How Do I Apply a New Template to an Existing PowerPoint?

Applying a new template or theme to an existing PowerPoint presentation can be done in a couple of ways, either by changing the design of the current file or by transferring your slides into a presentation that already uses the new template.

You can apply a new template to your existing PowerPoint slides by either changing the design theme within your current presentation or by copying your slides into a new presentation based on the desired template, utilizing paste options like "Use Destination Theme".

Here are the common methods:

Method 1: Changing the Design Theme Directly (Most Common)

This method applies a new visual style directly to your current presentation file. This is often the quickest way to give your slides a new look based on an installed theme or template.

1. Open your existing PowerPoint presentation.
2. Navigate to the Design tab on the ribbon.
3. In the Themes group, click on the theme you want to apply. Hovering over themes will show you a live preview.
4. If you want to apply a template or theme file that isn't shown in the default gallery, click the More button (down arrow with a line above it) in the Themes group.
5. Select Browse for Themes... to locate a .thmx theme file or a .potx template file on your computer.
6. Once you select a file, the theme will be applied to all slides in your presentation.

Note: Applying a new theme changes colors, fonts, effects, and potentially slide layouts based on the new design. Sometimes, manual adjustments to slide content may be needed after applying a new theme.

Method 2: Copying Slides into a Presentation with the New Template (Using the Reference Method)

This approach involves creating a new presentation based on your desired template and then importing your existing slides into it. The "Use Destination Theme" paste option is crucial here. This method is particularly useful when you want to ensure your content adopts the exact layouts and styling of a specific template file.

Based on the provided reference steps, here's how to use this method:

1. Open the file that contains the existing slides you want to transfer.
2. Create a New Presentation based on the template you wish to use. You can do this by going to File > New and selecting or searching for the template.
3. Switch back to your existing presentation file.
4. Click the thumbnail pane (the panel on the left showing small images of your slides) and then select the slides you want.
   • To select a single slide, click on its thumbnail.
   • To select multiple consecutive slides, click the first slide, hold down Shift, and click the last slide.
   • To select multiple non-consecutive slides, click the first slide, hold down Ctrl, and click additional slides.
   • To select all slides, click any slide thumbnail and press Ctrl+A.
5. Copy the selected slides using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C.
6. Switch to the new file (the one you created in step 2 with the new template).
7. In the new file, right-click the thumbnail pane where you want the copied slides to appear.
8. Under the Paste Options that appear, select Use Destination Theme. This option ensures that the pasted slides adopt the formatting, colors, and fonts of the new presentation's theme, effectively applying the new template's design to your existing content.

Using the "Use Destination Theme" paste option is key because it tells PowerPoint to discard the original formatting of the copied slides and apply the design of the presentation you are pasting into.

Comparing the Methods

Here's a quick comparison of the two approaches:

Feature	Method 1: Changing Design Theme Directly	Method 2: Copying to New Presentation
Ease of Use	Generally simpler, fewer steps.	Requires managing two files.
Applying Template	Applies a theme/template file to the current file.	Migrates slides into a new file based on the template.
Formatting	Applies theme properties; original manual formatting may persist.	Forces slides to adopt the new theme via Paste Option.
Use Case	Quick design update, applying standard themes or .thmx files.	Ensuring content fully conforms to a new .potx template structure and design.

Both methods achieve the goal of changing the visual style of your slides using a different template or theme, offering flexibility based on your specific needs and the desired outcome.