How To Remove Highlight In Word – Word Document Highlight Removal Method

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Highlighted text in Word can distract from your document’s final look, and removing it is simple. Knowing how to remove highlight in word saves time when you’re polishing a report or cleaning up shared files. This guide walks you through every method, from basic clicks to keyboard shortcuts, so you can clear highlights fast.

You might have highlights from editing, copying text from the web, or collaborating with others. Whatever the reason, removing them doesn’t require advanced skills. Let’s start with the quickest way.

How To Remove Highlight In Word Using The Ribbon

The ribbon is the toolbar at the top of Word. It holds the highlight tool you need. This method works in Word 2013, 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365.

Step-By-Step Ribbon Method

  1. Open your document in Word.
  2. Select the highlighted text. Click and drag your mouse over it.
  3. Go to the Home tab on the ribbon.
  4. In the Font group, find the Text Highlight Color icon. It looks like a pen with a colored line.
  5. Click the small arrow next to the icon to open the color menu.
  6. Choose No Color from the list.

The highlight disappears instantly. If you want to remove highlights from the whole document, press Ctrl + A to select all text first, then follow steps 3 to 6.

When The Ribbon Method Fails

Sometimes the highlight button seems grayed out. This happens if you’re working in a table or a text box. In that case, try selecting the text again carefully. If it still doesn’t work, move to the next method.

Removing Highlight With Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are faster for frequent tasks. Unfortunately, Word does not have a single shortcut to remove highlights. But you can use a combination of keys to speed up the process.

Quick Keyboard Workflow

  1. Select the highlighted text with your mouse or keyboard. Use Shift + Arrow keys to select.
  2. Press Alt + H to activate the Home tab.
  3. Press I to open the Text Highlight Color menu.
  4. Press N to select No Color.

This takes about two seconds once you memorize it. For a whole document, select all with Ctrl + A, then repeat steps 2 to 4.

Using The Clear Formatting Shortcut

Another option is Ctrl + Spacebar. This removes manual formatting, including highlights, from selected text. However, it also removes bold, italic, and font changes. Use it only if you want to reset formatting entirely.

Be careful: Ctrl + Spacebar does not remove highlights applied through styles. For style-based highlights, you need a different approach.

Removing Highlights From Copied Web Text

Text from websites often comes with background shading that looks like highlighting. This is usually paragraph shading, not the highlight tool. The standard highlight removal won’t work here.

Method 1: Clear All Formatting

  1. Select the pasted text.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Clear All Formatting button. It looks like an eraser with an A.
  3. This removes all web formatting, including background colors.

Method 2: Paste Without Formatting

To avoid this problem entirely, paste web text without formatting. Copy the text, then in Word, right-click and choose Keep Text Only under Paste Options. Or press Ctrl + Alt + V and select Unformatted Text.

Method 3: Remove Paragraph Shading

If clearing formatting doesn’t work, the background might be paragraph shading. Select the text, go to the Design tab, click Page Borders, then go to the Shading tab. Under Fill, choose No Color. This removes background shading from paragraphs.

Using Find And Replace To Remove Highlights

Find and Replace is powerful for bulk actions. You can use it to remove highlights from specific words or the entire document.

Remove Highlights From Specific Text

  1. Press Ctrl + H to open Find and Replace.
  2. Click the More >> button to expand options.
  3. Click in the Find what box.
  4. Click Format at the bottom, then choose Highlight. The box shows “Highlight” underneath.
  5. Click in the Replace with box.
  6. Click Format, then Highlight, and choose No Color (if available). Or simply leave the Replace with box empty and skip step 6.
  7. Click Replace All.

This removes all highlights in the document. If you only want to remove highlights from certain words, type those words in the Find what box before adding the format.

Limitations Of Find And Replace

This method works best for highlights applied with the Text Highlight Color tool. It may not remove shading from web text or table cell backgrounds. For those, use the shading removal methods above.

Removing Highlight In Word For Mac

Mac users have slightly different steps. The core idea is the same, but the interface varies.

Ribbon Method On Mac

  1. Select the highlighted text.
  2. Go to the Home tab.
  3. Click the Text Highlight Color icon (a pen with a colored line).
  4. Choose No Color from the dropdown.

Keyboard Shortcut On Mac

There is no direct shortcut. But you can use Command + Shift + H to toggle highlight on and off for selected text. If the text is already highlighted, pressing this shortcut removes the highlight. Test it first, as it may behave differently in some versions.

Clear Formatting On Mac

Select the text and press Command + Spacebar. This clears manual formatting, including highlights. Again, it removes other formatting too.

