Office Settings & Configuration

How to Restore the Original Green and Blue Office Themes in Word and Excel

Huda Qurayshi Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to revert their Microsoft Word and Excel interfaces back to the original blue and green colorful themes.

How to Restore the Original Green and Blue Office Themes

Product: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The user's Office interface theme has been changed (e.g., to Gray, Black, or White) and they wish to revert to the default colorful appearance.
Observed behavior: The current Office theme is set to a non-default color scheme, and the user expects to see the classic blue for Word and green for Excel.

Before you start

Ensure your Office applications are activated and updated to the latest version, as theme settings synchronize across all apps connected to your Microsoft account.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Office Theme via General Options

This is the most common and direct method to switch your Office applications back to the default Colorful theme.

The quickest way to restore the signature green interface in Excel and the blue interface in Word is by modifying the interface personalization settings in the General Options menu.

Open Word or Excel

Launch Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel on your computer.

Access the Options Menu

Click on the 'File' tab located in the top left corner of the screen, then select 'Options' at the very bottom of the left-hand navigation pane.

Change the Theme Setting

In the 'General' tab, scroll down until you see the 'Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office' section. Click the drop-down menu next to 'Office Theme' and select 'Colorful'.

Apply and Save Changes

Click the 'OK' button at the bottom of the window to save your settings. The interface will instantly update to the original blue for Word and green for Excel.

Change the Office Theme via General Options

Instant Application: You do not need to restart the application; the colorful theme will apply immediately once you click OK.

Solution 2

Update the Theme via Account Settings

In some versions of Microsoft Office, theme settings are prominently located in the Account menu, which also allows you to manage your connected services.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Office theme suddenly change to dark or gray?

Your theme may have changed automatically due to a recent Office software update, or it might be syncing with your Windows operating system's system-wide dark mode settings. Switching the theme back to 'Colorful' manually will override this behavior.

Does changing the theme in Excel also change it in Word?

Yes. Changing the Office Theme in one application, such as Excel, automatically applies that same theme across all connected Microsoft Office applications (like Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook) that are linked to the same user account.

What if the 'Colorful' theme option is missing in my Office settings?

If the 'Colorful' option is not available, you may be using an older version of Office (such as Office 2013, which uses 'White' or 'Light Gray' as standard defaults) or an unactivated software copy. Updating your Office suite to the latest version usually restores the modern theme options.

How can I set my Office theme to match my Windows system settings?

In newer versions of Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365, you can select 'Use system setting' from the Office Theme drop-down menu in the General Options. This setting allows Office to automatically switch between light and dark modes based on your current operating system preferences.

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