Office Settings & Configuration

How to Display a Color Palette on the Side in PowerPoint

Phi Hung Vo Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to dock or display a permanent color palette beside the presentation slide for quick access to custom brand colors.

Can PowerPoint Display a Color Palette on the Side?

Product: Microsoft PowerPoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Designing slides that require frequent application of specific, repetitive custom colors.
Observed behavior: The standard PowerPoint interface does not feature a persistent, dockable color palette on the side of the workspace.

Before you start

Before modifying your presentation's underlying code, it is highly recommended to save a backup copy of your PPTX file and have your custom color HEX codes ready.

Solution 1Recommended

Add Custom Color Themes via XML Editing

Since PowerPoint does not offer a native side-docked palette, editing the presentation's XML allows you to embed a permanent custom color theme directly into the file's color menu.

This method involves opening the structure of your presentation file to manually change the color scheme definitions. While it requires no special software besides a text editor, carefully follow the steps to avoid corrupting the file.

Change the file extension

Locate your presentation file in File Explorer. Right-click the file, select Rename, and change the '.pptx' extension to '.zip'.

Extract the ZIP file

Extract the contents of the newly renamed ZIP file into a new folder.

Locate and edit the theme XML

Navigate to the 'ppt' folder, then open the 'theme' folder. Right-click 'theme1.xml' and open it with Notepad or another plain text editor.

Modify the color scheme

Search for the '<a:clrScheme>' tag. Replace the existing hexadecimal color values (e.g., 'val="FFFFFF"') with your custom brand HEX codes, then save and close the file.

Re-package the presentation

Select all the extracted files and folders, zip them back into a single archive, and rename the extension from '.zip' back to '.pptx'.

XML Modifications: If you are uncomfortable editing XML, you can achieve a similar practical result by drawing small reference shapes outside the slide canvas and using the Eyedropper tool to copy their colors.

Solution 2

Use Off-Slide Reference Shapes as a Mock Palette

Create your own pseudo-palette by placing colored shapes in the gray workspace area outside your slides.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Presentation Design

If you frequently struggle with Microsoft PowerPoint's interface limitations, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, user-friendly environment to manage your presentation themes and elements effortlessly, without needing to manipulate XML files.

1. Download and install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite.
2. Open WPS Presentation: Launch the application and open your existing presentation file.
3. Manage your design themes: Navigate to the Design tab to easily customize and apply global color schemes across all your slides.

Fully compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint formats (.ppt, .pptx)Intuitive and easy-to-use color and theme management toolsFree and lightweight software that won't slow down your deviceFamiliar user interface requiring zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What does MSFT stand for?

In technical forums and discussions regarding Office products, MSFT is an abbreviation for Microsoft. It is also the company's official ticker symbol on the stock market.

Can I save my custom XML color theme for future presentations?

Yes. Once you have successfully edited the XML and opened your modified presentation, you can go to the Design tab, open the Themes dropdown, and select 'Save Current Theme' to use it in future files.

Why is there no default side color palette in standard Office presentations?

Presentation software is generally designed to maximize slide workspace. Color management is typically consolidated into the ribbon menus to keep the interface uncluttered, relying on saved color themes instead of floating palettes.

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