How to highlight text in PowerPoint

When you want to make text pop in a PowerPoint presentation, one way is to highlight it. You have various options for highlighting text on a slide from the basics to advanced methods. Plus, you can also highlight text during a presentation to call attention to it as you speak.

We’ll show you how to highlight text in PowerPoint, while creating the slideshow and presenting it, using four different methods.

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Method 1: Use the text highlighter

For the simplest way to highlight text in PowerPoint, you can use a built-in tool. The highlighter allows you to choose from several colors to make your text stand out.

1. Select the text on your slide. You can double-click a word or drag your cursor through a phrase, sentence, or paragraph.
2. Go to the Home tab and open the Text Highlight Color menu in the Font section of the ribbon.
3. Pick the color in the drop-down menu and you’ll see your text highlighted.

The Text Highlight Color tool retains the last color you choose until you change it. So, you can highlight additional text by selecting it and simply clicking the Text Highlight Color button.

Tip: Interested in curving text in PowerPoint instead of highlighting it? We’ve got you covered!

Method 2: Use a text effect

If you’d like to go a step further with your text highlights, you can use a nifty effect instead. You’ll find some Outline and Glow effects that make your text pop but with a bit of flare.

1. Select the text on your slide and go to the Shape Format tab.
2. Do one of the following in the WordArt Styles section of the ribbon:some text
   • Open the Text Outline menu and pick a color. Optionally use the same menu to select a Weight or Dashes (outline style) or to see More Outline Colors.

• Open the Text Effects menu, move to Glow, and pick one of the Glow Variations. You can also view More Glow Colors or open the Glow Options to customize the effect.

Tip: Did you know that you can also use animations to add a timer to PowerPoint?

Method 3: Use an animation

Another great way to highlight your text is by using an animation. You’ll see many animation effects from those that twist and turn the text to others that use color and font formatting. Note that with this option, the animation applies to the entire text box, not just the text you select.

1. Select the text and go to the Animations tab.
2. Open the box in the Animation section of the ribbon to view the available effects.
3. You can hover your cursor over an effect to see a brief description.

Here are a few cool animations to consider for highlighting text:

Font Color: This slowly changes the current color to a different one. Once you pick the Font Color animation, use the Effect Options menu to select the color.

Brush Color: This changes the current color to a different one run by brushing through it. After you choose the Brush Color animation, use the Effect Options to select the color.

Underline: This underlines the text and you see the animation draw the line. You can’t choose a specific color, but if you want something other than a color change, this is a good way to highlight your text.

Grow/Shrink: This increases the size of the font and then shrinks it back to normal. Once you pick Grow/Shrink, use the Effect Options to select the direction and amount. This is a terrific way to make text pop off the slide.

4. After you apply the animation you want, use the Timing section to choose how to start the effect and set the duration of it.

5. Use Preview on the left side of the ribbon on the Animations tab to see your effect and make adjustments if needed.

Method 4: Use a presentation tool

Maybe it’s not during the creation of the slideshow that you want to highlight text, but instead, while you’re presenting it. You can use a pointer, pen, or highlighter to call out text during your presentation.

1. When you start your slideshow and arrive at the text you want to highlight, move your cursor to the bottom left to display the toolbar if it isn’t visible. 

If you’re using Presenter View, you’ll see the toolbar on the left below the current slide.

2. Click the Pen button and choose the Laser Pointer, Pen, or Highlighter. For the Pen and Highlighter, you can pick a color other than the default if you like.

3. Use the tool to call out the text on your slide.

4. Continue with your presentation and follow the same steps to highlight additional text as needed.
5. When you finish with the tool, click the Pen button again and deselect the tool.
6. If you use the Pen or Highlighter tools, you’ll be asked if you want to save your annotations when you end the show. This is handy if you want to hold onto the highlights.

Choose Keep or Discard per your preference.

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Conclusion

Now that you know how to highlight text in PowerPoint using these methods, you can make your selected text easier for your audience to spot and even more entertaining to view. Whether in the creation process or during the presentation, use the available tools to make that text shine.

And remember that Plus AI can help you create amazing slideshows. Using Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides, Plus AI is the perfect presentation partner!

FAQs

How do you highlight and comment in PowerPoint?

If you want to highlight text in order to comment on it, you can do this easily. Select the text and either click the Comments button on the top right or New Comment on the Review tab. Enter your note in the Comments Pane that displays and hit the Post comment button.

When you select the box, you’ll see the particular text highlighted that corresponds to the comment.

How do you highlight text without clicking it?

You can select text on a slide using keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint if you’d rather not click.

• Select a line: Place your cursor at the start and press Shift + Down arrow.
• Select a word: Do the above to select a line, continue holding Shift, and use the back arrow until only the word is selected.
• Select a paragraph: Place your cursor at the start and press Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow.

How do you draw highlights in PowerPoint?

You can use the Draw tab and its tool to manually draw a highlight. Click the Highlighter, optionally use the arrow that displays to change the color and thickness, then drag your cursor to draw the highlight.