PowerPoint Slideshow Pen Color Persistence: How to Set Default

When you use the pen tool during a PowerPoint slideshow to annotate slides, the pen color often resets to the default red after you exit the slideshow or switch slides. This behavior can be frustrating if you prefer a different color such as blue, green, or black for your annotations. The issue occurs because PowerPoint does not save the pen color setting across slideshow sessions by default. This article explains why the pen color does not persist and provides step-by-step methods to set a default pen color that stays for every presentation.

Why the Pen Color Resets After Each Slideshow

PowerPoint treats the pen tool as a temporary annotation device during slideshow mode. When you exit the slideshow, PowerPoint discards most pen settings to return the interface to its editing state. The default pen color is hard-coded to red in many versions of PowerPoint, including PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2021, and PowerPoint 2019. This red default is not stored in the presentation file itself; it is a global application setting that can be changed only through specific configuration menus.

Additionally, if you change the pen color during a slideshow using the right-click menu or the toolbar, PowerPoint applies that color only for the current slide or the current slideshow session. Once you close the slideshow, the color reverts to the application default. The persistence problem is not a bug; it is by design to prevent accidental permanent changes to the presentation. Fortunately, you can override this behavior using one of three methods, depending on whether you want a per-presentation default or a global default.

Methods to Set a Default Pen Color That Persists

There are three reliable ways to set a default pen color that persists across slideshows. The first method changes the color for the current presentation only. The second method sets a global default that applies to all presentations. The third method uses the Ink Tools ribbon during an active slideshow to lock the color for that session. Choose the method that best fits your workflow.

Method 1: Set Pen Color in Slide Show Settings for the Current Presentation

1. Open your presentation in PowerPoint
   Make sure you are in Normal view, not in slideshow mode.
2. Go to Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show
   Click the Slide Show tab on the ribbon. In the Set Up group, click the Set Up Slide Show button. The Set Up Show dialog opens.
3. Locate the Pen Color dropdown
   In the Show options section of the dialog, find the dropdown labeled Pen Color. The default is usually Red.
4. Select your preferred pen color
   Click the dropdown and choose a color from the palette, such as Blue, Green, Black, or any standard color. The preview shows the selected color.
5. Click OK to save the setting
   The dialog closes. The pen color you selected now applies every time you start a slideshow for this specific presentation. The color persists even after you save, close, and reopen the file.

This method only affects the current presentation. Other presentations will still use the global default red pen color. If you want the same color for all presentations, use Method 2.

Method 2: Change the Global Default Pen Color in PowerPoint Options

1. Open PowerPoint and go to File > Options
   Click File in the top-left corner, then click Options at the bottom of the left pane. The PowerPoint Options dialog opens.
2. Select Advanced from the left sidebar
   Click Advanced to show advanced editing and display options.
3. Scroll to the Pen Color setting
   Scroll down to the section labeled Pen Color. It is located under Display options or at the bottom of the Advanced pane depending on your PowerPoint version. The dropdown shows the current global default.
4. Choose your default pen color
   Click the dropdown and select the color you want as the new default for all presentations. Options include Red, Blue, Black, and other standard colors.
5. Click OK to apply the change
   The dialog closes. Every new slideshow you start in any presentation will now use the selected pen color. Existing presentations with a per-presentation pen color set via Method 1 will still use their own setting.

The global default overrides the hard-coded red default. However, if you set a per-presentation color using Method 1, that per-presentation setting takes precedence over the global default.

Method 3: Lock the Pen Color During an Active Slideshow Using Ink Tools

1. Start your slideshow
   Press F5 to start the slideshow from the first slide, or click the Slide Show icon in the status bar.
2. Activate the pen tool
   Right-click on a slide, point to Pointer Options, and select Pen. The pen cursor appears.
3. Open the Ink Tools toolbar
   Move the mouse to the bottom-left corner of the screen to reveal the slideshow toolbar. Click the pen icon (looks like a pen tip) to open the Ink Tools pop-up menu.
4. Select a pen color from the palette
   In the Ink Tools menu, click Color and choose a color from the palette. The pen color changes immediately for the current slide.
5. Lock the color for the entire slideshow
   After selecting the color, press and hold the Ctrl key while you click the pen icon again. A small lock icon appears next to the pen cursor, indicating the color is locked for the rest of the slideshow session. The color will not reset when you advance to the next slide.

Note: The Ctrl+click method locks the color only for the current slideshow session. Once you exit the slideshow, the color reverts to the default the next time you start a slideshow. This method is best for a single presentation session where you do not want to change settings permanently.

If the Pen Color Still Resets After Applying These Methods

Pen Color Resets After Saving and Reopening the Presentation

If you used Method 1 to set a per-presentation pen color but the color resets after you save and reopen the file, check that you saved the presentation after making the change. Click Save or press Ctrl+S. If the color still resets, the file may be in a format that does not support pen color persistence, such as the older .ppt format. Convert the file to the modern .pptx format by clicking File > Info > Convert.

Global Default Not Applied to New Presentations

If you changed the global default in PowerPoint Options but new presentations still show the red pen color, restart PowerPoint completely. The setting may not take effect until the application restarts. Also verify that you selected the correct dropdown in the Advanced pane. Some PowerPoint versions have a separate Pen Color option under Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show that overrides the global default.

Pen Color Changes Only After Using the Drawing Tools in Normal View

If you draw on slides in Normal view using the Draw tab, the pen color you choose there does not affect the slideshow pen color. The slideshow pen color and the drawing pen color are independent settings. Always use the Slide Show tab or PowerPoint Options to set the slideshow pen color.

Pen Color Persistence: Per-Presentation vs Global Default

Item	Per-Presentation Default (Method 1)	Global Default (Method 2)
Scope	Affects only the current presentation file	Affects all presentations on the computer
Setting location	Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show > Pen Color	File > Options > Advanced > Pen Color
Persistence after file transfer	Travels with the .pptx file to other computers	Does not travel; other computers use their own global default
Override priority	Overrides the global default for that presentation	Overridden by any per-presentation setting
Best for	Shared presentations or team templates requiring a specific annotation color	Personal preference when you always use the same pen color

You can now set a default pen color that persists across slideshows using either the per-presentation method or the global method. For presentations you share with others, use the per-presentation setting so the pen color travels with the file. For your own use, set the global default in PowerPoint Options. If you frequently switch between colors, try the Ctrl+click lock during slideshows to temporarily lock a color without changing any settings.