How to highlight text in Google Docs
Learn how to highlight text in Google Docs: select your words, open Highlight color in the toolbar, pick yellow or another color, and check the result.
Quick answer
To highlight text in Google Docs, select the words you want to mark, click the Highlight color button in the toolbar, and pick a color such as yellow from the palette. The selected text gets a colored background right away. To remove it later, reopen the palette and choose None.
Steps at a glance
- Select the text you want to highlight.
- Click the Highlight color button in the toolbar.
- Look through the palette that opens below the button.
- Pick a color from the palette, such as yellow.
- Check that the text now has a colored background.
Interactive demo
Summary
Highlighting puts a colored background behind selected text so key lines stand out. Google Docs does it from the toolbar in a few clicks. It works well for plans, notes, and drafts you review with others.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Select the text to highlight
Click at the start of the words you want to mark, then hold Shift and press the arrow keys to extend the selection. You can also double-click a single word. The selected text shows a blue background.
Step 2
Open the highlight color menu
In the toolbar, click the Highlight color button, the marker icon next to Text color. A color palette opens below it.
Step 3
Pick a highlight color
Click a color in the palette. Yellow sits in the second row of bright colors. The palette also has a None option for removing a highlight.
Step 4
Check the highlighted text
Click elsewhere in the document to clear the selection. The words now have a yellow background behind them, while the rest of the text stays unchanged.
Why this matters
You have a plan or draft full of deadlines and action items, and the important line is easy to miss. Highlighting it takes seconds and makes it the first thing you or a teammate sees when you reopen the document.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a color other than yellow?
Yes. The Highlight color palette offers many colors, including red, green, blue, and magenta, plus a custom color option.
How do I remove a highlight?
Select the highlighted text, open Highlight color, and choose None at the top of the palette.
Related guides
Continue with more step-by-step guides for getting work done.
How to strikethrough in Google DocsLearn how to add strikethrough text in Google Docs using the Format menu or keyboard shortcut, and how to remove it afterwards.
How to add a checklist in Google DocsTurn a list of tasks into a Google Docs checklist with the Format menu, then click each checkbox to tick items off as you finish them.
How to add a footnote in Google DocsAdd a footnote in Google Docs from the Insert menu. Place your cursor, choose Page elements then Footnote, and type the note at the bottom of the page.
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