How to permanently save a custom fill color?

[Ian Y]

I use a custom fill color frequently. After I create it, it becomes one of Recent Colors in the Fill Colors menu. However, after I close and re-open Excel, that custom fill color disappeared and I have to create it again to use it.

I tried a possible solution and saved a xlt file which contains the custom fill color in the XLStart folder. But that didn't work. The location I saved the file is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\XLSTART

 

[Georgiboy]

Heres another option:

1, Goto 'Page Layout' in the ribbon
2, Click on the 'Colors' button in the 'Themes' section of the ribbon
3, Click on 'Customize Colors' in the dropdown
4, Change 'Accent 1' to your colour choice
5, Set a name for the custom theme and click save
6, Click on the 'Colors' button in the 'Themes' section of the ribbon again
7, Right click on your 'Custom Theme'
8, Click on 'Add Gallery to Quick Access Toolbar'
9, You will now see it up near your save button

Now everytime you open a workbook, select your custom theme, the colour you set will be visible in the theme colours section of the format box when you format a cell, named 'Accent 1'

 

[Ian Y]

Heres another option:

1, Goto 'Page Layout' in the ribbon
2, Click on the 'Colors' button in the 'Themes' section of the ribbon
3, Click on 'Customize Colors' in the dropdown
4, Change 'Accent 1' to your colour choice
5, Set a name for the custom theme and click save
6, Click on the 'Colors' button in the 'Themes' section of the ribbon again
7, Right click on your 'Custom Theme'
8, Click on 'Add Gallery to Quick Access Toolbar'
9, You will now see it up near your save button

Now everytime you open a workbook, select your custom theme, the colour you set will be visible in the theme colours section of the format box when you format a cell, named 'Accent 1'

Thanks. I tried it, but it looks like what I created is a theme, which including changing font colors. In my case, only fill color needs to change.

 

[Georgiboy]

You can use the colours from the theme section when you format a cell, if you change Accent 1 for example, it will always be there at the top of the format cell colour picker. You can set multiple colours this way.

It does create a theme, but you can set the colours in the custom theme and select them at will when formatting a cell.

 

[Ian Y]

You can use the colours from the theme section when you format a cell, if you change Accent 1 for example, it will always be there at the top of the format cell colour picker. You can set multiple colours this way.

It does create a theme, but you can set the colours in the custom theme and select them at will when formatting a cell.

I set Accent 1 to be the fill color I desire. But selecting the theme I created does nothing to a cell.

 

[Georgiboy]

Once you have selected the theme, go to change the colour of a cell using the paint bucket.

Once the colour picker dialogue pops up, look to the top row of colours under the words 'Theme Colours'

If you look there you should see the colour you set.

 

[Ian Y]

Once you have selected the theme, go to change the colour of a cell using the paint bucket.

Once the colour picker dialogue pops up, look to the top row of colours under the words 'Theme Colours'

If you look there you should see the colour you set.

That works. Thank you.

Is it possible make the color permanently stay in the color picker dialog so that we don't have to select the theme first?

 

[Georgiboy]

Your original method should work however, that may not be the XLStart folder you are looking for.

Try putting the below into the immediate window in excel's VBE, it will tell you the startup folder for your application:

? application.StartupPath

You can then save a spreadsheet with the colour used within the folder it returns in the above returned folder.

 

[Ian Y]

Your original method should work however, that may not be the XLStart folder you are looking for.

Try putting the below into the immediate window in excel's VBE, it will tell you the startup folder for your application:

? application.StartupPath

You can then save a spreadsheet with the colour used within the folder it returns in the above returned folder.

Okay. The VBE thing is quite new to me. I just googled it and made it appear. But there is only a left sidebar, and the large area at the right side is gray. I don't see a button or option for me to call out a debug window.

 

[Georgiboy]

When in the VBE, CTRL+G should launch the immediate window.

You can also get to it by selecting it in the 'view' section of the VBE's ribbon.