Open the template file and make changes directly in PowerPoint
To edit a PowerPoint template, open the template file in PowerPoint, make your changes to the slide layouts, colors, fonts, and placeholders, then save it back as a template file. The process depends on whether you're working with a template you downloaded, one that came with PowerPoint, or one your organization created.
The simplest route is to open the template file itself (not create a presentation from it), edit what you need, and save. If you've already created a presentation from a template and want to change the template it's based on, you'll need to edit the original template file, and those changes won't automatically update existing presentations — you'll need to reapply the template or manually update each file.
Key Takeaways
- Open the template file directly in PowerPoint by going to File > Open and selecting the .potx file, not by creating a new presentation from it.
- Edit slide layouts through View > Slide Master to change the structure, placeholders, and design elements that all slides inherit.
- Changes to fonts, colors, and backgrounds in the Slide Master apply to every slide in the template, but changes to individual slides only affect that one slide.
- Save the file as a PowerPoint Template (.potx) to preserve the template format, not as a regular presentation (.pptx).
- Presentations already created from a template won't update automatically when you edit the template — you must reapply the template or manually update each file.
Edit the slide master to change the template structure
The Slide Master is where template changes actually live. When you edit the master, those changes appear on every slide that uses that layout. Open your template file, then go to View > Slide Master to enter master-editing mode.
In Slide Master view, you'll see a large slide at the top (the main master) and smaller layouts below it. The main master controls the overall design — background, fonts, colors, and placeholder positions. The smaller layouts below are variations for different slide types: title slide, title and content, blank, and so on. Edit the main master to change everything at once, or edit individual layouts to change only specific slide types.
When you're done editing, go to View > Normal to exit Slide Master view and return to the regular editing screen. Your changes are now part of the template.
Change fonts, colors, and backgrounds across the entire template
While in Slide Master view, you can change the font family, size, and color for any text placeholder. Click the text you want to change, select it, and use the formatting tools in the Home tab just as you would in a regular presentation. Changes to title text, body text, or any placeholder will appear on every slide using that layout.
To change the background color or add a background image, right-click the slide in Slide Master view and select Format Background. You can choose a solid color, gradient, pattern, or image. This background will appear on every slide that uses this master layout.
If you want to change the color scheme across the template without editing each element individually, go to Design > Variants (or Design > Colors in some versions) while still in Slide Master view. Selecting a new color scheme updates all the accent colors throughout the template at once.
Add, remove, or reposition placeholders
Placeholders are the boxes where text, images, or other content go on each slide. In Slide Master view, you can add new placeholders, delete ones you don't need, or move them to different positions.
To add a placeholder, go to Insert > Placeholder and choose the type (text, picture, table, chart, or SmartArt). Draw the placeholder on the slide by clicking and dragging. To remove a placeholder, click its border and press Delete. To move one, click its border and drag it to a new position. To resize it, click the border and drag the corner handles.
Any placeholder you add or change in the master will appear on every slide using that layout. If you want a placeholder on only one slide type, edit that specific layout in the Slide Master view instead of the main master.
Save the template file in the correct format
After you've made your changes, save the file as a PowerPoint Template to preserve the template format. Go to File > Save As, choose PowerPoint Template (.potx) from the file type dropdown, give it a name, and click Save. Do not save it as a regular presentation (.pptx) — that will lose the template formatting.
If you're editing a template that came with PowerPoint or one you downloaded from Microsoft Office, you may want to save it with a new name so you keep the original. Once saved, the template is ready to use for new presentations.
Reapply an edited template to existing presentations
If you've already created presentations using the old version of the template and you've now edited the template file, those presentations won't update automatically. You have two options: reapply the template to each presentation, or manually update the slides.
To reapply the template, open the presentation, go to Design, and look for the template in the available themes. Click it to apply the updated version. This will change the design and layout of all slides, though any text or images you've added will remain. If the template doesn't appear in the Design menu, go to Design > Browse for Themes, navigate to where you saved the edited template file, and select it.
If you've made significant changes to individual slides and don't want to lose them, manually updating is safer — open the template file and the presentation side by side, and copy the updated layouts or design elements you need into the presentation.
Work with downloaded or third-party templates
Templates from Microsoft Office, Creative Market, Canva, or other sources can be edited the same way: open the template file directly in PowerPoint, enter Slide Master view, and make your changes. However, some third-party templates are locked or have restrictions on editing — if you can't access the Slide Master or make changes, check the template's documentation or license terms.
If a downloaded template comes as a .pptx file instead of a .potx file, you can still edit it, but when you save it, choose File > Save As and select PowerPoint Template (.potx) to convert it to a proper template format. This ensures that when you create new presentations from it, the formatting stays consistent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between editing a template and editing a presentation made from a template?
Editing the template file itself changes the master design that all future presentations created from it will use. Editing a presentation you've already created from a template only changes that one file. If you want changes to affect multiple presentations, edit the template file. If you want to change just one presentation, edit the presentation file itself.
Why don't my changes appear on slides I already created?
Presentations created before you edited the template are based on the old version. The template file and the presentations are separate. You can reapply the updated template through Design > Browse for Themes, or manually update the slides by copying new layouts from the edited template.
Can I edit a template that someone else created for my company?
Yes, if you have access to the template file (.potx). Open it in PowerPoint and follow the same steps. If the template is locked or you can't access the Slide Master, ask the person who created it for an editable version, or check whether your organization has restrictions on template modifications.
How do I know if I'm editing the template or a presentation?
Look at the title bar at the top of PowerPoint — it shows the filename. If it ends in .potx, you're editing a template. If it ends in .pptx, you're editing a presentation. You can also check by going to File > Info and looking at the file type listed there.
Will editing the template change presentations that are already open?
No. Presentations that are already open won't see changes to the template file. You must close and reopen the presentation, or reapply the template through the Design menu, to see the updated version.