Designer feature not working

Raghunandana 0 Reputation points
2026-08-29T17:47:16.82+00:00

I am unable to access the design features in Office 2021 that I purchased with my Windows 11 operating system.

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For home | Windows
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  1. Kai-H 26,385 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-31T09:32:26.4833333+00:00

    Hi, Raghunandana

    Office 2021 still includes normal design tools, such as themes, layouts, variants, and Slide Master, but it does not include the automatic Designer suggestions available with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Windows 11 does not change the features included with the Office license.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Open PowerPoint and select File > New, then choose a presentation template. You can also open the Design tab and select a built-in Theme and Variant to apply coordinated colors, fonts, backgrounds, and layouts.

    For a reusable design, select View > Slide Master. Adjust the fonts, colors, logo, and placeholder positions, then save the presentation as a PowerPoint template.

    You can also use the free Microsoft Designer app to create backgrounds or graphics, download them, and insert them into your Office 2021 slides. A Microsoft account is required.

    If the entire Design tab or basic themes are missing, select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now, then run an Online Repair from Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Office 2021 > Modify.

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-29T17:47:29.65+00:00

    Designer is not available in Office 2021 perpetual versions such as Office 2021 or Office LTSC. On desktop PowerPoint, Designer is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers.

    If Office 2021 was purchased with Windows 11, that does not enable Designer in the desktop app. For desktop PowerPoint, Designer requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.

    Checks that are relevant:

    1. In PowerPoint, look on the Design tab for Design Ideas.
    2. If using Office 2021, the feature will not be available as a subscriber feature.
    3. If using PowerPoint for the web, Designer is available to everyone.
    4. If there is a Microsoft 365 subscription and Designer still does not appear, make sure connected experiences are turned on:
      • Go to File > Account > under Account Privacy select Manage Settings.
    5. If a Microsoft 365 subscription was added after previously using a non-subscription Office version, uninstall and reinstall Microsoft 365 to get subscriber features.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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