like to gently clarify that this is a known limitation in the macOS version of Word. Unlike its Windows counterpart, Word for Mac does not currently support direct customization of theme colors within the application. I understand how frustrating this may feel, especially when you're trying to set up a professional template, and I appreciate your patience and understanding.

That said, there are still alternative ways to achieve similar results. I’d be happy to guide you through the most straightforward method:

• Open PowerPoint on your Mac.
• Navigate to the Design tab → select Colors → you should see the Customize Colors option.
  
• Create your desired color palette and save it.
  
• Then open Word → go to the Design tab → Colors → your newly created theme will appear and can be applied.
  

For more advanced users, there is also the option to create a custom XML file containing your theme colors and place it in the following directory:

~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Themes/Theme Colors/

I hope these suggestions help ease the inconvenience and bring you closer to the result you’re aiming for.
If you encounter any further issues or have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here and happy to assist you.

"If the answer is helpful, please click ""Accept Answer"" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click ""Comment"".

Note: Please follow the steps in [our documentation] to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread."