- Microsoft Word Mac Shortcut For Highlighting Word
- Microsoft Word Mac Shortcut For Highlighting Tool
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The following sections contain information on how to highlight text on any computer, device or program. We've also included keyboard shortcuts, tips, and areas where you can practice highlighting text on this page.
Microsoft Word Mac Shortcut For Highlighting Word
Press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to highlight the current document name or template in which you want to save the keyboard shortcut changes, and then press ENTER. Press the SHIFT+TAB key repeatedly until the cursor is in the Current keys box. Press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to select the keyboard shortcut that you want to remove. Word contains many highlighters to make your text pop off the screen just as if you were highlighting paper with a fluorescent marker. You can select text or an image and then highlight it, or use the Highlight tool to mark different parts of a document. You can also remove highlighting or quickly find highlighted items in your document. I had a keyboard shortcut set up for this in Word 2011. However, I am having trouble figuring it out in Word for Mac 2016. This thread suggests doing so the usual way.
How to highlight text on a desktop or laptop computer
Below are all of the different methods of highlighting text, icons, and other objects on your computer using a desktop mouse, touchpad, and keyboard.
How to highlight text using your mouse
If you are using Microsoft Word Starter, be aware that not all the features listed for Word are supported in Word Starter. For more information about the features available in Word Starter, see Word Starter feature support. Get these keyboard shortcuts in a Word document at this link: Word 2016 for Windows keyboard shortcuts.
To highlight text using your mouse, position your cursor at the beginning of the text you want to highlight. Press and hold your primary mouse button (commonly the left button). While holding the mouse button, drag the cursor to the end of the text and let go of the mouse button. Once completed, all text from the beginning to the end should be highlighted. Below is an example of how text can be highlighted.
There is no limit to how much text can be highlighted. You can move to the end of a paragraph to highlight the full paragraph or keep holding the mouse button down and select multiple paragraphs or pages of text.
TipYou'll know that text can be highlighted when your mouse pointer changes to an I-beam cursor.
How to highlight using a touchpad on a laptop
To highlight text using a touchpad on a laptop, move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to highlight. Press and hold down the primary mouse button below the touchpad. While continuing to hold down the button, move another finger (or one from your other hand) along the touchpad in the direction you want to highlight.
TipIf the touchpad acts as a button, press down until you feel a 'click,' and then drag your finger in either direction to highlight text.
Select text with the mouse button
Double-clicking a word highlights the word and triple-clicking a word highlights the full line or paragraph of text.
How to highlight text using your keyboard
To highlight with the keyboard, move to the starting location using the arrow keys. Then, hold down the Shift key, and press the arrow key in the direction you want to highlight. Once everything you want is highlighted, let go of the Shift key.
TipMicrosoft Word Mac Shortcut For Highlighting Tool
If you want to highlight one word at a time, press Ctrl key while holding down Shift, and then press the left or right arrow key.
TipIf you want to highlight a whole line of text, move your cursor to the start of the line, hold the Shift key, and then press the down arrow. You may also use the shortcut key combination Shift+End.
Tip:If you want to highlight all text, press the shortcut key Ctrl+A.
NoteIf you are not working with text that can be edited (e.g., this paragraph), you cannot highlight text using these methods. However, they work in word processor documents, text documents, and any text field.
Practice highlighting text
Below is a text field where you can practice highlighting text using the keyboard.
How to highlight text using your keyboard and mouse
To use the keyboard and mouse in combination, begin by moving the cursor to where you want to start highlighting. Then, hold down the Shift key and then click where you want to finish highlighting.
TipYou can also practice this technique in the above text box.
How to highlight an icon or another object
To highlight an object such as an icon in Windows, single-click the item. Once clicked, the icon or text should change to a different color indicating it is highlighted.
To highlight multiple icons or other objects, drag a box around all files you want to highlight.
TipIf you want to individually highlight files, hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard and while still holding the Ctrl key, single-click each file you want to highlight.
How to highlight multiple e-mails, files, icons, or other objects
Users may highlight multiple objects at once by using the mouse or mouse and keyboard. In many programs, you can draw a marquee around the items you want to highlight. To draw a marquee, click-and-hold the left mouse button outside the area of the items, and then drag the marquee to the opposite diagonal corner. Once you release the mouse button, the items contained in the box are highlighted. In the animated picture, we are selecting nine picture files.
If a program doesn't support a marquee, highlight the first object in the series. Then, hold down the Shift, click the last item you want to selected, and then let go of the Shift key. For example, clicking 'Example' in the select field below, and then holding down Shift and clicking 'Items' highlights all four available options.
TipTo select only certain items from the list, hold down Ctrl, and click each item you want to highlight. Repeat this action to deselect an item.
How to highlight text on an Android smartphone and tablet
Press and hold down on any text with your finger, drag your finger over the text you'd like to highlight, and then let go. Upon letting go, a menu should appear in the top-right corner of the screen (shown to the right) that allows you to cut or copy.
TipYou may also press and hold on one word, the use the side bars to adjust the amount of highlighted text.
How to highlight text on an Apple iPhone and iPad
Press and hold down on any text with your finger, drag your finger over the text you'd like to highlight, and then let go. Upon letting go, a menu should appear. Press your finger on the Select option.
TipYou may also press and hold on one word, the use the side bars to adjust the amount of highlighted text.
How to highlight text on a Chromebook
For Chromebooks that have no mouse buttons, you can copy and paste text by following the steps below.
Press down on the touchpad and keep your finger there. Then, while continuing to hold down on the touchpad, drag your finger in the direction you want to highlight text. When you're finished highlighting, lift your finger.
TipYou can also use many of the mouse and keyboard tips mentioned in our desktop and laptop section on a Chromebook.
