Every company has a slide style. Now DeckAI lets you define yours — then reuse it across every presentation. Here's how the template editor works and why it matters.
Why Templates Matter
Most AI slide tools give you a theme dropdown — "Professional Dark," "Minimal Light," "Corporate Blue." But real consulting decks don't work that way. A McKinsey deck looks nothing like a BCG deck, and your company's deck should look like neither.
DeckAI's template system gives you control over every element of the slide frame — the structure that wraps around your AI-generated content. Think of it as designing the "chrome" around the visualization.
What You Can Customize
The template editor has two views: Cover Frame (slide 1) and Body Frame (all other slides). Each has different editable elements.
Cover Frame Elements
Main presentation title — font, size, color, position, alignment
Tagline or description — typically smaller, lighter color
Presenter name and date — bottom area
Solid color, gradient, or AI-generated image
Top and bottom decorative lines — color, thickness
Position and size for company logo
Body Frame Elements
Slide title (action headline) — font, size, position
Key takeaway line below the title — the 'so what'
Where the AI-generated visualization goes — position, width, height
Confidentiality notice or company name — bottom left/center
Slide number — bottom right, customizable format
Top border (usually accent color) and bottom separator
Built-in Presets: McKinsey, BCG, Bain
DeckAI ships with three consulting-style presets. Each one defines specific element positions, colors, and typography to match the visual language of top strategy firms:
McKinsey
Clean, minimal. Dark blue title bar, thin accent border, generous white space. The "less is more" approach.
BCG
Bold green accents, structured grid, prominent headers. Data-forward layout with strong visual hierarchy.
Bain
Red accent system, compact layout, emphasis on action titles. Results-oriented visual language.
Use these as starting points, then customize colors, fonts, and element positions to match your own brand.
Creating Your Own Template
Go to /templates
Navigate to the Templates page from the navbar (must be logged in)
Start from a preset or blank
Choose McKinsey, BCG, Bain as a base — or start from Custom for a blank canvas
Edit the Cover Frame
Click elements on the preview canvas to select them. Adjust font, size, color, and position using the toolbar
Edit the Body Frame
Switch to the Body tab. Customize title, head message, diagram area, footer, page number, and borders
Set background colors
Choose background and accent colors that match your brand
Save
Give your template a name and save. It appears in the template selector when creating new presentations
Upload Your Own Design
Don't want to build from scratch? Upload a screenshot or image of your existing slide template. DeckAI's AI will analyze it and match the visual style — colors, typography, mood, and layout — when generating diagrams.
Select Custom in the template selector, then upload your reference image. The AI treats it as the design system blueprint for the entire deck.
Pro Tips
- →Keep the head message visible — it's the "so what" of each slide. Position it prominently below the title.
- →Use the diagram area wisely — the bigger the diagram area, the more impactful the visualization. Leave at least 20% height for title + head message.
- →Match your PPTX frame colors to the design system — the AI generates diagrams using the design system palette. If your frame uses different colors, they'll clash.
- →Test with a real presentation — after saving, create a quick 3-slide deck to see how your template looks with actual AI-generated content.
Design your template
Create a custom slide template that matches your brand — then reuse it forever.
Open Template Editor →