At this stage in the world of technology, it is fair to presume most people have used Microsoft Word at some point or another. Then, you must also be aware of the importance of highlighting some information to ensure they stand out in the reader’s eyes.
Microsoft Word has some default color options, but it is no secret that these options might not always be enough. But this should not be a matter of concern since you can customize these highlight colors in many other ways.
In this blog, we will learn all about custom highlight color in Word to make your documents more readable and understandable. So, let’s start without any further ado!
Part 1. Different Ways to Highlight Your Text on MS Word
MS Word has been around for too long now, and it is no surprise that there are many different ways to highlight texts on MS Word. So, here we will look at these methods that use existing default features on Word to highlight texts.
1. Using the Highlighter Tool
This is one of the simplest ways to highlight texts in MS Word, and anyone can understand the basics of this method. Here, all you need to do is:
- Choose the word you wish to highlight on the document
- Go to the Home menu at the top corner or the top left side of the screen.
- Then, select the text highlighter tools from the Font group.
- Select the color you wish to use to highlight your texts.
- This will highlight the text on the document using the color of your choice.
2. Using the Font Color Tool
Another simple way to highlight texts in your Word document is by using the font color tool. Even though this is a relatively simple process, you must follow the steps to complete the job.
- Start by selecting the text and clicking the Font Color in the Home tab’s Font section.
- Then, choose a color of your choice from the available options and click on OK.
- Lastly, just select the Highlight option from the drop-down menu.
3. Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Highlight Texts on MS Word
Another great way to highlight texts in MS Word is to use the right keyboard shortcut. Following are the steps you need to follow here:
- Press the Ctrl+Alt+H keys on your computer’s keyboard.
- Now, choose the color you wish to use to highlight the text.
- This method is enough to highlight every text in MS Word.
Part 2. Default Technique to Customize Highlight Color on MS Word
If you use MS Word, you must know that the program already has a default text highlighter. But the catch is that this functionality offers limited color options, which is not always enough to enhance your document’s presentation. So, if you are looking to customize the highlight color on Word, here are the steps you need to follow:
- Start by opening your MS Word document and clicking on the Home tab.
- Then, you will find a text highlight color option in the font group and click on the arrow next to it.
- A drop-down menu will appear with an option reading “More colors,” you need to click on it.
- Adjust the sliders under Blue, Red, and Green, and choose the color shade you wish to use for highlighting.
- You can even leverage the RGB box to enter specific values for every color.
- This will highlight the text in the color of your choice, and you can click on the OK tab to close the dialogue box for highlight colors.
Following these steps should be enough to highlight your texts on MS Word. You can change the color again; you only need to select your custom color from the recent list.
If you cannot add more colors to the Highlight tool, chances are that the 15 default color limitation is preventing this. So, you can try using different shades of the same color or use an entirely different highlighting tool to access more custom colors. No shortage of third-party solutions will help you easily customize highlight color in Word, but more on this in the following section.
Part 3. Third-Party Solutions You Can Use to Customize Highlight Color in Word
The technology world has come a long way, and now we have many third-party tools that help add more functionalities to conventional tools. Naturally, we now have many third-party PDF annotator tools that will make changing highlight colors on MS Word easier. So, let’s analyze some of these tools and understand how you can use them to your advantage:
1: Afirstsoft PDF
Afirstsoft PDF is one of the finest tools you can use to edit PDFs in today’s day and age. You can use the tool’s highlighter annotation feature to change and customize the colors. This will make it much simpler to highlight the annotation and ensure that the important texts stand out. As a result, you get a more visually appealing document with multiple colors, enhancing overall readability.
Steps to Customize Highlight Color in Word Using Afirstsoft
Step 1: Convert the Word document to PDF
Step 2: Open the Afirstsoft PDF tool
Step 3: Add annotations
Step 4: Save the annotated PDF
Key Features
- Add text boxes, stickers, and comments to make the document more engaging.
- Convert Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files to PFT format.
- AI-powered translation and document summarization.
- Instant clipboard access for every copied PDF text.
- Wide range of formatting tools for better readability.
Pros
- Wide range of PDF editing features
- Accessible across all devices
- AI-powered functionalities
- Useful translation and summarization features
Cons
- Some features are locked behind a pay.
- There might be some issues with speed.
2: Universal PDF (UPDF) Highlighter/Annoter
The Universal PDF, also known as the UPDF for short, is another great tool for customizing the highlight color in your Word document. This amazing tool has a highly navigable user interface that makes highlighting any text on your Word file easier. You can use the tool across various devices, including Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS.
The UPDF tool has many amazing features that help you edit text, images, and other content. The best part is that you can use these features to highlight and underline texts, which greatly enhances the readability score.
Steps to Customize Highlight Color in Word Using Universal PDF
Step 1: Open the Universal PDF platform on your device and first convert the Word document to PDF
Step 2: Add the necessary annotations with the highlight color of your choice.
Step 3: Save the annotated PDF to your device
Key Features
- Unique document review with stamps and signatures
- Access to more than 100 different types of stickers
- A wide range of annotation tools include sticky notes, highlighters, underline, and more.
- Manageable comment list for better convenience
- Sharing options via link and email
Pros
- 15 default and customizable stamps
- Intuitive eraser feature to transform drawings
- Seamless document review and collaboration
- Openable attachments for better convenience
Cons
- Cloud storage is not available in the free version
- Lacks cross-platform abilities with the free version.
