Excel® 2013 On Demand

Applying Color Fills

When you create a closed drawing object such as a square, it applies the Shape Fill color to the inside of the shape, and the Shape Outline color to the shape edge. A line drawing object uses the Shape Outline color. You can set the Shape Fill to be a solid, gradient, texture or picture, and the Shape Outline to be a solid or gradient. If you want to make multiple changes to a shape at the same time, the Format Shape pane (New!) can do it all in one place. If the solid color appears too dark, you can make the color fill more transparent. If you no longer want to apply a shape fill to an object, you can remove it.

Apply a Color Fill to a Shape

Select the shape you want to modify.

Click the Format tab under Drawing Tools. ...