Office for Mac Issues

Fix Excel Themes Not Changing Colors on Mac | WPS Support

Tauseeq Magsi Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where applying a new theme in Excel for Mac changes the fonts, but fails to update the existing cell and chart colors.

How to Fix Excel Themes Not Changing Colors on Mac

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Applying a new document theme to an existing Excel workbook to quickly change its overall visual style.
Observed behavior: The selected theme successfully updates the fonts, but previously applied colors and other manual formatting remain completely unchanged.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, ensure that your macOS and Microsoft Office applications are updated to their latest versions to rule out any known display bugs.

Solution 1Recommended

Replace Custom Colors with Theme Colors

Ensure your workbook uses 'Theme Colors' rather than 'Standard Colors'. Themes only update formatting that was explicitly applied using the theme color palette.

When you apply formatting to cells or charts in Excel, you can choose from 'Theme Colors' or 'Standard Colors'. Only the elements utilizing Theme Colors will automatically adapt when you switch to a different document theme. Custom colors applied manually will not change.

Select the affected cells

Highlight the cells or charts in your Excel workbook that are not changing color when a new theme is applied.

Open the color menu

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the Excel ribbon and click the dropdown arrow next to the 'Fill Color' or 'Font Color' icon.

Apply a theme color

Select a color exclusively from the top section labeled 'Theme Colors'. Do not select from 'Standard Colors' or 'More Colors'.

Test the new theme

Go to the 'Page Layout' tab and select a new theme. The colors in your selected cells should now update automatically to match the new theme.

Mac vs. Windows Themes: Excel for Mac fully supports theme fonts and colors. However, unlike the Windows version, it does not support theme effects. If effects are not changing, this is an inherent limitation of the Mac version.

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Try WPS Office for Seamless Spreadsheet Formatting on Mac

If you frequently struggle with formatting limitations or inconsistencies in Excel for Mac, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible, free alternative with an intuitive interface that makes styling and theme management effortless.

1. Visit the WPS Office website: Open your web browser and go to the official WPS Office website to find the Mac download section.
2. Download the Mac installer: Click on the free download button and save the WPS Office DMG file to your Mac.
3. Install and run: Open the downloaded DMG file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder to complete the installation.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsIntuitive and reliable theme and color management systemLightweight application that runs smoothly on macOSFree to use with comprehensive spreadsheet tools

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my fonts change but not my colors when applying a theme?

This happens because the cells were formatted using standard or custom colors instead of theme colors. Excel themes are designed to only overwrite fonts and colors that are explicitly designated as 'Theme Colors' in the formatting menu.

Does Excel for Mac support all theme features available on Windows?

No. Excel for Mac supports theme fonts and theme colors, but it does not support theme effects, which are currently only available in the Windows version of Excel.

How can I check my current Excel and macOS version?

To check your macOS version, click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select 'About This Mac'. For Excel, open the application, click 'Excel' in the top menu bar, and select 'About Microsoft Excel'.

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