How to Highlight Text in PowerPoint: 3 Easy Methods Explained

How to Highlight Words in PowerPoint: Quick Steps

• Open PowerPoint >> Select Text
• Home Tab >> Click the Highlight Button
• Choose the Highlight Color

PowerPoint presentations are often used to convey important information quickly and clearly. Highlighting key words or phrases in your slides can help emphasize the most important points and guide your audience's attention. Whether you're presenting for business, education, or personal projects, mastering how to highlight words in PowerPoint can make your slides more engaging and impactful.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the different ways you can highlight text in PowerPoint, from using built-in highlighting tools to customizing your own text effects.

How to Highlight Text in PowerPoint: Different Methods

While PowerPoint doesn’t have a native highlighter tool like Word, there are several ways to effectively highlight text. Let’s look at the most common methods:

Method 1: Use the Text Highlight Tool (PowerPoint 2019 and Office 365)

PowerPoint 2019 and Office 365 now have a built-in text highlight feature that is easy to use and effective. Follow the below steps to highlight text using the Text highlight tool:

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation

Open your PowerPoint presentation and navigate to the slide where you want to highlight text.

Step 2: Select the Text to Highlight

Click and drag to select the text you want to highlight.

Step 3: Go to Home Tab and Click the Text Highlight Color Button

Go to the "Home" tab on the ribbon at the top of the screen. In the Font group, click the "Text Highlight Color" button (the icon looks like a pen with a yellow background).

Step 4: Choose Your Highlight Color

From the dropdown, choose your preferred color.

This is the quickest and easiest way to highlight text in PowerPoint and works just like highlighting text in Word.

Method 2: Use Shapes for Highlighting (All PowerPoint Versions)

For earlier versions of PowerPoint or if you want more design flexibility, you can use shapes (rectangles) to simulate highlighting.

Step 1: Select the Text to Highlight

Select the text you want to highlight.

Step 2: Insert a Shape

Go to the "Insert" tab and click on "Shapes". Select the Rectangle shape and draw it over the text.

Step 3: Right Click and Select "Send Shape to back"

Right-click the rectangle and choose "Format Shape". In the Format Shape pane, click Fill, choose a color (e.g., yellow), and adjust transparency to about 50%.

Step 4: Preview Results

Now, The text is highlighted.

Method 3: Apply Text Effects for Emphasis

Adding text effects can help your highlighted words stand out even more, making them bolder and more eye-catching.

Step 1: Select the Text to Highlight

Select the text you want to highlight.

Step 2: Access Text Effects

Go to the "Format" tab and click on the "Text Effects" button (the “A” with a glow effect).

Step 3: Choose an Effect

From the dropdown, choose "Glow", "Shadow", "Outline", or "Reflection".

Step 4: Adjust the Effect

Adjust the settings for the effect to make the text more prominent.

Conclusion

Mastering how to highlight text in PowerPoint is a simple yet effective way to make your presentations more engaging. Whether you're using the built-in highlight tool, shapes, text effects, or animations, each method adds emphasis to key points and ensures your audience stays focused on what matters most. By applying these techniques, you can create polished, professional presentations that capture attention and communicate your message clearly.