How to Use Slide Borders and Backgrounds

Slide borders and backgrounds are an easy way to give presentations a unique, custom look. These directions will show you how to add borders and backgrounds to your slides, and then how to add text.

I provide my slide templates as image files to allow the user to have even more flexibility when editing them, for example layering on top of a background, adjusting the scale, or being able to use them with a software of their choice.

You can use slide border clipart with just about any editing program where you can insert images, however I usually recommend using Google Slides, Powerpoint, or Canva since they are so user-friendly.

How to insert a slide border or background in Google Slides

To add a border in Google Slides, first select the “Background” tab from the top menu. Click on “Image”, and then choose and image from your computer. Click “Done”.

From here, click on the “Text box” icon. It it a “T” inside of a little box in the top menu.

Click and drag to create a text box on your canvas.
Once you have your text box created, simply click inside it and start typing.
To change the font, size, color, or alignment of your text, use the options in the top toolbar.

How to insert a slide border or background in PowerPoint

There are a couple ways that you can add a custom background image in PowerPoint. One way is to go to the "Design" tab and click on the "Background" button. Then, select the “Picture From File” option. This will allow you to select an image from your computer to use as the background. Another way is to click on the "Insert" tab and then click on the "Picture" button. This will also allow you to select an image from your computer to use.

To add text click on the "Insert" tab.

Click on the "Text Box" button.
Click and drag to draw a text box on the slide.
Use the font options to format the text.
Click on the "Align" button to align the text.

How to insert a border or background in Canva

To use this option, you will need to have a free Canva account. These directions are for the desktop version.

1. First Open Canva and select the “Create a design” button. From here the type of design you want to create is up to you. You’ll want to keep in mind the size of border that you’re using because you will want the border to fit inside perfectly without getting squished. If you’re using a slide border or background, select “Presentation”.

2. Click on the “Uploads” icon on the left and upload the border images from your device. From there you can either click on the image or drag it onto your document.

3. Click on the “Text” tab from the left-hand sidebar. Click the purple “Add a text box” button. You can then modify the font by using the menu on the top bar.