How to highlight text on a Kindle
Press and hold down on the starting word with your finger. Once that word is highlighted, drag your finger over any additional text to select it as well. When you're finished highlighting, lift your finger.
Additional information
- See our highlight definitions for further information and related links.
By Rachel Guise, PPS Editor
What is a keyboard shortcut?
Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of keys that initiate acommand in the program that you’re using. The following lists are keycombinations that can be used in Microsoft programs as well as most searchengines. TurboFutureprovides lists of the most used keyboard shortcuts as well as some that are notcommonly used for all platforms.
As a PC user, Ctrl + S is my most used keyboard shortcut forall three programs. When working on several projects a day, clicking Ctrl + Swhile making edits becomes second nature and ensures none of my changes arelost. Another shortcut that I frequently use is Ctrl + A. This is helpful inWord when you have global edits such as changing the font or font size in adocument. You can also use this shortcut in Excel to change font formatting. Ctrl+ Z is another often used shortcut because, hey, I make mistakes.
Microsoft Word
The following is a list of PC keyboard shortcuts that workin Microsoft Word. HowtoGeekbreaks down keyboard shortcuts by their functions.
Ctrl + A = Select all text in document
Ctrl + B = Bold highlighted text
Ctrl + C = Copy highlighted text
Ctrl + D = Opens Font preferences box
Ctrl + E = Align highlighted text center
Ctrl + Enter = Insert new page within current document
Ctrl + F = Opens Find tool (opens the Navigation pane)
Ctrl + G = Opens Go to tool (in the Navigation pane)
Ctrl + H = Opens Replace tool (in the Navigation pane)
Ctrl + I = Italic highlighted text
Ctrl + J = Justify highlighted text
Ctrl + K = Opens Insert Hyperlink box
Ctrl + L = Align highlighted text left
Ctrl + M = Inserts paragraph indent
Ctrl + N = Opens new document
Ctrl + O = Opens Open file window
Ctrl + P = Opens Print window
Ctrl + R = Align highlighted text left or right
Ctrl + S = Savesthe document as it is currently named
Ctrl + U = Underline highlighted text
Ctrl + V = Paste copied or cut text
Ctrl + W = Close document
Ctrl + X = Cut (text must be selected to use this shortcut)
Ctrl + Y = Redo last action
Ctrl + Z = Undo last action
Ctrl + + = Set highlighted text subscript
F1 = Opens the Help windowpane
F7 = Spellcheck (opens the Editor pane to check spelling andgrammar)
F12 = Save as (opens the Save As window, so that thedocument can be saved using a new name or in a new location)
Shift + arrow keys = Select multiple letters
Ctrl + arrow keys = Select multiple words
MAC (also known as Apple) computers use many of the sameshortcut keys as PCs. Note that Ctrl on a PC keyboard and control on a MACkeyboard do not always serve the same function. Where you would use Ctrl on aPC, you’ll use the ⌘ command key on a MAC. Microsoftprovides a complete list of shortcuts for MAC users, but here is a list of themost often used shortcuts.
⌘ + A = Select all
⌘ + B = Bold
⌘ + C or Shift + F2 =Copy selected text
⌘ + F = Find
⌘ + H = Hide windows
⌘ + I = Italic
⌘ + N = Opens newdocument or window
⌘ + O = Open
⌘ + P = Print
⌘ + Q = Quit
⌘ + S = Save
⌘ + T = Switch between open apps
⌘ + U = Underline
⌘ + V = Paste copied orcut text
⌘ + X = Cut
⌘ + Z = Undo last action
⌘ + + = Set subscript
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Option + ⌘ +G = Opens Go to box
Option + ⌘ +L = Opens Spelling and Grammar box
Control + F = Find
Microsoft Excel
Several of the PC keyboard shortcuts used in Word also applyto Excel(e.g., Ctrl + S).
Ctrl + D = Delete cell text
Ctrl + F = Find
Ctrl + G = Opens Go to box
Ctrl + H = Opens Replace box
Ctrl + K = Opens Insert Hyperlink box
Ctrl + L = Create table
Ctrl + N = Opens new workbook
Ctrl + O = Opens selected workbook
Ctrl + W = Closes workbook
Ctrl + Y = Redo last action
Ctrl + Z = Undo last action
Ctrl + ; = Insert the current date
Ctrl + : = Insert the current time
F7 = Spellcheck
Alt + F = Opens selected File
Likewise, Excel keyboard shortcuts are similar for MACusers as well.
⌘ + A = Select all
⌘ + C = Copy
⌘ + P = Opens Printwindow
⌘ + Q = Quit
⌘ + S = Save
⌘ + U = Underline
⌘ + V = Paste copied orcut text
⌘ + Z = Undo last action
Some, however, are different from Word or are specific toExcel.
Option + G = Opens Go to box
F7 = Opens Check Spelling and Grammar box
Control + Shift = Insert cell
⌘ + 1 = Format Cells box
Shift + F3 = Display Formula Builder
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat’s click for Websiteprovides instructions to use shortcuts while working in PDFs. The website usestables to organize which shortcuts work with different types of tools. Itincludes a column for PC functions as well as MAC. Like Excel, some of the Wordkeyboard shortcuts work in Adobe.
Ctrl/⌘ +A = Select all
Ctrl/⌘ +C = Copy
Ctrl/⌘ +N = New
Ctrl/⌘ +S = Save
Ctrl/⌘ +Z = Undo
Adobe also provides instructions to use single-keyshortcuts while working in PDFs. Many are the same for PC and MAC.
C = Crop tool
H = Hand tool
S = Stick Note tool
U = Highlighting tool
X = Textbox tool
Ctrl/⌘ +equal sign = Zoom in
Ctrl/⌘ +hyphen = Zoom out
Ctrl/⌘ +F4 = Close file