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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 2021
PowerPoint 2019
 Find your Office version

Windows
 Find your Windows version


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 Text highlighter button.

    For Office 365 subscribers, the Home tab on the PowerPoint for Mac 2016 ribbon now includes a Text Highlight Color button
  3. Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted in the color you chose.

    Text highlighter button and color gallery

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 Text highlighter button.

    For Office 365 subscribers, the Home tab on the PowerPoint for Mac 2016 ribbon now includes a Text Highlight Color button
  2. Choose a color, and then move the mouse pointer over the text area of your slide.

    The mouse pointer changes to a highlighter. Text highlighter tool.

  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 Text highlighter button and click No Color.

Another way to highlight

Turn your mouse into a laser pointer to draw attention to something on a slide

Requirements for Text Highlighting

Task, checklist, planning symbol

Applies to:

PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac Version 16.10 or later 
PowerPoint 2021 for Mac
PowerPoint 2019 for Mac
 Find your Office version

Mac OS X 10.10 or later 

Highlight text

  1. Select the text that you want to highlight.

  2. On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color Text Highlighter button.

    The Text Highlighter button is on the Home tab of the ribbon in PowerPoint Online
  3. Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted in the color you chose.

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