a:grpFill (Group Fill)

Specifies that a shape inherits fill properties from its parent group shape.

Parent elements

Description

\:grpFill\ is the DrawingML element that applies fill inherited from the parent group shape. It is defined in ECMA-376 Part 1 §20.1.8.26.

Group fill enables shapes within a grouped set to automatically use the fill properties of their parent group, creating visual cohesion. This is essential for:

Creating grouped shapes with uniform appearance
Maintaining visual consistency in shape collections
Enabling theme-based fill changes across entire groups
Reducing file size by eliminating redundant fill specifications
Facilitating master slide design patterns

Group fill differs from:

Solid fill (\:solidFill) — Direct color fill
No fill (\:noFill) — No fill, overrides inheritance
Inherited fill (omitted) — Implicit inheritance from master/theme

Attributes

Attribute	Type	Values	Description
(none)	-	-	\:grpFill\ has no attributes or child elements.

Content Model

\:grpFill\ has no child elements. It is an empty, self-contained element:

xml <a:grpFill/>

Examples

Grouped Shapes with Inherited Fill

<a:grpSp>
  <a:grpSpPr>
    <a:xfrm>
      <a:off x="0" y="0"/>
      <a:ext cx="10000000" cy="7500000"/>
      <a:chOff x="0" y="0"/>
      <a:chExt cx="10000000" cy="7500000"/>
    </a:xfrm>
    <a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="4472C4"/></a:solidFill>
  </a:grpSpPr>
  <a:sp>
    <a:spPr>
      <a:xfrm><a:off x="500000" y="500000"/><a:ext cx="2000000" cy="2000000"/></a:xfrm>
      <a:grpFill/>
    </a:spPr>
  </a:sp>
</a:grpSp>

using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Drawing;

var groupShape = new GroupShape();

// Group properties with blue fill
var grpSpPr = new GroupShapeProperties();
var transform = new Transform2D();
transform.Append(new Offset { X = 0, Y = 0 });
transform.Append(new Extents { Cx = 10000000, Cy = 7500000 });
transform.Append(new ChildOffset { X = 0, Y = 0 });
transform.Append(new ChildExtents { Cx = 10000000, Cy = 7500000 });
grpSpPr.Append(transform);

var solidFill = new SolidFill();
solidFill.Append(new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "4472C4" });
grpSpPr.Append(solidFill);
groupShape.Append(grpSpPr);

// Child shape inherits fill
var shape = new Shape();
var spPr = new ShapeProperties();
var spTransform = new Transform2D();
spTransform.Append(new Offset { X = 500000, Y = 500000 });
spTransform.Append(new Extents { Cx = 2000000, Cy = 2000000 });
spPr.Append(spTransform);
spPr.Append(new GroupFill());  // Inherit from group
shape.Append(spPr);
groupShape.Append(shape);

Mixed Fills in Group (Some Inherit, Some Override)

<a:grpSp>
  <a:grpSpPr>
    <a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="ED7D31"/></a:solidFill>
  </a:grpSpPr>
  <a:sp>
    <a:spPr>
      <!-- Shape 1: Inherits orange fill from group -->
      <a:grpFill/>
    </a:spPr>
  </a:sp>
  <a:sp>
    <a:spPr>
      <!-- Shape 2: Overrides with green -->
      <a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="70AD47"/></a:solidFill>
    </a:spPr>
  </a:sp>
</a:grpSp>

var groupShape = new GroupShape();
var grpSpPr = new GroupShapeProperties();

var orangeFill = new SolidFill();
orangeFill.Append(new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "ED7D31" });
grpSpPr.Append(orangeFill);
groupShape.Append(grpSpPr);

// Shape 1: inherits orange
var shape1 = new Shape();
var spPr1 = new ShapeProperties();
spPr1.Append(new GroupFill());
shape1.Append(spPr1);
groupShape.Append(shape1);

