# How do I change default shape color to black in PowerPoint 2007?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-default-shape-color-to-black-in-powerpoint-2007/537746>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 29, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-default-shape-color-to-black-in-powerpoint-2007/537746 "2010-04-29T14:51:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-default-shape-color-to-black-in-powerpoint-2007/537746/1 "2010-04-29T14:51:29Z")

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In PowerPoint 2007, the default line color for new shapes is this ugly blue, with a too-dark blue fill color as well. I use black most of the time, and would prefer that as the default line color for all shapes. I’m sure I could come up with a fill color I’d like better as well. Bonus points for how to change the default line width as well.

How can I _globally_ set the default line and fill colors, so I only have to do this _once_ per computer I use? I tried changing the color scheme under PowerPoint Options from blue to black, but that didn’t affect the default shape colors.

**Note:** I know I can change the default for a given shape by right clicking and selecting “Set as Default \<whatever\>”, but there are hundreds of shapes, and I work on multiple computers. Having to make this change for every shape on every computer is insane and will make **ZenBeam** kill puppies.

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**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-default-shape-color-to-black-in-powerpoint-2007/537746/2 "2010-04-30T00:28:01Z")

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If you change the formatting for any shape and set it as default all new shapes in that presentation will have that formatting.

Open normal.dotm and do the same thing there, then save normal.dotm. All new presentations will have the same default shape formatting.

Copy normal.dotm to the other machines you use.

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**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-default-shape-color-to-black-in-powerpoint-2007/537746/3 "2010-04-30T00:49:27Z")

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Thanks. I won’t be at work until Monday, so it’ll be a while before I can try this. Where is normal.dotm located?