Open the Format menu and choose Background. |
The Background dialog box opens. Click the color drop-down arrow and click Fill Effects. |
The Fill Effects dialog box opens. Click the Gradient tab if it is not already displayed. |
Click the One Color or Two Colors option. Use one color if you want to blend a color with white, or two colors to blend two different colors. |
INTRODUCTIONYou can use a gradient effect as a type of background for your slides. A gradient effect is simply the blending of two colors. You can blend a color with white, or you can blend two different colors. You can apply a gradient background to your slide presentation by mixing colors using options available in the Fill Effects dialog box. You can also control the direction of the blending effect. |
TIPOpening the Background Dialog Box Another way to open the Background dialog box is to use a shortcut menu. Right-click on an empty area of the slide to reveal the shortcut menu, then select Background. |
Select the color drop-down arrows and choose the gradient colors. |
Select a shading style to control the direction of the gradient effect and click OK. |
Click Apply or Apply to All. |
PowerPoint applies the gradient effect. In this example, the effect is applied to all the slides. |
TIPUsing Preset Gradients PowerPoint offers several preset gradient effects you can apply. In the Fill Effects dialog box, click the Gradient tab and click the Preset option instead of choosing a color. This displays the Preset Colors option. Click the option to view a list of available gradients and select the one you want to apply. Click OK to apply the effect. |
TIPControlling Color Intensity If you choose the One Color option for your gradient effect, you can control the darkness and lightness levels of the effect by clicking the Dark and Light arrow buttons. |