Importing custom themes is a great way to enhance the look and feel of your Google Slides presentations. Themes allow you to easily apply colors, fonts, backgrounds, and layouts to your slides with just a few clicks.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the complete process of importing themes into Google Slides, from finding themes to applying them. Whether you want to use a theme from another Google Slides presentation or import one from PowerPoint, this guide has got you covered.
Why Import Custom Themes?
Here are some key reasons why importing custom themes can be beneficial:
- Enhances visual appeal – Themes instantly change the entire look of your presentation. An imported theme with great design can make your slides look clean, professional and visually engaging.
- Saves time – Creating beautiful slides from scratch can be time-consuming. With pre-made themes, you can skip the design process and focus on content creation.
- Provides consistency – Using the same theme across multiple presentations creates consistency in your personal or company branding.
- Easy to apply – It only takes a few seconds to import and apply a Google Slides theme. This simplicity allows you to test out multiple themes fast.
Step 1 – Access Theme Options
To import a theme, you first need to access the theme options menu:
On web:
- Go to Slide > Change Theme
- Or click the Change Theme button from the toolbar
On Android/iOS:
- Tap on the 3-dot menu icon
- Select Change Theme
This will open up the theme options sidebar where you can browse, import and manage themes.
Step 2 – Import Google Slides Theme
In the theme sidebar, click on the “Import theme” option at the bottom. A pop-up will open allowing you to import in two ways:
Upload Theme File
You can upload a .thmx theme file saved on your computer. Click on “Upload” and select the theme file to import it.
Choose Theme from Google Drive
Alternatively, select an existing Google Slides presentation or PowerPoint file containing the theme you want. Browse through “My Drive” or “Shared Drives”.
Once done, confirm your selection and the theme variants in that file will display. Select the one you want and click “Import theme”.
Step 3 – Apply Imported Theme
The imported theme will now show up in your theme list alongside the built-in options.
To apply it, simply click on the imported theme thumbnail to preview it, then select “Apply” to set it as the theme for your presentation.
That’s it! The imported theme will now be applied to all existing and new slides.
Customizing the Imported Theme
You can customize the imported theme to better match your branding by editing theme elements like:
Colors – Edit colors used for text, backgrounds, shapes etc.
Fonts – Change font types, sizes and colors.
Backgrounds – Modify background images or solid colors.
Layouts – Edit spacing, positioning and arrangements per slide layout.
To access the theme editor, go to Slide > Edit Theme from the menu. Make changes to different masters and layouts and save the theme when done.
Importing Themes on Mobile
The Google Slides mobile app also allows importing themes in just a few taps:
- Tap on ≡ menu
- Choose Themes
- Select Custom at the top
- Tap on Import Theme
- Browse and select a theme file
- Choose the variant and confirm import
The imported theme will now show up in your theme list on mobile as well.
FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about importing Google Slides themes:
Can I import a PowerPoint theme?
Yes, Google Slides allows you to directly import themes from PowerPoint presentation files. Simply select the PPTX file containing the theme you want.
Where do I find themes to import?
There are many free and premium themes available online that are 100% compatible with Google Slides. Some great places to find them are SlidesCarnival, Slidesgo, SlidesMania and SlideModel.
What file type does Google Slides use for themes?
Themes in Google Slides have a .thmx extension. So when downloading themes for Google Slides, get ones saved as THMX files.
What’s the easiest way to access theme options?
The fastest way to open theme options is by clicking the Change Theme button from the toolbar. Alternatively, go to Slide > Change Theme.
Conclusion
Importing themes gives presentations a complete makeover while requiring minimal effort. Whether you want consistency across slides or make boring presentations visually appealing, leveraging pre-made themes is a great choice.
So explore some professionally designed themes, import them into your presentations, and customize them to create beautiful, branded slides in minutes!
