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# Customize element background and styles

You can customize the styles of all data elements (charts, tables, and pivot tables), input tables, and text elements to add a background color, border, padding, and change the corner shapes.

Styles can also be set as part of the [workbook theme](/docs/workbook-settings-overview), and you can customize the design of individual elements to improve accessibility, create a visual hierarchy, and ensure alignment with company branding.

## User requirements

The ability to customize the style of workbook elements requires the following:

* You must be assigned an account type with the **Explore workbook** and/or **Create, edit, and publish workbooks** permission enabled.
* You must be the workbook owner or be granted **Can explore** or **Can edit** workbook permission.

## Add padding to an element

You can add padding to most elements. You cannot add padding to map visualizations or image elements.

1. Open a workbook in **Explore** or **Edit** mode and select the element you want to modify.
2. Select **Format** in the editor panel, then click the **Element style** header to expand the section.
3. Select the **Padding** checkbox to add padding around the element. To remove padding, deselect the checkbox.

   The element updates to reflect the style change.

## Add or change a custom background color

You can add a background color to most elements. You cannot add a background color to image elements.

1. Open a workbook in **Explore** or **Edit** mode and select the element you want to modify.
2. Select **Format** in the editor panel, then click the **Element style** header to expand the section.
3. Click the **Background color** dropdown, then enter a hex value or select an option from the color palette or picker.

   The element updates to use the custom background color.

### Remove a custom background color

1. Open a workbook in **Explore** or **Edit** mode and select the element you want to modify.
2. Select **Format** in the editor panel, then click the **Element style** header to expand the section.
3. Click the **Background color** dropdown, then select **None**.

   The element updates to use a transparent background color.

## Add a border to an element

You can add a border to most elements. You can always add a border to image elements, but other elements require padding to add a border. See [Add padding to an element](#add-padding-to-an-element) .

1. Open a workbook in **Explore** or **Edit** mode and select the element you want to modify.
2. Select **Format** in the editor panel, then click the **Element style** header to expand the section.
3. For **Border**, leave the default of **None**, or open the drop-down menu to select a border that is **1**, **2**, or **3** pixels wide. When you select a border, you can also choose a color. To remove the border, select the drop-down menu and choose **None**.

   The element updates to reflect the style change.

## Change the corner shape of an element

You can change the corner shape of any element.

1. Open a workbook in **Explore** or **Edit** mode and select the element you want to modify.
2. Select **Format** in the editor panel, then click the **Element style** header to expand the section.
3. For **Corner**, select whether to have square, round, or pill shaped corners for your element.

   The element updates to reflect the style change.

## Change the alignment of a text element

1. Open a workbook in **Explore** or **Edit** mode and select the element you want to modify.
2. Select **Format** in the editor panel, then click the **Element style** header to expand the section.
3. For **Alignment**, select whether to top align <img src="https://sigma-docs-screenshots.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Icons/align_top.svg" alt="" />, center align <img src="https://sigma-docs-screenshots.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Icons/align_center-vertical.svg" alt="" />, or bottom align <img src="https://sigma-docs-screenshots.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Icons/align_bottom.svg" alt="" /> the text in the element.

   The element updates to reflect the style change.