Add or delete a shape fill or shape effect

You can change the look of your shape by changing its fill or by adding effects, such as shadows, glows, reflections, soft edges, bevels, and three-dimensional (3-D) rotations to it.In this article

Overview of fills, gradients, and effects

Add or change a shape fill

Add or change a shape effect

Delete a shape fill

Delete a shape effect

Overview of fills, gradients, and effects

A fill is the interior of a shape. When you change the fill color of a shape, you can also add a texture, picture, or gradient to the fill. A gradient is a gradual progression of colors and shades, usually from one color to another color, or from one shade to another shade of the same color.

Changing the fill color of a shape affects only the inside or front of the shape. If you add another effect, such as a shadow, and want a different color for that effect, you must change the color of the shadow separately.

A 3-D effect adds depth to a shape. You can add a built-in combination of 3-D effects to your shape, or you can add individual effects. You can add combinations of individual effects to your shape in these Microsoft Office system programs: Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.

Add or change a shape fill

For these Office release programs: Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint

1. Click the shape that you want to add a fill to.

   To add the same fill to multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the arrow next to Shape Fill, and then do one of the following:

   

   • To add or change a fill color, click the color that you want, or to choose no color, click No Fill.

     To change to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Fill Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab, or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab do not update if you later change the document theme .

     Tip You can also adjust the transparency of the shape by clicking More Fill Colors. At the bottom of the Colors dialog box, move the Transparency slider, or enter a number in the box next to the slider. You can vary the percentage of transparency from 0% (fully opaque, the default setting) to 100% (fully transparent).

   • To add or change a fill picture, click Picture, locate the folder that contains the picture that you want to use, click the picture file, and then click Insert.
   • To add or change a fill gradient, point to Gradient, and then click the gradient variation that you want.

     To customize the gradient, click More Gradients, and then choose the options that you want.

   • To add or change a fill texture, point to Texture, and then click the texture that you want.

     To customize the texture, click More Textures, and then choose the options that you want.

   • In Outlook and Word 2007only, to add or change a pattern, click Pattern, and then click the options that you want.

For Office Publisher

1. Click the shape that you want to add a fill to.

   To add the same fill to multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. On the Formatting toolbar, click the arrow next to Fill Color , and then do one of the following:
   • To change the color of the shape, click the color that you want, or to choose no color, click No Fill.

     To change to a color that is not shown, click More Fill Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab, or mix your own color on the Custom tab.

   • To add or change a fill gradient, click Fill Effects, click the Gradient tab, and then choose the options that you want.
   • To add or change a fill texture, click Fill Effects, click the Texture tab, and then choose the options that you want.
   • To add or change a fill pattern, click Fill Effects, click the Pattern tab, and then choose the options that you want.
   • To add or change a fill picture, click Fill Effects, click the Picture tab, and then choose the options that you want.
   • To add or change a fill tint, click Fill Effects, click the Tint tab, and then choose the options that you want.

Add or change a shape effect

For these Office release programs: Excel and PowerPoint

1. Click the shape that you want to add an effect to.

   To add the same effect to multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click Shape Effects, and then do one of the following:

   

   • To add or change a built-in combination of effects, point to Preset, and then click the effect that you want.

     To customize the built-in effect, click 3-D Options, and then choose the options that you want.

   • To add or change a shadow, point to Shadow, and then click the shadow that you want.

     To customize the shadow, click Shadow Options, and then choose the options that you want.

   • To add or change a reflection, point to Reflection, and then click the reflection variation that you want.
   • To add or change a glow, point to Glow, and then click the glow variation that you want.

     To customize the glow colors, click More Glow Colors, and then choose the color that you want. To change to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab, or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab do not update if you later change the document theme .

   • To add or change a soft edge, point to Soft Edges, and then click the size of the edge that you want.
   • To add or change an edge, point to Bevel, and then click the bevel that you want.

     To customize the bevel, click 3-D Options, and then choose the options that you want.

   • To add or change a 3-D rotation, point to 3-D Rotation, and then click the rotation that you want.

     To customize the rotation, click 3-D Rotation Options, and then choose the options that you want.

Notes:

• To create a custom effect by adding multiple individual effects, repeat step two above.
• If you add a 3-D effect, such as a bevel or 3-D rotation, to the shape and then add a soft edge, you will not see any visual change to the shape because the 3-D effect takes precedence. However, if you delete the 3-D effect, the soft edge effect will be visible.

For these Office release programs: Outlook and Word

1. Click the shape that you want to add an effect to.

   To add the same effect to multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, do one of the following:

   

   • To add or change a shadow, in the Shadow Effects group, click the arrow next to Shadow Effects, and then choose the shadow that you want.

     To customize the shadow color, point to Shadow Color, and then click the color that you want.

     To change to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Shadow Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab, or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab do not update if you later change the document theme .

   • To add or change a 3-D effect, in the 3-D Effects group, click the arrow next to 3-D Effects, and then choose the options that you want.

For Office Publisher

1. Click the shape that you want to add an effect to.

   To add the same effect to multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Do one of the following:
   • On the Formatting toolbar, click Shadow Style , and then click the shadow style that you want.

     To customize the shadow position or color, click Shadow Settings, and then choose the options that you want on the Shadow Settings toolbar.

   • On the Formatting toolbar, click 3-D Style , and then click the 3-D style that you want.

   • To change the color, rotation, depth, direction, lighting, or surface texture of the 3-D effect, click 3-D Settings, and then click the options that you want on the 3-D Settings toolbar.

Note It is not possible to apply both a shadow and a 3-D effect to the same shape.

Delete a shape fill

For these Office release programs: Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint

1. Click the shape that you want to delete a fill from.

   To delete the same fill from multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes Styles group, click the arrow next to Shape Fill, and then click No Fill.

   

For Office Publisher

1. Click the shape that you want to delete a fill from.

   To delete the same fill from multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. On the Formatting toolbar, click the arrow next to Fill Color , and then click No Fill.

Delete a shape effect

For these Office release programs: Excel and PowerPoint

1. Click the shape that you want to delete the effect from.

   To delete the same effect from multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the ShapeStyles group, click Shape Effects, and then do one of the following:

   

   • To delete a built-in combination of effects from the shape, point to Preset, and then click No Presets.
   • To delete a shadow from the shape, point to Shadow, and then click No Shadow.
   • To delete a reflection from the shape, point to Reflection, and then click No Reflection.
   • To delete a glow from the shape, point to Glow, and then click No Glow.
   • To delete soft edges from the shape, point to Soft Edges, and then click No Soft Edges.
   • To delete an edge from the shape, point to Bevel, and then click No Bevel.
   • To delete 3-D rotation from the shape, point to 3-D Rotation, and then click No Rotation.

Note If you have added multiple individual effects, repeat step two above to delete all the effects.

For these Office release programs: Outlook and Word

1. Click the shape that you want to delete the effect from.

   To delete the same effect from multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, do one of the following:

   

   • To delete a shadow, in the Shadow Effects group, click the arrow next to Shadow Effects, and then click No Shadow Effect.
   • To delete a 3-D effect, in the 3-D Effects group, click the arrow next to 3-D Effects, and then click No 3-D Effect.

For Office Publisher

1. Click the shape that you want to delete the effect from.

   To delete the effect from multiple shapes, click the first shape, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other shapes.

2. Do one of the following:
   • To delete a shadow, on the Formatting toolbar, click Shadow Style , and then click No Shadow.
   • To delete the 3-D effect, on the Formatting toolbar, click 3-D Style , and then click No 3-D.

See also:

• Add or delete a fill, outline, or effect for text or WordArt
• Add, change, or delete shapes