3: Foxit
The next reliable platform to change highlight colors in Word is Foxit. This reliable and flexible tool is one of the best for adding annotations on PDF files. This means that you will first need to convert the Word file into a PDF, but this is generally the case with every other tool on this list.
Foxit comes with a very useful Area Highlight feature that will help you highlight different sections in the file in different colors. This tool gives you a versatile color choice to ensure you use the right color to highlight the text and relay the right message. This does so much more than just make your document more readable; it also helps enhance collaboration between team members.
Steps to Customize Highlight Color in Word Using Foxit
Step 1: You will first have to convert the Word document to PDF
Step 2: Open the Foxit tool and upload the file
Step 3: Add the necessary annotations with the right colors
Step 4: Save the document to your device
Key Features
- Seamless collaboration and sharing features
- Easily integrates with different cloud storages and CMS platforms
- Annotation management with summary, exports, imports, and more.
- Accounting calculator window for better convenience.
- OCR and scanning documents in a matter of minutes
Pros
- Supports countless annotation features
- Better collaboration feature with cloud technology
- Navigable user interface.
Cons
- Some features are locked behind a pay.
- No free options available
4: Wondershare PDFelement
Wondershare PDFelement is another amazing tool for altering the highlight color of your Word file and making the document stand out. It does not matter if you are an IT professional or from the education industry. This unique tool offers a wide range of color selection options for everyone.m
Even better, Wondershare PDFelement offers many flexible pricing plans so you can choose the best one based on your needs. You can easily use the tool on Windows, iOS, Mac, or even Android devices with a bundled plan. This will make it a lot easier to highlight texts in different colors and convey the right message to the reader.
Steps to Customize Highlight Color in Word Using PDFelement
Step 1: Since Wondershare PDFelement only annotates PDF files, you will first need to convert the Word document to PDF
Step 2: Add annotations
Step 3: Save the edited PDF by clicking on the Save As button
Key Features
- Accessible across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices
- Access to popular commenting styles for a stand-out effect
- PDF measuring tools for accurately annotating dimensions within the file.
- Seamless incorporation of shapes for better interactiveness
Pros
- Secure and compliant with relevant legal standards
- Accessible across different devices and operating systems
- Relatively simple annotation process
- Well-suited for different industries
Cons
- Slow performance while working on large files
- Pricey multi-platform plan
5: Xodo
The last feature-rich tool to change the highlight color in your document is Xodo. This reliable and feature-rich tool has multiple color choices for your highlights. The user-friendly interface of this platform eliminates all the hassle from the annotation process and allows you to get the job done in no time.
Apart from changing your highlight color, you can even use Xodo to customize the appearance of your annotations. This means you can use this tool to underline add notes, text, and much more from a user-friendly interface. This will also help add boxes to the document to draw readers' attention to the right stuff.
Steps to Customize Highlight Color In Word Using Xodo
Step 1: Open Xodo and convert the Word document to PDF format
Step 2: Upload the file to the platform
Step 3: Add all the necessary highlight annotations
Step 4: Save the PDF by clicking on the Save As under the File drop-down menu on top
Key Features
- AI-powered assistant to summarize any PDF in no time
- Wide range of conversions to get your document in the right format.
- Create, fill, and sign all PDf documents easily
- Useful e-signature solution for sharing documents securely
Pros
- Keeps all your files safe and secure
- Seamless cross-platform usability
- Leveraging industry-leading technologies
- Exclusive features on mobile
Cons
- Relatively expensive individual products
Part 4. Essential Tips to Customize Highlight Color in MS Word
Highlight color plays a very important role in drawing the reader’s attention to the right space in the document. So, if you were wondering how to change the highlight color in Word, here are some tips to help you out for good:
- Be Specific: The primary intent behind highlighting text on Word is to draw one’s attention to the right place. This is why you must be very specific about what highlight color you use and where.
- Take an Informed Approach: The next thing you must remember is to take an informed approach when highlighting texts. This means you cannot just sit down with your computer and highlight whatever you want. Instead, understand the document’s content, clearly understand the context, and highlight it accordingly.
- Be Constructive With Your Feedback:Many people change highlight color to convey their feedback to others. This makes it important for you to take a constructive approach so that your feedback will make a difference. You can even consider choosing to highlight colors that are not that aggressive.
Part 5. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I change the default highlight colors on MS Word?
Yes, you can change the default highlight color in MS Word, but the catch is these default settings have limited color options. Instead, you can use tools like Afirstsoft PDF to add the highlight color of your choice.
2. Do I need to convert Word files into PDFs to annoy them?
Since MS Word has limited highlight color options, you might need to use PDF annotation tools, and this definitely requires you to convert Word files to PDFs and later convert them back.
3. How to get more highlight colors in Word?
Using the latest PDF annotation tools is one of the most convenient ways to get more highlight colors on MS Word.
Part 6. Final Thoughts
Highlighting the right text with the right color is important today in a world where everyone has an attention span that lasts just for seconds. While MS Word does offer some default options, they are not enough for most.
So, if you were wondering how to get more highlight colors in Word, use this information to your advantage. The tools above have got every feature to bring out the best in your document!
