Adding images to your PowerPoint presentations can make them more visually appealing and help convey your message more effectively. Sometimes you may want to customize the image by changing the color of only a specific part, rather than the whole image. PowerPoint makes it easy to recolor portions of a picture, allowing you to make images that perfectly match your presentation.
Step 1: Insert the Picture
First, insert the picture you want to edit into your PowerPoint slide. To do this:
- Go to the Insert tab
- Click Pictures
- Select the image from your computer files, PowerPoint’s stock image library, or an online source
- The picture will now be inserted into your slide
Make sure you insert a high-quality image, otherwise recoloring part of it could look pixelated.
Step 2: Select the Section to Recolor
Next, you need to select the specific section of the image that you want to recolor:
- Right-click on the image
- Click Format Picture
- Go to the Picture Color tab
- Click the icon under Recolor at the bottom
- Choose the color you want that section to become
PowerPoint will automatically recolor any portion of the image containing colors similar to what you selected to the new color.
You can also customize the color further by clicking More Variations > More Colors.
Step 3. Adjust the Transparency
The recolored section may stand out too starkly from the original image. To make the transition smoother:
- Go to Picture Transparency in the Format tab
- Adjust the transparency slider to reduce the recolored section’s opacity
Lowering the opacity to around 50-60% usually blends recolored sections seamlessly.
Step 4. Fine-Tune with Shapes
For more precise recoloring, you can also use PowerPoint’s shape tools:
- Insert shapes like rectangles or ovals over specific parts of the image
- Fill the shapes with colors to cover the desired sections
- Adjust the shape’s transparency to partially show the original color underneath
Combining recoloring with semi-transparent shapes lets you recolor very specific portions of an image.
Step 5. Save and Reuse Your Edited Picture
Once you finish editing the image, you can save your changes to reuse the picture in other slides or presentations:
- Right-click on the edited picture
- Select Save as Picture
- Choose a file location and name
- Click Save
The picture will be saved with the recolored sections incorporated for easy reuse later.
Conclusion
With just a few clicks, you can recolor parts of a picture in PowerPoint to create custom images tailored to your presentation. Experiment with different color variations and transparency levels to make recolored sections fit seamlessly into your original image.
