Formatting Issues

How to Change the Color of a Line or Shape in Microsoft Office

Natalie Taylor Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to change the color of a line in Microsoft Office but cannot use the fill-color controls.

How to Change the Color of a Line or Shape in Microsoft Office

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Modifying document visual elements by changing a yellow line to an orange line.
Observed behavior: The fill-color controls are unavailable or grayed out because lines do not have an interior fill to modify.

Before you start

Ensure the line or shape you want to edit is selectable. If it is placed behind text or other objects, use the Selection Pane on the Page Layout tab to click it properly.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Line Color Using Shape Outline

Since lines do not have an interior space to fill, you must use the Shape Outline tool to change their color, weight, and style.

In Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, lines are treated as 1D objects. This means the standard 'Shape Fill' option is disabled. All modifications to a line's appearance are handled exclusively through the outline settings.

Select the line

Click directly on the line you want to change. If you have multiple lines, you can hold the Ctrl key while clicking to select them simultaneously.

Open Shape Format

Look at the top ribbon menu and click on the 'Shape Format' tab (sometimes just labeled 'Format'), which appears automatically when a shape is selected.

Choose Shape Outline

In the Shape Styles group, click the 'Shape Outline' dropdown button and select your desired color, such as orange, from the palette.

Additional Formatting: From the same 'Shape Outline' dropdown menu, you can also hover over 'Weight' to make the line thicker or 'Dashes' to change it to a dotted or dashed line.

Solution 2

Change the Fill Color for Solid Shapes

If you are working with a closed, 2D shape (like a rectangle or circle) rather than a line, use the Shape Fill option.

Edit Shapes Easily in WPS Office

Change Line and Shape Colors Seamlessly with WPS Office

WPS Office provides highly compatible and intuitive shape formatting tools. You can easily adjust line colors, outline weights, and shape fills exactly as you would in Microsoft Office, entirely for free.

1. Select the object: Open your document in WPS Office and click on the line or shape you want to modify.
2. Go to Shape Format: Click on the 'Shape Format' tab that appears at the top of the workspace.
3. Change the color: Click 'Shape Outline' to change the color of a line or border, or use 'Shape Fill' to color the inside of a closed shape.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats like .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx.Identical formatting tools for shapes, lines, and diagrams.Free, lightweight, and features a familiar ribbon interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Shape Fill option grayed out when I select my line?

The 'Shape Fill' option applies only to closed objects that have an interior, such as rectangles or circles. Because a line is a 1-dimensional object, it has no interior space to fill, causing the fill option to be disabled. You must use 'Shape Outline' instead.

How do I make a line thicker in Microsoft Office?

Select the line, navigate to the 'Shape Format' tab, click on 'Shape Outline', hover your cursor over 'Weight', and select the desired line thickness from the list.

Can I apply a custom color that isn't on the standard palette?

Yes. When you click 'Shape Outline' or 'Shape Fill', choose 'More Outline Colors...' or 'More Fill Colors...' at the bottom of the dropdown. This opens a color picker where you can enter specific RGB/HEX codes or choose from a wider spectrum.

Document & File Issues