How to Make Microsoft Office Word Themes

Microsoft Office Word themes are a collection of preset fonts, colors and style effects you can use to apply consistent formatting and color schemes throughout your document. You can create your own theme, setting the fonts and color and choosing from the available effects to customize your own unique look. Create a conservative theme that matches your business logo, a bright and bouncy theme for party invitations or an everyday theme using your favorite fonts, colors and effects.

Instructions

1. Launch Microsoft Word. Create a new document ("Office Button," "New") or open an existing document ("Office Button," "Open").

2. Click the "Page Layout" tab.

3. Click the "Theme Colors" button in the Themes group to open the menu.

4. Select "Create New Theme Colors" at the bottom of the menu to open the Create New Theme Colors color picker window.

5. Click the color swatch button next to each item under "Theme Colors" and click on one of the color swatches to set that item's color. If you do not see a color you like, click "More Colors" and choose from the swatches under the "Standard" tab or use the "Custom" color picker to create exactly the color you want. Colors set in the More Colors window will be added to the "Recent Colors" list.

6. Type a name for your theme colors in the "Name" box at the bottom of the window.

7. Click "Save" to save your theme colors. Your theme will be listed in the "Theme Colors" menu.

8. Click the "Theme Fonts" button in the Themes group to open the menu.

9. Select "Create New Theme Fonts" at the bottom of the menu to open the Create New Theme Fonts window.

10. Select new heading and body fonts from the drop-down menus.

11. Type a new name for your theme fonts in the "Name" box.

12. Click "Save" to save your theme fonts. Your theme will be listed in the "Theme Fonts" menu.

13. Click the "Theme Effects" button in the Themes group to open the menu.

14. Select a theme effect. Effects are a set of predefined lines and fill effects for shapes, SmartArt, and other objects. Effects cannot be customized, but the effect you choose will be saved in your theme.

15. Click the "Themes" button in the Themes group to open the menu.

16. Click "Save Current Theme" to open the Save Current Theme window.

17. Type a file name in the "File Name" box. The file name (not including the .thmx file extension) will be used as the title for the theme. Your theme will be listed on the "Themes" button menu.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use the preset color and font themes in your theme instead of creating your own. Simply choose the preset theme you want before saving your theme.

• Change your theme colors and theme fonts by right-clicking the theme title in the menu and selecting "Edit." Save changes to your current theme by selecting "Save Current Theme" in the "Themes" menu.

• If you explicitly set fonts and colors within your document, the selected theme will not change it from the style you set. You can reset colors and fonts to the theme by reapplying the corresponding default style in the Styles group on the Home ribbon.

References

• Microsoft Office: Apply, Ccustomize, and Save a Document Theme in Word or Excel

Resources

• Microsoft Office: All About themes, Quick Styles, Cell Styles, and Background Styles