Google Slides comes with a limited set of built-in themes, but you aren’t stuck with them. The quickest way to get more is to import a theme from another presentation: open Slide > Change theme, click Import theme at the bottom of the Themes panel, and pick any Google Slides or PowerPoint file you can access. Its colors, fonts, backgrounds, and layouts become available in your deck.
You can also start from a ready-made design in the template gallery, insert slides from Google’s Templates panel, build your own theme by editing the theme’s master and layouts, or download free designs from template websites and import them. This guide covers each option on a computer, plus what works on Android.
Quick Answer
- Open your presentation in Google Slides on a computer.
- Click Slide > Change theme to open the Themes panel on the right.
- Click a built-in theme, or click Import theme at the bottom right.
- Double-click the presentation you want to borrow from, select its theme, and click Import theme.
- For a fully custom look, click Slide > Edit theme and change the master, layouts, and colors.
In This Guide
- Before you start
- Method 1: Switch to a different built-in theme
- Method 2: Import a theme from another presentation
- Method 3: Use the template gallery and the Templates panel
- Method 4: Create a custom theme with Edit theme
- Method 5: Get themes from template websites and add-ons
- Change the theme on Android
- Which option should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start
These steps follow Google Docs Editors Help as of September 2026. A few terms Google uses:
- Theme: a preset group of colors, fonts, background, and layouts that applies to the whole presentation.
- Layout: the way text and images are arranged on one slide, such as Title slide or Title and body.
- Template: a pre-designed set of slides that already includes a theme plus sample content.
- Master: the top-level slide in the theme editor. Changes to it flow down to every layout.
What you need:
- A Google Account and a web browser on a computer. Importing and editing themes are computer features.
- For importing, a Google Slides or PowerPoint file that contains the design you want. It can be in your Google Drive or uploaded from your computer.
Method 1: Switch to a Different Built-in Theme
Start here if you just want a new look quickly.
- Open your presentation in Google Slides.
- At the top, click Slide > Change theme. Expected result: the Themes panel opens on the right. The theme you’re using now is usually listed first, under “In this presentation.”
- Scroll through the list and click a theme. Expected result: every slide updates to the new colors, fonts, and backgrounds.
- If you don’t like it, click another theme or press Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on a Mac) to undo.
- Close the panel with the X at its top right.
A new theme changes all slides at once. Text you typed stays in place, but it may shift if the new theme’s layouts use different font sizes, so check each slide afterward.
Method 2: Import a Theme From Another Presentation
This is the main way to get more themes than the built-in list. Any presentation you can open can serve as a theme source, including decks from coworkers, your company’s branded deck, or a PowerPoint file you downloaded.
- Open the presentation you want to restyle.
- Click Slide > Change theme.
- At the bottom right of the Themes panel, click Import theme. Expected result: a file picker opens showing presentations in your Google Drive.
- Double-click the presentation you want to use. If the file is on your computer instead of in Drive, look for an upload option in the picker (the tab name can vary).
- Click the theme you want. Some files contain more than one theme.
- Click Import theme. Expected result: the imported theme is applied and appears in your Themes panel under “In this presentation.”
Tip: If some slides still look old after the import, select them, click Layout in the toolbar, and pick one of the new theme’s layouts. Slides only take on a layout’s design when they use that layout.
Importing from PowerPoint works, but fonts and effects that Google Slides doesn’t support may be substituted. If you’re moving slides that were built in Canva, see how to put Canva slides into Google Slides.
Google’s full instructions are on the Google Slides theme, background, and layout help page.
Method 3: Use the Template Gallery and the Templates Panel
Start a new deck from the template gallery
- In any open presentation, click File > New > From Template Gallery. You can also open the gallery from the Google Slides home screen.
- Click a template. Expected result: a new presentation opens with that design and sample slides.
- Replace the sample text and images with your own.
Because a template carries its own theme, you can later import that theme into other decks with Method 2.
Insert template slides into an existing deck
- In your presentation, click Templates at the top left.
- Click the template you want.
- Insert an individual slide, or click Insert all slides.
Google notes that these Slides templates are currently available only in the English (US) locale, so the button may not appear if your account uses another language.
Work or school accounts: your organization’s gallery
If your organization has custom templates turned on, the template gallery includes a tab with your organization’s name. To share a branded deck there, click Template gallery, select your organization’s name, and click Submit template. Details are in Google’s tips for formatting and customizing documents. You need permission to change the file’s sharing settings to submit it.
Method 4: Create a Custom Theme With Edit Theme
If no existing theme fits, make your own. You edit the theme once, and every slide that uses it updates.
- Click Slide > Edit theme. Expected result: the theme editor opens. The slide at the top of the left column is usually the master, and the slides below it are layouts.
