How to Change a Theme and Make it the Default in Excel

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Learn how to set a custom default theme color in Excel in our latest tutorial video. Ideal for those who frequently use Excel and want to personalize their experience.
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Key takeaways include:
Understanding Excel's Theme Limitation
▪️ Excel doesn't offer a direct option to set a default theme color, unlike Word.
Defining Your Custom Theme
▪️ Create a theme by choosing your preferred colors, fonts, and effects.
▪️ Understand the importance of theme colors in chart presentations.
Saving Your Theme
▪️ Save your custom theme for future use.
Creating an Excel Template
▪️ Save a blank Excel spreadsheet with your theme as a template in the Excel Start folder.
▪️ Important tips: Remove the default numbering (like 'Book 1') and save it as an Excel template.
Accessing Your Custom Theme
▪️ Open Excel and create a new document to see your custom theme applied automatically.
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#excel

[@LeilaGharani]

Get access to the complete Excel Essentials course here 👉 www.xelplus.com/course/learn-excel-essentials/

[@kuuuyajim]

Your channel is really a gold mine. I needed this because our client use specific colors. Saves me time from choosing the colors. Thank you Leila! 😉

[@LeilaGharani]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Breboi17]

This video was quick and very informative and most importantly IT WORKS !! :) By following the instructions by Leila i was able to set my Theme default in excel. Thank you so much !

[@robertakwasiadjei8223]

Thanks Leila for the great work. You've done a lot for me. Stay blessed.

[@LeilaGharani]

You're very welcome Robert. Thank you for your support.

[@md.shameemhossain7394]

Excellent lectures, clear and informative

[@rem9547]

First time I have come across this. Really professional and clear. Look forward to seeing some of your other work

[@LeilaGharani]

Glad you like the video. Great to have you here.

[@mindland8029]

Not bad. Been unable to get Themes for quite a while, now got it. Thank you, sensei.

[@martinng370]

Thank you for having this channel

[@LeilaGharani]

It's great to have you here Carlos.

[@huseyinburaktasci1638]

It worked for me great! Thanks a lot!!

[@mariongordon4199]

Excellent video Leila, great work! 🙂

[@LeilaGharani]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@christoskonstantinou1074]

Excellent! Nothing less than what I expected

[@LeilaGharani]

Thanks Christos.

[@alirezamogharabi8733]

This is very useful when we want to create a dashboard, thanks leila!

[@LeilaGharani]

You're very welcome Ali.

[@henryg5735]

Hi Leila, Came across your most helpful video when looking to, as it turned out, change the default theme. All works fine UNLESS after opening Excel I choose a new "Blank Workbook", when it defaults to the Office Theme. I could set Excel to load my blank (book.xlt) workbook on opening, but most of the time I am updating workbooks, so like Excel to open at the Home screen.

[@JuuHigh]

Same for me😔

[@nareshch1989]

Thank you very much

[@MalinaC]

I love it! I use it all the time :)

[@LeilaGharani]

That's great Malina :) You have great videos on your channel.

[@MalinaC]

Thank's Leila! Nice to hear it!

[@hoortahirjan5570]

This was amazing. ☺

[@LeilaGharani]

Thank you! 😄

[@mohamedchakroun4973]

Thanks leila very nice presentation

[@LeilaGharani]

You're welcome Mohamed.

[@samuelkodjoe1645]

got it!!

[@jurgposch2416]

Hello Leila, very informative tutorial, thank you. What about WB Templates ? Safed as *.xltx stored on a network drive and your colleges can use them, how has this to be set up and done. Thanks for your tipps in adavance.

[@excelisfun]

Thanks for the defaulting fun : )

[@LeilaGharani]

You're welcome Mike :)

[@alirezamogharabi8733]

ExcelIsFun hi mike, i love ExcelIsFun, we are in KZbin's Excel community! :)

[@hosseinhosseinpoor4845]

thanks thanks

[@farahdebouky6255]

[@dolittlediehard1670]

Thanks for the video, however there is something that doesn't work. I moved the XLSTART folder using trustcenter settings and even after putting book.xlt into this folder it's clear that excel is still loading the default book from somewhere else because the office theme is still the default. If i double click on my template in explorer then it works but ctrl + n produces book1 with the default office theme.

[@dolittlediehard1670]

This problem resolved itself. I had tried restarting the app and logging in and out to no avail but after restarting the pc it now works.

[@sarahaguiartchechel8588]

Same for me. The only way this works is if I click ctrl + n every time, and a new workbook is created with the default theme, but how can I open a new excel file and have the default already in?

