PowerPoint XP: Applying a Design Template

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PowerPoint XP offers several design templates to help you create an attractive slides presentation. These templates are available in several colors and styles. You can apply a design to existing slides or begin a new presentation with a template.

What is a Design Template

A design template is a pre-formatted slide design that comes with integrated colors, graphics, effects, and text styles. Some key things to know:

  • Templates retain the layouts you have chosen for each slide (e.g. title, bulleted list)
  • PowerPoint automatically applies the same template to all slides, which provides continuity
  • They come in different color schemes and graphics styles
  • They save time compared to formatting each slide individually

Ways to Apply a Design Template

There are a few different ways to apply a design template in PowerPoint XP:

Start New Presentation

  1. Open PowerPoint
  2. Click “New” > “From Design Template”
  3. Browse the template options and click one to apply it
  4. PowerPoint will create a new presentation using that template

Apply Template to Existing Slides

  1. Open your existing PowerPoint presentation
  2. Select the slides you want to apply the template to
  3. Go to Format > Slide Design
  4. Browse the templates and click one to apply it

You can apply a template to all or selected slides.

Change Template Mid-Presentation

  1. Click on a slide
  2. Go to Format > Slide Design
  3. Browse templates and select a new one to switch the design

Customizing Design Templates

While templates come with pre-formatted designs, you can customize them:

  • Edit Color Scheme: Change the theme colors used in the template
  • Modify Text: Edit template text styles and placeholder text
  • Add Graphics: Insert your own logo, images, icons, etc.
  • Rearrange Layouts: Move around layout elements as needed
  • Animate Objects: Add transitions, animations, etc.

To edit a template’s slide master:

  1. View > Master > Slide Master
  2. Select the layouts you want to edit
  3. Make formatting changes to text styles, colors, graphics, etc.

Tips for Using Design Templates

  • Preview larger versions of templates using the preview pane before applying
  • Use similar templates across presentations for consistency
  • Start with templates for quick formatting, then customize
  • Apply different templates to different sections
  • Use professional template packs for more options

Benefits of Using Templates

There are many benefits of using PowerPoint design templates:

  • Save time compared to formatting slides individually
  • Provide professional, consistent look across slides
  • Come with integrated color schemes and graphics
  • Offer pre-made slide layouts you can use right away
  • Give presentations a clean, polished design
  • Allow for easy customization as needed
  • Help guide presentation structure with layout options

So if you want to create an attractive, professional-looking PowerPoint presentation in less time, using a design template is the way to go!

Examples of Design Templates

Here are a few examples of design templates available in PowerPoint XP:

Minimalist Templates

Minimalist Template

Minimalist templates feature clean, simple slide layouts with plenty of negative space. They let your content shine rather than overpowering it with too many graphics.

Elegant Templates

Elegant Template

Elegant templates have a polished, upscale look featuring stylish fonts, soft colors, and decorative elements like ribbons or floral patterns. They are ideal for formal business presentations.

Creative Templates

Creative Template

Creative templates feature bright colors, funky fonts, shapes, illustrations, and playful layouts. They are great for more casual, imaginative presentations.

As you can see, there are templates suitable for any presentation style and audience!

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