- Select the master to set fonts, colors, and backgrounds that should apply everywhere.
- Select an individual layout to change only that layout, such as adding a logo to the Title slide layout.
- To set theme colors, click Colors at the top. Under Theme colors, choose a color from the drop-down and pick a new value, including a custom hex code.
- If your version shows a theme name at the top of the editor, click it to give the theme a clear name.
- Close the theme editor with the X at the top right.
Before you start editing: changes to the master affect every slide in the deck. Duplicate the presentation first (File > Make a copy) if you want an easy way back.
Keep a custom theme simple: one or two fonts and a small color palette are easier to read. For more ideas, see how to decorate Google Slides.
Change the background without a new theme
- Select a slide and click Slide > Change background.
- Next to Color, click the box to pick a color, or next to Image, click Choose to add a picture.
- Click Done to change one slide, or Add to theme to use it across the theme.
Background images must be .gif, .jpg, or .png files smaller than 50 MB. To recolor individual shapes instead, see how to change the color of a shape in Google Slides.
Method 5: Get Themes From Template Websites and Add-ons
Template websites
Many websites offer free and paid presentation designs that work with Google Slides. They usually give you one of two options:
- Make a copy: a link that copies the design into your Google Drive. Open that copy and then use Method 2 to import its theme into your own deck.
- Download a .pptx file: upload it to Google Drive or import it directly with Import theme.
Before you use a downloaded design, check its license. Many free designs require credit to the creator or forbid commercial use. Only download from sites you trust, and avoid files that ask you to install software.
Add-ons
- Click Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons.
- Search for a theme or template add-on and click it to read the description and reviews.
- Click Install > Continue, review the data access request carefully, and click Allow only if you’re comfortable with it.
- Click Done, then open the add-on from the Extensions menu.
Google’s add-ons help page notes that some add-ons may not work correctly if your browser blocks third-party cookies.
Change the Theme on Android
- Open the presentation in the Google Slides app.
- Double-tap the slide you want to change.
- At the top right, tap More (three dots) > Change theme.
- Tap the theme you want.
Importing themes, editing the theme, and changing the background require a computer. On iPhone and iPad, options can differ by app version, so use a computer for anything beyond the basics.
Which Option Should You Use?
| Goal | Best option |
|---|---|
| A quick new look | Built-in theme (Method 1) |
| Match a company or coworker’s deck | Import theme (Method 2) |
| Starting a new deck with sample slides | Template gallery (Method 3) |
| Unique branding with your logo and colors | Edit theme (Method 4) |
| A large choice of ready-made designs | Template websites (Method 5) |
Troubleshooting
The Themes panel doesn’t appear
Open it manually with Slide > Change theme. If you closed it earlier, it stays hidden until you reopen it this way.
The imported theme didn’t change every slide
Slides with manual formatting or custom backgrounds usually keep those overrides. Select the slide, apply a layout from the new theme with Layout, or reset the background with Slide > Change background.
I can’t find the file in Import theme
Make sure the file is in your Google Drive or shared with your account. Search by name in the picker, or upload the file from your computer first.
Fonts look wrong after importing a PowerPoint theme
Google Slides replaces fonts it doesn’t have. Open Slide > Edit theme, select the master, and set a font available in Google Slides.
The Templates button is missing
Google Slides templates are currently limited to the English (US) locale. Use the template gallery (File > New > From Template Gallery) or import a theme instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use more than one theme in one presentation?
A theme applies to the whole presentation, but importing a theme adds its layouts to your deck. You can then assign those layouts to specific slides with Layout. Results vary, so check each slide.
Are imported themes saved for my other presentations?
No. An imported theme lives in the presentation you imported it into. Repeat Import theme in other decks, or keep a “theme source” file in Drive to import from.
Are Google Slides themes free?
Built-in themes and the template gallery are free with a Google Account. Third-party sites and add-ons may charge for some designs.
Can I use a PowerPoint template in Google Slides?
Yes. Use Import theme to bring in its theme, or upload the .pptx file to Drive and open it in Google Slides.
Does changing the theme delete my content?
No. Your text and images stay, although positions and sizes can shift. Undo with Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on a Mac) if the result isn’t right.
Can I change themes on my phone?
On Android, yes: double-tap a slide, tap More, and then Change theme. Importing and editing themes need a computer.
Summary
- Click Slide > Change theme to browse the built-in themes.
- Click Import theme to borrow a theme from any Google Slides or PowerPoint file.
- Use File > New > From Template Gallery or the Templates button for complete designs.
- Use Slide > Edit theme to build your own theme on the master and layouts.
- Download designs from trusted template sites and import them, checking the license first.
Next step: open a presentation you like, then import its theme into your current deck with Slide > Change theme > Import theme.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.