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PowerPoint can look black and white because of a print setting, a grayscale filter on your computer, a recolor effect on one picture, or a difference between presentation views. First compare the same slide in Normal view, Slide Show or Reading view, and Print preview. Where the color disappears—and whether other apps are affected—points to the right fix.
Find where the color disappears
Check the same slide in PowerPoint’s editing window, in a presentation view, and in File > Print preview. If the slide is colorful on screen but the print preview is monochrome, start with print settings. If other apps also look grayscale, check the device’s accessibility color filters. If only one image is affected, inspect its picture formatting.
- Printout only: check the print color scheme.
- All apps and the whole screen: check the operating-system color filter.
- One picture or graphic: remove its recolor effect.
- One PowerPoint view: compare Normal, Slide Show, and Reading views before changing settings.
Fix a black-and-white printout
In PowerPoint, go to File > Print. Under Settings, open the color scheme menu and choose Color for color output. The available choices depend in part on your printer. See Microsoft’s PowerPoint printing instructions.
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| Print option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Color | Prints in color when supported by the printer. |
| Grayscale | Renders objects in shades of gray; this can help charts and tables remain clear when printed without color. |
| Pure Black and White | Prints without gray shades and may omit some theme effects, such as embossing and drop shadows. |
If the setting appears to revert, check it again before printing. PowerPoint can use the most recently used print settings or settings selected for the document; see Microsoft’s advanced PowerPoint options.
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Turn off a grayscale filter affecting the whole screen
Windows
Open Settings > Accessibility > Color filters and turn off the filter, or choose a different filter if one is needed. You can also press the Windows key, type Color filters, open the setting, and check whether Grayscale is selected. Microsoft’s guidance is in its PowerPoint accessibility instructions.
Mac
Open Apple menu > System Settings > Accessibility > Display > Color Filters, then turn off the filter or change it from Grayscale. On older macOS releases, the menu may say System Preferences instead of System Settings. Microsoft’s image accessibility guidance covers color filters.
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Restore color to one picture
If the slide background, text, and other images remain colored, select the affected image and open Picture Format > Color. Check whether a grayscale or other recolor preset has been applied. Choose No Recolor if it is available, or use the picture color controls to restore the original colors or reset the image’s color settings. See Microsoft’s picture color instructions.
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Check a presentation that is grayscale only in one view
Compare the slide in Normal view, Slide Show view, and Reading view. Normal is the editing workspace; Slide Show presents slides full-screen, while Reading view provides a full-screen way to review them. Microsoft’s PowerPoint view guide explains the differences.
If the entire screen or other applications are grayscale too, use the operating-system filter steps above. Microsoft does not document a universal slideshow-only grayscale switch, so a view comparison helps isolate the symptom but does not guarantee a particular fix.
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When grayscale is intentional
Grayscale can help reveal whether a slide relies on color alone to communicate. Microsoft recommends using more than color to distinguish information: “In addition to color, use text, patterns, or shapes to communicate ideas.” Check that charts, labels, and other important distinctions remain understandable without color.
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