[@hooly8640]

How amazing you are😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@rafaelvargas7122]

What if I save a workbook using a personal Theme and send it to someone who does not have it saved? I wanted to be albe to "send" the color scheme along with the workbook so that other people see the same colors as I can see.

[@Dev_Bartwal]

Hi LG Please share the class on error Type of errors and those errors solution. Big thanks🌷

[@LeilaGharani]

Hi - ok sure. Will add this to my list.

[@OurFather_]

Thanks! How do you remove themes altogether? I'm using an MS Excel template on which I am attempting to change the font color of specific cells and cannot do so. I can only change a series of cells by changing to Accent color. How do I remove this so I can customize the template as desired? Thanks!

[@mysterychemical]

4. You have to press Ctrl + N or from New Document Toolbar shortcut to create/open excel with Template of theme set. If you go to File > New Workbook then it will not load template else it will create fresh excel workbook with excel default options set.

[@ruhijain6078]

Can you also create videos for WPS office? It suits me and Microsoft 365 and WPS Office differ quite a bit. Else, I am actually, very amused at my own progress with Microsoft. Thank you, I mean it.

[@stevemorris4938]

If I save a file using a custom theme I define, is that theme retained when another user opens it? Or does it default to what they have on their machine? Nice video btw :)

[@LeilaGharani]

Hi Steve - it's by user. Thanks :)

[@jackwilliam5718]

How to change theme colors for certain sheet without changing the other one.?

[@douglaszulu6281]

Thanks Leila. I saw this plus other customizations from Bill and made the mistake of saving a file which was not empty. Had to delete and repeat the process

[@LeilaGharani]

I've done the same :)

[@MalinaC]

Hehe, me too ;)

[@garys2187]

If I open a blank workbook, I have to hit ctrl N in already opened excel file to have the theme. Is the way it works?

[@jevonalberntelaumbanua5039]

how to set a default font color in chart ? Thank you

[@danielvan7424]

Do you have any on excel default TEXT color

[@AZPoolCarePros]

Do you have an update on this video? This video doesn't work anymore. Thanks!

[@tracymayer780]

When I open a workbook and click ctrl-N as you do in the video, the default theme is active. When I open Excel and choose a blank workbook, however, the default theme is not chosen/active. Should the theme be active in the latter example?

[@LeilaGharani]

Yes - it works with Ctrl + N or if you use the Quick Access Toolbar shortcut. Choosing blank workbook puts the office default again...

[@tracymayer780]

OK. Thx.

[@rvallenduuk]

@@LeilaGharani That is so Microsoft... Ten ways to do the same thing and they're all slightly different. Do you know if there's a way to customise the blank workbook template? To make it do the same as CTRL+N?

[@Gribbly_]

Thanks for asking this - I got the same thing.

[@Sal_A]

What happens if you keep the number reference when saving your file i.e. Book1? Can you use other names for your template? Why does the number affect the process?

[@LeilaGharani]

If you keep the number it becomes any other template. If you remove the number it becomes "the" main template every time your create a new document...

[@Sal_A]

Leila Gharani cool - thanks Leila🙂

[@farzanmoha8935]

Hi Leila It doesn’t work if I open blank excel file from windows. I have to hit ctrl N in already opened excel file to have the theme. Am I doing something wrong or this is the way it works? Thank you

[@adamschaefer7564]

I have the exact same issue. Anybody have a solution? Thanks.

[@shakirkhan2011]

Hi Leila: Does "All Excel Courses Bundle $219" cover everything? I mean basic to advance? What is "Excel Essentials for the Real World $44" ...what's the difference between these two packages? please advice

[@LeilaGharani]

Yes, it includes all of my current Excel courses. The Excel Essentials is just one course.

[@shakirkhan2011]

Since the subscription is lifetime, will it include your future videos as well?

[@LeilaGharani]

I do occasionally add lectures to existing courses. They are included with the purchase.

[@MuhammadUsman1]

Do you also train for MS Word?

[@LeilaGharani]

No - no Word.

[@MuhammadUsman1]

Leila Gharani do you know any channel which is providing advanced tutorials on word?

[@LeilaGharani]

No not really.... but I'm sure there must be some good ones out there....

[@MuhammadUsman1]

Thanks!

[@elsaangeles7649]

Apply the integral theme please

[@shakiraasfoor7599]

احلى ليلى

[@dickpearse2273]

Thanks Leila, I was very frustrated with the latest changes in colors and font. New subject, years ago I found a VB macro on the internet that fills in the last change date on a row in excel if any cell was changed. Is there another way to do that? 😊😊😉