Overview
Slide backgrounds set the visual foundation for your entire presentation. The pptx.dev API supports light and dark backgrounds, color scheme-driven backgrounds, and full-bleed background images.
Background Modes
The pptx.dev API supports these background styles through themes:
| Background | Style | Best for |
|---|---|---|
light1 |
White or near-white | Corporate, print-friendly |
dark1 |
Dark gray or black | Modern, screen presentations |
dark2 |
Slightly lighter dark | Subtle dark mode, SaaS |
Setting Backgrounds via Themes
The simplest way to control backgrounds is through themes. Each theme includes a pre-configured background:
| Theme | Background |
|---|---|
minimal |
Dark (dark2) |
classic |
Light (light1) |
bold |
Light (light1) |
{
"$schema": "https://openpresentation.org/schema/opf/v1",
"name": "Presentation example",
"slides": [
{
"layout": "cover",
"title": "Dark Mode Presentation",
"subtitle": "Modern and clean",
"design": {
"titleAlignment": "center"
}
}
],
"design": {
"theme": "classic",
"variant": "dark1"
},
"catalogs": {
"default": {
"source": "https://www.pptx.gallery",
"themes": {
"classic": {
"name": "Classic",
"background": {
"type": "theme",
"slot": "light1"
},
"colorScheme": "cool-horizon",
"description": "A timeless, clean, and versatile theme with balanced color contrasts and classic typography. Ideal for professional, readable presentations.",
"fontScheme": "tenorite",
"dimensions": "widescreen",
"variants": [
{
"id": "light",
"name": "Light",
"variant": "light1"
},
{
"id": "light-alt",
"name": "Light alt",
"variant": {
"background": "light1",
"accents": [
"accent6",
"accent5",
"accent4",
"accent1",
"accent3",
"accent2"
]
}
},
{
"id": "dark",
"name": "Dark",
"variant": "dark1"
},
{
"id": "dark-alt",
"name": "Dark alt",
"variant": {
"background": "dark1",
"accents": [
"accent6",
"accent5",
"accent4",
"accent1",
"accent3",
"accent2"
]
}
}
]
}
},
"layouts": {
"cover": {
"name": "Cover",
"summary": "The opening slide: title, subtitle and an optional picture.",
"tags": [
"Openers and closers"
],
"design": {
"titleAlignment": "center",
"contentAlignment": "center"
},
"direction": "row",
"regions": [
{
"name": "title"
},
{
"name": "media",
"accepts": [
"image",
"video"
],
"role": "media",
"flow": "none",
"bleed": true
}
],
"description": "Open a presentation with its subject and a short introduction. Add a picture when it helps establish the context.",
"preview": {
"vectorSrc": "https://www.pptx.gallery/layout-previews/cover.svg"
}
}
},
"colorSchemes": {
"cool-horizon": {
"name": "Cool Horizon",
"accent1": "#2874A6",
"accent2": "#1B4F72",
"accent3": "#5499C7",
"accent4": "#7BDBB2",
"accent5": "#3AC67A",
"accent6": "#24A89E",
"dark1": "#000000",
"dark2": "#011842",
"followedHyperlink": "#551A8B",
"hyperlink": "#0000EE",
"light1": "#FFFFFF",
"light2": "#F0F0F0",
"summary": "Cool blue-green palette tuned for professional business decks.",
"description": "A balanced cool-toned scheme with deep navy, business blues, and teal accents. It works well across strategy, finance, and technical narratives.",
"tags": [
"professional",
"trustworthy",
"calm",
"technical",
"versatile"
]
}
},
"fontSchemes": {
"tenorite": {
"name": "Tenorite",
"app": "powerpoint",
"languageFamily": "latin",
"languages": [],
"major": "Tenorite Display",
"minor": "Tenorite",
"textSample": "Rounded modern tone",
"type": "sans-serif",
"description": "Tenorite is a sans serif OPF font scheme for Latin presentations, using Tenorite Display for headings with Tenorite for body text."
}
}
}
}
}
Light and Dark Variants
A theme's background is its default. To run the same theme on another background, set design.variant to light1, light2, dark1 or dark2. It maps the deck's one color scheme the way PowerPoint's color map does, so text, surfaces and chart colors follow the background. On a single slide, design.variant flips just that slide:
{
"design": { "theme": "classic" },
"slides": [
{ "layout": "cover", "title": "Quarterly review", "design": { "variant": "dark1" } },
{ "layout": "text", "title": "Summary" }
]
}
Background Images
Any layout can sit on a full-bleed background image: set the slide's (or the deck's) design.background to an image. The image form is flat: src, and optionally fit (cover, the default, contain, stretch or tile), focus, opacity, recolor, an overlay for contrast, and alt when the photo carries meaning:
{
"$schema": "https://openpresentation.org/schema/opf/v1",
"name": "Annual Conference",
"slides": [
{
"layout": "cover",
"title": "Annual Conference",
"subtitle": "San Francisco 2026",
"design": {
"titleAlignment": "center",
"background": {
"type": "image",
"src": "https://example.com/conference-venue.jpg"
}
}
}
],
"catalogs": {
"default": {
"source": "https://www.pptx.gallery",
"layouts": {
"cover": {
"name": "Cover",
"summary": "The opening slide: title, subtitle and an optional picture.",
"tags": [
"Openers and closers"
],
"design": {
"titleAlignment": "center",
"contentAlignment": "center"
},
"direction": "row",
"regions": [
{
"name": "title"
},
{
"name": "media",
"accepts": [
"image",
"video"
],
"role": "media",
"flow": "none",
"bleed": true
}
],
"description": "Open a presentation with its subject and a short introduction. Add a picture when it helps establish the context.",
"preview": {
"vectorSrc": "https://www.pptx.gallery/layout-previews/cover.svg"
}
}
}
}
}
}
The API automatically applies an overlay to keep text readable over the image.
When the background image is the main visual choice, compare Full-Bleed, Text Overlay, and Background Blur in the Image Treatments catalog.
Light vs. Dark Backgrounds
When to Use Light Backgrounds
- Printing or PDF export (dark backgrounds waste ink)
- Conservative/corporate audiences
- Presentations with lots of dense text
- Meeting rooms with bright lighting
When to Use Dark Backgrounds
- On-screen presentations and webinars
- Product demos and keynotes
- Modern tech and SaaS audiences
- Presentation rooms with controlled lighting
Color Scheme Integration
Your background works in concert with your color scheme. The API adjusts text colors, chart colors, and accent colors based on the background:
- Light background → dark text, vivid accents
- Dark background → light text, bright accents
You never need to manually adjust text colors — the color scheme handles it.
Next Steps
- Choose color schemes that work with your background
- Apply a theme for a complete preset
- Add background images to any slide