Text highlighting in PowerPoint for Office 365 and PowerPoint 2019 lets subscribers 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.)

At least within the Windows versions such as PowerPoint 2013, you can use Word's highlighting options as a workaround -- but this workaround does not work with PowerPoint 2011 for Mac -- so we will use fake highlighting for the text, which also works extremely well.

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If you don't see the Text Highlight Color button on the Home tab of the Ribbon, read Requirements below for more details.

Highlight one piece of text

Select the text that you want to highlight.
On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color .
Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted in the color you chose.

Highlight multiple pieces of non-contiguous text

In Microsoft Word, select the text that you want to highlight and copy to PowerPoint. Ensure it is the same font and size as the destination text box or placeholder in PowerPoint. Click the Home tab in the Ribbon. At least within the Windows versions such as PowerPoint 2013, you can use Word's highlighting options as a workaround -- but this workaround does not work with PowerPoint 2011 for Mac -- so we will use fake highlighting for the text, which also works extremely well.

With no text selected on the slide, on the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color .
Choose a color, and then move the mouse pointer over the text area of your slide.
The mouse pointer changes to a highlighter. .
Select each portion of text that you want to highlight.
When you're done highlighting, press Esc on the keyboard to turn off the highlighter.

Remove highlighting from text

Select the highlighted text.
On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color 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

Applies to:

PowerPoint for Office 365
Monthly Channel: Version 1606 or later
Semi-annual channels: Version 1701 or later
PowerPoint 2019
Find your Office version

Windows
Find your Windows version

If you don't see the Text Highlight Color button on the Home tab of the Ribbon, read Requirements below for more details.

Highlight one piece of text

Select the text that you want to highlight.
On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color .
Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted in the color you chose.

Highlight multiple pieces of non-contiguous text

With no text selected on the slide, on the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color .
Choose a color, and then move the mouse pointer over the text area of your slide.
The mouse pointer changes to a highlighter. .
Select each portion of text that you want to highlight.
When you're done highlighting, press Esc on the keyboard to turn off the highlighter.

Remove highlighting from text

Select the highlighted text.
On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color and click No Color.

Another way to highlight

Requirements for Text Highlighting

Applies to:

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

Mac OS X 10.10 or later

Highlight text

Select the text that you want to highlight.
On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color .
Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted in the color you chose.

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According to noted industry blogger Guy Kawasaki, you should 'force yourself to use no font smaller than thirty points . . . because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well.' But using fewer words per slide doesn't mean that the text has to be boring. You can use the fill and outline tools in PowerPoint to make the text look exactly the way you want while still focusing on only the most important ideas for your presentation.

Launch PowerPoint, if you haven't already, and click to select the text you want to edit. You can work with either WordArt or the font in a text box.

Click the 'Format' tab on the far right of the Microsoft Office ribbon. This tab only appears when you have something selected that can be formatted with the tools. If you don't see the tab, click on the box in which your font is located.

Click the 'Text Outline' button in the WordArt Styles section. The button looks like the letter 'A' being outlined with a pencil. Note that even if you're working on a text box, the section will still be called the same thing.

How To Highlight Text On Laptop

Click a color to change the outline color for the font. Click on 'Weight' to choose a thicker or thinner outline. Choose 'Style' to choose a solid or dotted line for the outline.

Click on the 'Text Fill' button, just above the Text Outline button, in the WordArt Styles section. Choose either 'No Fill' or select a color that contrasts with the outline color you selected.

Tips

Use a text shadow to more subtly offset the font. Select the shadow by clicking the 'Text Effects' button in the WordArt Styles section.
Black text with a white outline or white text with a black outline will be visible on any background.

References (2)

About the Author

James T Wood is a teacher, blogger and author. Since 2009 he has published two books and numerous articles, both online and in print. His work experience has spanned the computer world, from sales and support to training and repair. He is also an accomplished public speaker and PowerPoint presenter.

Photo Credits

Christopher Robbins/Photodisc/Getty Images

Cite this Article

Highlight Text In Apple Pages

Choose Citation Style

T, James. 'How to Outline a Font in PowerPoint.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/outline-font-powerpoint-43067.html. Accessed 06 September 2019.

T, James. (n.d.). How to Outline a Font in PowerPoint. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/outline-font-powerpoint-43067.html

T, James. 'How to Outline a Font in PowerPoint' accessed September 06, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/outline-font-powerpoint-43067.html

How To Highlight Text In Powerpoint For Mac

Note: Depending on which text editor

Highlight one piece of text

Highlight multiple pieces of non-contiguous text

Remove highlighting from text

Other ways to highlight

Requirements for Text Highlighting

Highlight one piece of text

Highlight multiple pieces of non-contiguous text

Remove highlighting from text

Another way to highlight

Requirements for Text Highlighting

Highlight text

Related Articles

How To Highlight Text On Laptop

Tips

References (2)

About the Author

Photo Credits

Highlight Text In Apple Pages

Choose Citation Style

How To Highlight Text In Powerpoint For Mac