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How to Change Image Color in Microsoft Office

Switch up how pictures look when already inserted in Word, PowerPoint, or Excel

By Cindy Grigg Cindy Grigg Writer Cindy Grigg is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a productivity writer who teaches Microsoft Office software to students and pros. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 7, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Word Excel Powerpoint Outlook

What to Know

Open the document and go to the image whose color you're adjusting, and then try out various pre-made correction presets.The presets you see will vary by program and version, but most will have Saturation, Color Tone, and Recolor presets to try out.Alternatively, select Color > Picture Color Options, and then adjust via the dial or numerical input for Saturation, Color Tone, and Recolor. This article explains how to customize image color or recolor options in Microsoft Office, giving you greater control over saturation, tone, and transparency. Instructions cover Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) 2019, 2016, 2013, Microsoft 365, and Office for Mac.

Changing Image Color in Microsoft Office

When you want to fix or change the color of a picture or apply a sepia or grayscale effect, follow these steps:
Open the Microsoft Office program as well as a document with images inserted. If you do not yet have images inserted, go to Insert > Illustrations, select either Pictures or Online Pictures. To change the color, you can use the pre-made correction presets or use Picture Color Options for fine-tuning. (Shown in step 7.) The presets you see will vary depending on which program and version you are working in, but should include Saturation, Color Tone, and Recolor. Saturation refers to the depth of color applied to your image. Notice how these presets range across a spectrum of color depths. If you see one that would work well for your project, select it here, among values between 0% and 400%. Color Tone refers to the warmth or coolness of the image color, and this preset also offers choices along a spectrum. You will notice these values have different temperature ratings, denoting how warm or cool the image tone is. Recolor refers to a color wash placed over an image. This means your image will be treated as black and white, but with other options for the "white". It means the fill or background color, as well as some tones in the line art itself, will take on that color. Presets typically include Sepia, Grayscale, Washout, and other options. Alternatively, select Color > Picture Color Options. Adjust the Saturation using the dial or numerical input. Adjust the Color Tone using the dial or numerical input, remembering that Color Tone is adjusted in terms of temperature and refers to how warm or cool the image hues appear. If you wish, Recolor the entire image using the drop-down menu.

Additional Tips

If you want additional Recolor options, try selecting Format > Color > More Variations. This allows you to customize the color shade more precisely. An interesting tool to use that's located at Format > Color > Set Transparent Color, allows you to make a color in the selected image transparent. After selecting this tool, when you select a specific color in the image, all other pixels with that color will become transparent as well. From time to time, we have run into a couple of images that just would not respond to these tools. If you are running into a lot of trouble, try testing another image to see if this could be the problem. You may need to find another image format or use another image if the problem persists. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Change Theme Colors in Google Slides Color Temperature and Your TV How to Change the Desktop Background in Windows 11 The Best Picture Settings for Samsung 4K TV How to Change Background Color in Photoshop How to Make a Brochure in Microsoft Word How to Change Folder Color on Mac How to Change a Google Docs Background to a Picture 5 Ways to Create 3D Art Using the Paint 3D Toolbar How to Make an Image Background Transparent in PowerPoint How to Change the Color of Text Bubbles on Android Using the Magic Wand Tool in Paint.NET How to Insert and Paint 3D Models in Paint 3D How to Make a GIF in Photoshop How to Print in Black and White on Mac How to Take Better Sunset Photos With an iPhone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies