When pasting graphics into Word and PowerPoint, often the graphic has a background colour which carries through with the graphic. For example, if your PowerPoint slides have a blue background, and the graphic you insert has a white background, this will make the graphic have a boxed white background, somewhat ruining the nice look of the slides. However, you can set a particular colour as transparent within Word and PowerPoint. For Office 2003 users, insert the graphic and in the Picture toolbar that appears click the “Set Transparent Color” button and click the colour you would like to make transparent (if the Picture toolbar does not automatically appear, click the “View” menu > “Toolbars” > “Picture”). For Office 2007 users, insert the graphic and click the “Picture Tools ” Format? tab. In the “Adjust” section, click “Recolor” > “Set Transparent Color”. Then, click the colour you would like to make transparent. Now, any instances of that colour within the graphic will become transparent.