If your PowerPoint presentation looks black and white, you’re probably in Grayscale or Black and White view. Click the View tab and, in the Color/Grayscale group, click Color. If it only prints in black and white, open File > Print and change the last setting from Grayscale or Pure Black and White to Color.
This guide covers switching back to color view, fixing black-and-white printouts, and other causes: grayscale pictures, gray theme colors and Windows color filters. It is based on Microsoft’s printing guide, Change the color of a picture and Use color filters in Windows.
How to Switch PowerPoint Back to Color
- Click the View tab.
- In the Color/Grayscale group, click Color.
- If you see a Grayscale or Black And White tab on the ribbon, click Back To Color View on that tab.
- Save the presentation.
Result: Your slides show in color again. Grayscale and Black and White are view options meant for previewing black-and-white printouts. If some presentations show in color and others don’t, the gray ones are probably set to Black and White view, and you need to switch and save each one.
If It Prints in Black and White
- Click File > Print.
- Under Settings, open the last menu.
- Choose Color instead of Grayscale or Pure Black and White.
Result: PowerPoint sends the slides in color. Microsoft explains the difference: Grayscale prints everything in shades of gray, while Pure Black and White uses no gray at all, so some theme effects such as embossing and drop shadows won’t print, and gray text prints black. A black-and-white printer can’t print color, so check your printer’s own settings and ink too.
Other Causes and Fixes
The pictures themselves are grayscale
If only certain pictures are gray, the picture may have a grayscale effect. Microsoft says to select the picture, go to Picture Format > Color, and check the Color Saturation and Recolor options. Lower saturation looks more gray, and Recolor includes a built-in grayscale effect.
The theme uses gray colors
A theme with a grayscale color variant can make the whole deck look black and white. Go to the Design tab and choose a different set of Colors under Variants.
Your whole screen looks gray
If other apps and Windows itself also look gray, the cause is likely a Windows setting, not PowerPoint. Microsoft says color filters change the colors on your screen. To turn them off, press Windows logo key + U (or go to Settings > Accessibility), select Color filters, and turn the switch off. Windows + Ctrl + C toggles color filters if that keyboard shortcut is turned on, which makes it easy to switch on by accident. Windows high contrast settings can also be a cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Grayscale view change my slides?
No. Grayscale and Black and White are views for checking how slides will look when printed in black and white. Switching back to Color view shows your original colors.
Why can’t I find Grayscale view on my Mac?
A 2018 answer on Microsoft’s community forum said PowerPoint 2016 for Mac didn’t include the Grayscale view option. If you use a Mac, check the print settings and the other causes above instead.
After restoring the intended color view, review the actual formatting if a heading still needs contrast. A PowerPoint text outline adds a border around the letters; it is separate from the whole-presentation color or grayscale view.
Related Guides
- How to save PowerPoint as a PDF
- How to print PowerPoint handouts in Word
- How to change monitor color in Windows 11
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.