To change a border color in PowerPoint, select the shape or text box, open Shape Format (or Format) > Shape Outline, and choose a color. For pictures, use Picture Border; for table cells, choose Pen Color, then apply it through Borders.
The Windows instructions cover PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 and PowerPoint 2024, with Mac and browser differences identified below. If you need help selecting and working with slide objects, start with creating your first PowerPoint presentation.
The short version
- Shapes and text boxes: Select the outer edge, then choose a color under Shape Outline.
- Pictures: Select the image and change its outline through Picture Border.
- Tables: Choose Pen Color, then use Borders to apply the color to selected edges.
- Whole slides: Use an unfilled rectangle as a border, or edit an inherited border on its slide master.
| What you want to change | Control to use | What to select |
|---|---|---|
| Shape or text box border | Shape Outline | The object's outer edge |
| Separate border lines | Shape Outline | One or more lines |
| Outlines around letters | Text Outline | The text |
| Picture outline | Picture Border | The picture |
| Decorative frame inside an image | Recolor | The entire image |
| Selected table edges | Pen Color, then Borders | The table cells |
| Individual table edges | Pen Color, then the pencil pointer | Each edge to paint |
| Unwanted table edges | Eraser | Each edge to remove |
| Table border preset | Table Styles | The table |
| Rectangle around a slide | No Fill and Shape Outline | The border rectangle |
| Border color through the formatting pane | Format Shape > Line | The border shape |
| Inherited slide border | Slide Master | The border on its master or layout |
| Border inside a slide background | Format Background or Background | The slide receiving a replacement image |
| SmartArt outline | Format > Shape Outline | The graphic or a component |
| Chart border | Format > Shape Outline | The chart element |
| Video border | Video Border | The video |
| Camera cameo border | Camera Border | The cameo |
| SVG or Office icon outline | Graphics Outline | The SVG or icon |
| Border matching an existing color | Eyedropper | The object receiving the color |
| Border copied from another object | Format Painter or formatting shortcuts | The source object, then the target |
Change a shape or text box border
Click the outer edge of the shape or text box, then select Shape Format (or Format) > Shape Outline. Choose your color from the palette. On Windows, you can also use Home > Drawing > Shape Outline.
For a custom shade on Windows, select More Outline Colors. Choose a color under Standard or Custom, then select OK. To change several shapes or text boxes together, hold Ctrl while selecting their outer edges before choosing the color.
In PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac, select the object and open Shape Format, then the arrow beside Shape Outline. Choose a color or select More Outline Colors to mix one. Select No Outline if you want to remove the border.
In PowerPoint for the web, select the shape and open Shape > Shape Outline. Select a palette color, or choose More Outline Colors and pick one in Custom Colors.
Separate lines used as borders use the same outline controls. To recolor several lines together, hold Ctrl on Windows or in the browser, or Command on Mac, while selecting them. Then choose the outline color once for the selection.
Use Shape Outline for the perimeter of a text box. If you want to color the outlines of the letters themselves on Windows, select the text, then choose Shape Format > WordArt Styles > Text Outline and a color.
Change the border around a picture
On Windows, select the picture, then open Picture Format > Picture Border and choose a color. In PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac, select the picture and open the arrow beside Picture Border on Picture Format. Choose a color, select More Outline Colors for a custom shade, or select No Outline to remove the border.
In the browser, select the picture and open Picture > Picture Border, then choose a color. That menu also contains Weight and line-style controls for changing the border's thickness or appearance. Choose No Outline to remove a custom outline.
A decorative frame embedded in a picture needs different treatment because Picture Border adds an outline around the image. In Microsoft 365 or PowerPoint 2024 on Windows, select the image and open Picture Format > Color > Recolor, then choose a preset. For additional choices, select More Variations > More Colors.
In PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac, select the image and open Format Picture > Picture Color > Recolor, then choose a preset. Recoloring changes the image as a whole, including any other content within it.
Apply a new color to table borders
On Windows or Mac desktop, select the table cells whose borders you want to change. Open Table Design > Pen Color and choose the color, then open Table Design > Borders and choose the edges that should receive it. Choosing a pen color alone does not complete the border change.
For additional shades on Windows, select More Border Colors and use Standard or Custom. On Mac, select More Colors. Apply your choice through Borders after setting the color.
To paint individual edges, choose a color under Table Design > Pen Color, then click each edge while the pointer is a pencil. To remove unwanted edges, select Table Design > Eraser, then click those edges.
For a preset, select the table and open Table Design > Table Styles. Choose a style with suitable border formatting. This option is also available in PowerPoint for the web.
Add or recolor a border around the slide
PowerPoint has no dedicated slide-border tool, so create the border with a rectangle. Select Insert > Shapes, choose a rectangle, and draw or resize it around the slide. On desktop, open Shape Format > Shape Fill > No Fill, then select Shape Outline and choose your border color.
In the browser, use Shape > Shape Fill > No Fill, followed by Shape > Shape Outline and your color. For an existing rectangle border, select it and change its outline.
On Windows desktop, you can also right-click the border rectangle, select Format Shape, and expand Line to change its color. On Mac, select the rectangle and open Shape Format > Format Pane, then use Shape Options > Line.
If the border belongs to a master or layout, open View > Slide Master on desktop and select the master or layout containing it. Select the border shape, then choose its color through Shape Format > Shape Outline. Finish with Slide Master > Close Master View on Windows or Slide Master > Close Master on Mac.
Editing a master or layout affects slides that use it; locally overridden objects need separate changes. If the border is embedded in the slide background, prepare a replacement background image with the border color you want.
On desktop, open Design > Format Background > Picture or texture fill. Under Picture Source, select Insert and choose the replacement image. In the browser, open Design > Background > Insert Picture > From Device and choose the image. Select Apply to All if you want that background throughout the presentation.
Change borders on other slide objects
For SmartArt on Windows or Mac, select the graphic or the specific component you want to change. Open Format > Shape Outline and choose a color, or select No Outline to remove the selected outline.
For a chart on desktop, select the element directly or choose it through Format > Current Selection > Chart Elements. Open Format > Shape Outline and choose a color. You can target the chart or plot area, legend, title, labels, or data markers.
For a custom chart outline color, select More Outline Colors, choose the color in Colors, then select OK. To remove the selected element's border, choose No Outline.
On Windows, select a video object that exposes Video Format, then choose Video Border and a color. For a camera cameo on desktop, select the object and use Camera Format > Camera Border, then choose your color. In PowerPoint for the web, the Camera Format tab also lets you apply a border to the cameo.
For an SVG image or Office icon on Windows desktop, select the graphic and open Graphics Format > Graphics Outline, then choose a color. On Mac, the contextual tab is named Graphic Format; select Graphics Outline there.
Match an existing color precisely
On Windows, select the object and open its outline color menu, such as Shape Format > Shape Outline. Choose Eyedropper, hold the mouse button while pointing at the color you want, then release to apply it. Press Esc to cancel.
On Mac, select the object and open Shape Format > Shape Outline > More Outline Colors. In Colors, select the eyedropper, click the color to sample, then select OK.
The eyedropper is unavailable in PowerPoint for the web. Use More Outline Colors > Custom Colors to choose a custom shade, or select Open in Desktop App to use the eyedropper in an installed, licensed desktop version.
Reuse a border style across objects
On Windows, select an object with the border formatting you want, select Home > Format Painter, then click the target object. To format several targets, double-click Format Painter before selecting them, then press Esc when finished. It copies additional formatting too, including more than the border color.
To copy formatting with Windows keyboard shortcuts, select the source object and press Ctrl + Shift + C. Select the target object and press Ctrl + Shift + V. Select the objects themselves rather than text inside them.
On Mac, select the source object and press Command + Shift + C. Select the target object and press Command + Shift + V to apply the copied formatting.
Fix borders that will not change
If changing a text outline colors the letters, select the text box's outer edge and return to Shape Outline. If a table border stays the same after you choose Pen Color, select the cells and apply the color through Borders, or paint the edges with the pencil pointer.
If you cannot select a slide border, check its master or layout through View > Slide Master on desktop. If the border is part of an image or background instead, recolor the image or replace the background using the steps above.
If you need additional border controls while working in the browser, select Open in Desktop App. You need an installed, licensed PowerPoint desktop application. In that editor, select the object and use its Shape Format, Picture Format, or Table Design controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change all theme-linked border colors at once?
Yes, on desktop, open Design > Variants, open the gallery arrow, then select Colors and choose a palette. Borders linked to affected theme colors update, while fixed custom colors do not automatically follow the change. On Windows, you can also select Colors > Customize Colors, change a theme slot such as Accent 1, enter a Name, and select Save.
Can you make a border color the default for new shapes?
In PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Windows, format a shape with the outline color you want, right-click it, and select Set as Default Shape. New shapes in that presentation inherit its formatting. Existing shapes still require separate changes.
Can you apply a picture frame on a phone with a screen reader?
On Android with TalkBack, select the picture, open Styles, navigate to a preset, and double-tap to apply it. On iOS with VoiceOver, select the picture, open Picture style, choose a preset, and double-tap to apply it. These routes apply preset frames rather than an arbitrary border color.
Can a SmartArt box have a gradient border?
Yes, in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 and PowerPoint 2024 for Windows, right-click the SmartArt box, select Format Shape, and expand Line. Choose Gradient line and adjust its color controls. Use Transparency if you want the border to appear lighter.