Removing Highlight From Tables And Text Boxes

Highlights in tables and text boxes can be tricky. The standard highlight tool might not work because the background is cell shading.

For Table Cells

  1. Select the cell or cells with the background color.
  2. Right-click and choose Borders and Shading.
  3. Go to the Shading tab.
  4. Under Fill, select No Color.
  5. Click OK.

For Text Boxes

  1. Click the border of the text box to select it.
  2. Go to the Shape Format tab.
  3. Click Shape Fill and choose No Fill.
  4. If the text inside has highlights, select the text and use the ribbon method.

Using VBA To Remove All Highlights

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is for advanced users. It can remove highlights from the entire document with one click.

Simple VBA Macro

  1. Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
  2. Click Insert and choose Module.
  3. Paste this code:
Sub RemoveHighlights()
    Selection.WholeStory
    Selection.Range.HighlightColorIndex = wdNoHighlight
End Sub
  1. Close the editor.
  2. Press Alt + F8, select RemoveHighlights, and click Run.

This removes all highlights from the main text. It may not affect headers, footers, or text boxes. For those, you need a more complex macro.

Caution With VBA

Macros can’t be undone with Ctrl + Z. Save your document before running the macro. Also, VBA is not available in Word Online or the mobile app.

Removing Highlight In Word Online

Word Online (the free browser version) has limited features. But you can still remove highlights.

Steps For Word Online

  1. Select the highlighted text.
  2. Go to the Home tab.
  3. Click the Text Highlight Color icon.
  4. Choose No Color.

That’s it. Word Online does not support keyboard shortcuts for highlights. It also lacks Find and Replace for formatting. For complex documents, use the desktop app.

Preventing Unwanted Highlights

It’s easier to prevent highlights than remove them. Here are a few tips.

Paste Settings

Set Word to paste text without formatting by default. Go to File > Options > Advanced. Under Cut, copy, and paste, choose Keep Text Only for all options.

Track Changes

If you use Track Changes, highlights from reviewers can be distracting. You can accept or reject changes to remove them. Go to the Review tab and use the Accept or Reject buttons.

Style Management

Sometimes highlights come from styles. If a style includes highlighting, modify the style. Right-click the style in the Home tab, choose Modify, click Format, then Border, and set shading to No Color.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with the right steps, you might face problems. Here are solutions for common issues.

Highlight Button Grayed Out

This usually happens when you’re in a header, footer, or text box. Exit the header/footer by double-clicking the main document. For text boxes, select the text inside, not the box itself.

Highlight Not Removing

If the highlight stays, it might be shading. Use the Borders and Shading method described earlier. Or try clearing all formatting with Ctrl + Spacebar.

Only Part Of Text Highlighted

This happens when highlights are applied to individual characters. Select the entire word or phrase before removing the highlight. Or use Find and Replace to remove all highlights at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove highlight in Word without losing formatting?

Use the Text Highlight Color tool and select No Color. This removes only the highlight, leaving bold, italic, and font size unchanged. For web text, use Clear Formatting but be aware it removes other formatting.

Can I remove highlight from a PDF in Word?

If you open a PDF in Word, highlights become shading. Use the Borders and Shading method or clear formatting. Word cannot edit native PDF highlights.

Why is my highlight button not working in Word?

The button may be grayed out if you’re in a protected document, a header/footer, or a text box. Check your document’s editing restrictions. Also, ensure you have selected text.

How do I remove yellow highlight in Word?

Yellow highlights are removed the same way as any color. Select the text, go to Home > Text Highlight Color > No Color. For multiple yellow highlights, use Find and Replace with the Highlight format.

Is there a shortcut to remove highlight in Word?

There is no single shortcut. Use Alt + H, I, N for a quick keyboard sequence. Or use Ctrl + Spacebar to clear formatting, which removes highlights but also other manual formatting.

Final Tips For Clean Documents

Removing highlights is just one step in cleaning up a document. After you remove highlights, check for other formatting issues like extra spaces or inconsistent fonts. Use the Styles pane to apply consistent formatting throughout.

If you work with team members, agree on a standard for highlights. Use comments instead of highlights for feedback. This makes final cleanup easier.

Remember, the method you choose depends on your version of Word and the type of highlight. The ribbon method works for most cases. Find and Replace is best for bulk removal. VBA is for advanced users who want automation.

Now you know how to remove highlight in word using multiple techniques. Practice each method to find your favorite. Soon, removing highlights will take just seconds.

If you still have trouble, check your Word version and update it. Older versions may lack some features. Microsoft 365 subscribers get the latest tools, including improved highlight management.

Cleaning up a document doesn’t have to be tedious. With these steps, you can remove highlights quickly and focus on what matters: your content.