---
title: "Slide Masters"
description: "Set presentation-wide branding, layouts, placeholders, colors, and fonts"
---

A Slide Master defines shared presentation styling: fonts, colors, backgrounds, logos, and content placement. Its layouts define the slide types you choose when adding a slide.

The master is stored inside the presentation, so it travels with the file when you share it. Changes to a master or layout affect slides that use it, subject to any formatting overrides on those slides.

## Open Slide Master view

Open **View** > **Slide Master** in PowerPoint. The left pane shows the master at the top, with its layouts underneath. Work within your company's existing master when you want to preserve its branding.

<Frame caption="Open Slide Master from the View tab">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-01.png" alt="Open Slide Master from the View tab" width="1615" height="187" />
</Frame>

<Frame caption="The master and its associated slide layouts appear in the left pane">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-03.png" alt="The master and its associated slide layouts appear in the left pane" width="371" height="1037" />
</Frame>

A presentation can contain several masters for different themes or styles. Check that you are changing the one used by the relevant slides.

## Edit a layout

Select the layout you want to change. Adjust its shared objects and content areas, or use **Insert Layout** to add a new layout.

<Frame caption="A layout defines shared branding and content areas">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-04.png" alt="A layout defines shared branding and content areas" width="1756" height="995" />
</Frame>

## Add placeholders

Use **Insert Placeholder** on a layout to define where text, pictures, charts, or other content should go.

<Frame caption="Choose the content type for a new placeholder">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-05.png" alt="Choose the content type for a new placeholder" width="245" height="692" />
</Frame>

Grunt's [Snap to placeholder](/powerpoint-add-in/user/themes-and-defaults#snap-to-a-placeholder) command uses those areas to size and place Grunt objects consistently.

## Set backgrounds and colors

Use **Background Styles** for the layout's background fills.

<Frame caption="Background Styles provides theme-related fills">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-06.png" alt="Background Styles provides theme-related fills" width="525" height="453" />
</Frame>

Use the theme color controls to configure text/background colors and the six accent colors. Grunt uses those accent colors when inserting charts and graphics.

<Frame caption="Theme color settings define the presentation&#x27;s accent palette">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-07.png" alt="Theme color settings define the presentation&#x27;s accent palette" width="771" height="834" />
</Frame>

## Choose fonts

Set **Heading** and **Body** fonts in the master's font settings. PowerPoint uses the heading font for headings; Grunt uses the body font for its inserted content.

<Frame caption="Set the heading and body fonts for the theme">
  <img src="/images/powerpoint-add-in/support/slide-masters-in-powerpoint-08.png" alt="Set the heading and body fonts for the theme" width="754" height="377" />
</Frame>

Close Master View when finished, then verify a normal slide and a Grunt chart. To reuse the theme for future presentations, follow [Themes and defaults](/powerpoint-add-in/user/themes-and-defaults#set-the-default-theme).

For PowerPoint's own guide, see [Microsoft: What is a slide master?](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/what-is-a-slide-master-in-powerpoint-b9abb2a0-7aef-4257-a14e-4329c904da54).