Change Connector Color in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Once you add a connector to link shapes in PowerPoint 2010, you can then format their line thickness, dash attributes, etc. to match your requirements. Connectors are just like conventional lines in PowerPoint, even as far as their formatting options are concerned—so changing the color attributes of a connector is almost like changing the color of any line, as you will learn in the following steps in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows.

1. Select the connector that you want to change the color for. From the Drawing Tools Format tab, locate the Shape Styles group, and then click the Shape Outline button to view the Shape Outline drop-down gallery that you can see in Figure 1.
2. 
   Figure 1: Shape Outline drop-down gallery
2. The options in this gallery are explained below. You'll need to choose any one of these options for the connector:
1. Theme Colors: Here you can select any of the colors which are from the active Theme of the presentation. You can also select any of the 5 tints or shades for any Theme color. Learn more about Themes in PowerPoint.
2. Standard Colors: You can choose any of the ten standard colors available. These ten standard colors are just choices of colors that PowerPoint believes to be widely used. You don't have to limit yourself to either the Theme colors or Standard colors, as we'll show you in the next options, although it's a good design idea to use Theme colors as far as possible.
3. Recent Colors: Here you can find the colors most recently used. If you have just launched PowerPoint and created a new presentation, the Recent Colors option may be entirely absent since you haven't selected any color recently!
4. No Outline: Choose this option to make the connector invisible.
5. More Outline Colors: This is to summon the Colors dialog box as shown in Figure 2. This dialog box has two tabs: Standard and Custom—first select the Standard tab (again, refer to Figure 2).
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   Figure 2: Standard tab of the Colors dialog box
7. This tab offers 127 colors in a honeycomb style palette, 14 gray shades, black and white. You can even change the transparency value of the selected color in the Transparency slider below. If you want more color choices, then select the Custom tab of the same dialog box, as shown in Figure 3.
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   Figure 3: Custom tab of the Colors dialog box
9. In this tab, you can choose any color from the spectrum and later adjust the selected color's luminosity with the slider on the right. You can even enter specific values of RGB and HSL to create a specific color. All these combinations provide 16 million color choices!
10. Again, you can even change the transparency value of the selected color in the Transparency slider below.
11. Choose any color and click the OK button to apply it.
6. Weight: With this option you can change the thickness attribute of the connector from a hairline width to a chunky, thick line. Learn more in Formatting Outlines for Shapes (Weight/Thickness) in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows tutorial.
7. Dashes: These are different dash types. Learn more in Formatting Outlines for Shapes (Dashes) in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows tutorial.
8. Arrows: This option allows you to add arrowheads to one end or both ends of the shape outline. Learn more in Formatting Arrows (Arrowheads) in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows tutorial.
Gradients (this option does not show in Shape Outline gallery you saw in Figure 1 earlier on this page): PowerPoint 2010 for Windows also allows you to add gradients to lines (and connectors). Learn more in Gradient Outlines in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows tutorial.
3. Once you apply the connector formatting and make any other changes, do save your presentation!