// Shape 2: overrides with green
var shape2 = new Shape();
var spPr2 = new ShapeProperties();
var greenFill = new SolidFill();
greenFill.Append(new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "70AD47" });
spPr2.Append(greenFill);
shape2.Append(spPr2);
groupShape.Append(shape2);

Theme-Based Group Fill (Using Scheme Color)

<a:grpSp>
  <a:grpSpPr>
    <a:solidFill>
      <a:schemeClr val="accent1"/>
    </a:solidFill>
  </a:grpSpPr>
  <a:sp>
    <a:spPr>
      <a:grpFill/>
    </a:spPr>
  </a:sp>
</a:grpSp>

var groupShape = new GroupShape();
var grpSpPr = new GroupShapeProperties();

var themeFill = new SolidFill();
var schemeClr = new SchemeColor { Val = ColorSchemeIndexValues.Accent1 };
themeFill.Append(schemeClr);
grpSpPr.Append(themeFill);
groupShape.Append(grpSpPr);

var shape = new Shape();
var spPr = new ShapeProperties();
spPr.Append(new GroupFill());  // Inherits theme color
shape.Append(spPr);
groupShape.Append(shape);

Fill Inheritance Behavior

Fill Inheritance Chain

When a shape specifies \:grpFill\, fill resolves in this order:

Shape explicit fill (e.g., \:solidFill\, \:noFill) — Direct specification
Group fill (\:grpFill) — Parent group’s fill
Master slide theme — Theme-defined fill
Default — No fill (transparent)

Precedence Table

Scenario	Result	Notes
Shape has \:solidFill\	Uses solid fill	Direct specification wins
Shape has \:grpFill\	Inherits group fill	Uses parent’s fill properties
Shape has \:noFill\	No fill (transparent)	Explicit override
Shape omits fill	Inherits from theme	Implicit theme inheritance

Usage Patterns

When to Use Group Fill

Scenario	Why
Grouped icons	All shapes same color, coordinated appearance
Themed collections	Shapes update with master slide color changes
Organizational charts	Hierarchy with consistent styling
Data visualization	Grouped data points with consistent coloring
Templates	Placeholder shapes that inherit design colors

Example: Organizational Chart

`xml

Interactions with Other Elements

Group Fill + Outline

Group fill controls interior fill; outline (\:ln) remains independent:

<a:grpSp>
  <a:grpSpPr>
    <a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="4472C4"/></a:solidFill>
  </a:grpSpPr>
  <a:sp>
    <a:spPr>
      <a:grpFill/>
      <a:ln w="19050"><a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="000000"/></a:solidFill></a:ln>
    </a:spPr>
  </a:sp>
</a:grpSp>

var grpFill = new GroupFill();
var line = new Outline { Width = 19050 };
var lineFill = new SolidFill();
lineFill.Append(new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "000000" });
line.Append(lineFill);

var spPr = new ShapeProperties();
spPr.Append(grpFill);      // Inherits blue fill
spPr.Append(line);         // Has black outline

File Size Optimization

Using \:grpFill\ for grouped shapes reduces file size:

Without Group Fill (each shape specifies fill): ` ... ×10 shapes = 10× fill specs `

With Group Fill (1 group fill + inherited): ` ... ×10 shapes = 1 fill + 10 inheritance markers `

Result: Smaller file size, easier maintenance

Notes

Element Characteristics

Empty element: No child elements
Inheritance marker: Signals “use parent fill”
Scope: Only affects current shape, not nested groups
Mutually exclusive: Cannot combine with other fill types
Overridable: Any explicit fill in shape overrides group fill

Rendering

Word: Uses group fill color consistently
PowerPoint: Inherits group properties; updates with theme changes
Excel: Group fill applied to shape collection
Publisher: Propagates fill to all grouped objects

Compatibility

Office 2007 and later
Consistent across applications
Theme-based inheritance works across presentations

Best Practices

Use group fill for visual cohesion in grouped shapes
Leverage theme colors (\:schemeClr) in group for dynamic theming
Override with explicit fills only when necessary
Document grouped structure for maintenance
Use for templates and master slides