Microsoft PowerPoint, by default, automatically formats certain types of text as you type. For example, if you type two hyphens with no spaces around them, they’re instantly formatted as an em dash. If you type a network or Internet path, it’s formatted as a hyperlink. Common fractions, such as 1/4 and 1/2, when typed, are changed to fraction symbols. A variety of arrows and variations on the smiley face are changed from type characters to symbols.

Automatic paragraph formatting includes automatic bulleted and numbered lists and resizing of text in text placeholders if the text doesn’t fit at its current font size.

You can turn all the automatic formatting options on or off. Once a formatting option is on, it affects all the text you type subsequently.

Apply a slide layout

• On the Format menu, click Slide Layout.
• On the Slides tab in normal view, select the slides you want to apply a layout to.
• In the Slide Layout task pane, point to the layout you want, and then click it.

Changing the background
You can change the background color or background design on slides, notes, and handouts. Changing the background is useful if you just want a simple shade or texture for a slide background and not all the other design elements in a design template. Or, you might want to change the background to emphasize sections of a presentation. Besides changing the color, you can add shading, a pattern, a texture, or a picture.

When you change the slide background, you can apply the change to the current slide or all slides. For notes, you can change the current notes page or all notes pages. When you change the background for handouts, it applies to all pages as well as the printed outline.

Color schemes
A color scheme consists of the eight colors used in the design of the slide — colors for background, text and lines, shadows, title text, fills, accents, and hyperlinks. A presentation’s color scheme is determined by the design template that’s applied.

You can view a slide’s color scheme by selecting the slide and then displaying the Slide Design-Color Schemes task pane. The color scheme of the selected slide appears selected in the task pane.

The design template includes a default color scheme plus additional schemes you can choose from, all designed for that template. The default or “blank” presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint also contains color schemes.

You can apply a color scheme to one slide, selected slides, or all slides, as well as to notes and handouts.
Modifying color schemes

You can modify a color scheme. Say, for example, you frequently use the same design template and you want to make it look a little different by changing the accent color or the background color. Or, maybe you want to match your presentation’s colors to the theme colors of an event, such as a trade show.

A list showing the eight color scheme colors and what they are used for
You can change the color for any or all elements on the slide.

When you modify a color scheme, the result is a new scheme, which becomes part of your presentation file so that you can easily apply it again.

When you change a color, you can choose from a full range of color options.
Using non-color scheme colors

If you introduce new colors to the presentation that aren’t part of the color scheme — say, by changing the color of a font in one place or making one object a unique color — the new color is added to all color menus, and appears below the eight colors of the color scheme. Seeing all the colors you’re currently using helps you keep colors consistent throughout the presentation.

You can add and display up to eight new colors. Colors you add that aren’t in the color scheme will not change or update if you reapply the scheme or make changes to the design template.

Create a simple border

• On the Drawing toolbar, click the Rectangle Button image and then draw the rectangle the size you want on your slide.
• On the Drawing toolbar, click the arrow next to Fill Color Button image, and then click No Fill.
• On the Drawing toolbar, click the arrow next to Line Color Button image, and then click one of the colors below Automatic, or click More Line Colors to see more options.
• On the Drawing toolbar, click Line Style Button image, and then click the style you want; or click More Lines, and then click a style.

Add or change a background color, fill pattern, or background graphic to slides

If you want to apply the change to selected slides only, select the slides in normal view. Otherwise, the change applies to all slides that follow the design template of the currently selected slide.

On the Format menu, click Background.
Under Background fill, click the arrow below the image, and then do one of the following:
Select a color from the color scheme
Click one of the eight colors displayed.
Select a color outside the color scheme
Click More Colors.
Click the color you want on the Standard tab, or click the Custom tab to mix your own color, and then click OK.

Select a fill effect or picture

• Click Fill Effects, and then do one of the following:
• To use shading, click the Gradient tab, click a type under Colors, click a shading style, and then click OK.
• To use a texture, click the Texture tab, click the texture you want or click Other Texture to select a file and insert it, then click OK.
• To use a pattern, click the Pattern tab, select the pattern you want, select foreground and background colors, then click OK.
• To use a picture, click the Picture tab, click Select Picture to find the picture file you want, click Insert, and then click OK.

Use the background fill from the slide master

Click Automatic.

Do one of the following:
If you want to apply the background to selected slides, click Apply.
If you want to apply the background to all slides, click Apply to All.

If you want to hide the background graphics that are on the slide master, click the Omit background graphics from master check box.