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Themes in Excel: How to quickly update the formatting in Excel

In this article, you will learn about Themes in Excel and how you can use them to quickly update your formatting.

What are Themes in Excel?

Themes in Excel are predefined sets of formatting options that allow you to quickly apply a consistent and professional look to your Excel spreadsheets. A theme consists of colors, fonts, and effects that can be applied to various elements of your workbook, such as cell backgrounds, font colors, headings, and more. Excel provides a variety of built-in themes that you can choose from or customize according to your preferences. By using themes, you can easily change the overall appearance of your workbook without manually adjusting each formatting element individually.

What are the uses of Themes in Excel?

Themes in Excel have several uses and benefits, including:

  1. Consistent Formatting: Themes provide a quick and easy way to apply a consistent formatting style to your entire workbook. Selecting a theme ensures that all elements, such as fonts, colors, and effects, have a unified look and feel. Themes help to give your spreadsheets a polished and professional appearance. 
  2. Time-Saving: Applying a theme saves time compared to manually adjusting formatting settings for individual elements. With just a few clicks, you can apply a theme to your workbook and achieve a cohesive look without the need for extensive formatting adjustments.
  3. Easy Customization: Excel allows you to customize themes to suit your preferences or match your organization's branding. You can modify the theme colors, fonts, and effects, or create your own custom theme. This flexibility ensures that you can create a unique and personalized look for your spreadsheets.
  4. Consistent Reporting: When creating reports or dashboards, using themes helps maintain consistency across different worksheets or workbooks. Applying the same theme to multiple files ensures that they have a unified appearance, making it easier for users to navigate and understand the information presented.

Overall, themes in Excel offer a convenient and efficient way to apply consistent formatting, enhance visual appeal, and save time when working with spreadsheets. They contribute to creating professional-looking documents that are visually appealing and easier to read and understand.

How to update Themes in Excel?

To apply or change a theme in Excel you can follow the below steps:

Step 1: Open Excel and create or open a spreadsheet. Go to the "Page Layout" tab on the Excel ribbon.

How to change Theme in Excel

Step 2: In the "Themes" group, you'll see a gallery of available themes. Click on the desired theme to apply it to your workbook.

Default Theme in Excel: "Office"

Changing the theme to “ION” in Excel

Once you select a theme, it will be applied to your entire workbook, affecting elements such as cell backgrounds, font colors, table styles, chart colors, and more. The specific formatting details of each theme may vary, but the overall look and feel will be consistent throughout the workbook.

Learn how to do this step-by-step in the video below 👇

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