Using MS Word's Highlight Feature

The Tech Tip on this page is intended to be an information source for users. All Tech Tips are available in PDF format to save or print out for future reference. If you cannot view PDF documents and want to install Acrobat Reader, click here.

1. DISCUSSION

Instead of printing out a document and using a highlighter to mark important sentences or changes to a document, use Microsoft Word’s Highlight feature. This feature is particularly handy with color printers since the reader can see where the highlighting marks have been made after printing the document. The Highlight feature also allows multiple users to use different highlighter colors when editing a document. The Highlight feature can also be disabled to print a document without any highlighting marks on it.

2.   PROCEDURE

  To highlight a sentence or passage:

1. Find the sentence or passage to highlight.

2. Select the highlight feature from the Formatting toolbar (see Figure 1).

   

   Figure 1

3. Select the color of the highlighter and the cursor will change to a highlighter when the cursor passes over text.

4. Drag the cursor over the sentence or passage that needs to be highlighted (see Figure 2).  

Figure 2

5. To cease highlighting, click the highlight feature button again.

To remove the highlighting from a document without having to do so line by line:

1. Use the Find and Replace feature in Microsoft Word.

   1. Click the Edit menu and do one of the following:

      1. Click Find (or press Ctrl + F) to open the Find window. Click the Replace tab.

      2. Click Replace (or press Ctrl + H) to open the Find and Replace window.

   2. Click “More” if necessary to expand the Search Options menu.

   3. Place the cursor in the “Find what” box.

   4. Select the “Format” tab to reveal the selections and select Highlight at the bottom of the window (see Figure 3).

   

   Figure 3

   5. Place the cursor in the “Replace with” box.

   6. Select the Format tab and select Highlight twice so “Not Highlight” will appear below the Replace with box (see Figure 4).
      
   

Figure 4

7. Click the “Replace All” tab and click OK.

8. Click Close to close the Find and Replace window.

To print a highlighted document without the highlights but not have to remove the highlights:

1. Open the Tools menu and select Options.

2. Under the View tab, clear the Highlight check box in the Show section (see Figure 5).

   

   Figure 5

3. Click OK.

4. After printing is complete, turn the highlight feature back on:

   1. Open the Tools menu.

   2. Select Options.

   3. Check the Highlight check box in the Show section.

   4. Click OK.

Send mail to help.desk@ctcd.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
 
 Copyright © 2006 Central Texas College Information Technology Division
 
 Telephone (254)501-3103
 FAX (254)526-1950
  P.O. Box 1800, Killeen, TX 76540-1800