Pattern Fills for Slide Backgrounds in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Pattern fills are the last of the various fill options for slide backgrounds in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows. Patterns in PowerPoint are two-color designs comprising lines, dots, dashes, checks, etc. PowerPoint includes 48 such patterns with names like Plaid, Weaves, Shingle and Zigzag. This tutorial builds upon what you have already learned in the Format Slide Background tutorial, and shows how you can use a pattern fill for your slide background:

1. We assume you have created a new presentation, or you have opened one of your existing presentations. We also assume that you have summoned the Format Background dialog box, as explained in the aforementioned Format Slide Background tutorial. Alternatively, just right-click in an empty area of your slide and choose the Format Background option in the resultant contextual menu to bring up the same dialog box.
2. Within the Format Background dialog box, make sure that the Fill panel is active in the sidebar. Then, select the Pattern fill radio button, as shown highlighted in red in Figure 1.
3. 
   Figure 1: Pattern fill radio button selected within the Format Background dialog box
4. When you select the Pattern fill radio button, the active slide's background changes to a pattern fill, as you can see in a Live Preview. Your slide background will auto-update with any changes you make in the Format Background dialog box. The options within the Format Background dialog box are marked in Figure 1, and explained below:

A. Pattern Fills

5. This area shows all the two-color pattern fills that PowerPoint provides. Hover your cursor over any of these previews to see a tool tip that indicates the name of the pattern fill. Just click on any of these pattern previews to select it as your slide background fill.

B. Foreground Color

6. Click this button to bring up PowerPoint's Color drop-down gallery. Options in this drop-down gallery are explained in our Solid Fills for Slide Backgrounds in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows tutorial. Look within points 3A to 3E to learn more. The color you finally choose will form the foreground color of your selected pattern. Both the live preview on the slide and the patterns themselves (explained in point A, above) will auto-update to the changed foreground color.

C. Background Color

7. Works in the same way as the Foreground Color option, explained above in point B. The color you finally choose will form the background color of your selected pattern. Both the Live Preview on the slide and the patterns themselves (explained in point A, above) will auto-update to the changed background color.
3. Set the pattern fill as required using the options available. Thereafter, apply the chosen fill to your slides by selecting either of the following options:
4. The Close button to fill selected slides in the presentation with the pattern fill. If you don't have multiple slides selected, the pattern fill will be applied to the active slide only.
5. The Apply to All button to fill all slides in the presentation with the pattern fill.
6. More details about the Close and Apply to All buttons can be found in our Format Slide Background tutorial.
4. In Figure 2, you can see the slide background of the entire presentation is filled with a pattern.
5. 
   Figure 2: Presentation with a pattern fill background
5. Remember to save your presentation often.