Applies ToPowerPoint for Microsoft 365 PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac PowerPoint for the web PowerPoint 2024 PowerPoint 2024 for Mac PowerPoint 2021 PowerPoint 2021 for Mac PowerPoint 2019 PowerPoint 2016

Text highlighting in PowerPoint 2019 and newer versions lets you mark text in yellow or another highlighter color. (This feature is available on both Windows and macOS, and it's available in your browser in PowerPoint for the web.)

If you don't see the Text Highlight Color  Shows the Highlight With Text Icon in PowerPoint. button on the Home tab of the Ribbon, read Requirements below for more details.

Highlight one piece of text

  1. Select the text that you want to highlight.

  2. On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color Shows the Highlight With Text Icon in PowerPoint..

    The text highlighter on the ribbon in PowerPoint.
  3. Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted in the color you chose.

Highlight multiple pieces of non-contiguous text

  1. With no text selected on the slide, on the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color Shows the Highlight With Text Icon in PowerPoint..

    The text highlighter on the ribbon in PowerPoint.
  2. Choose a color, and then move the mouse pointer over the text area of your slide.

    The mouse pointer changes to a highlighter. Hightlighter Pointer Icon.

  3. Select each portion of text that you want to highlight.

  4. When you're done highlighting, press Esc on the keyboard to turn off the highlighter.

Remove highlighting from text

  1. Select the highlighted text.

  2. On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color Shows the Highlight With Text Icon in PowerPoint. and click No Color.

Other ways to highlight

Here are two other ways to emphasize something on screen while you're presenting:

Requirements for Text Highlighting

Task, checklist, planning symbol

Applies to:

PowerPoint for Microsoft 365  Current Channel: Version 1606 or later  Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: Version 1701 or later PowerPoint 2024PowerPoint 2021PowerPoint 2019  Find your Office version

Windows  Find your Windows version

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