Printing Problems

How to Prevent Highlighted Text from Printing in Word

Bushra Parveen Sep 28, 2026 872 views

Question details

The user wants to print a Microsoft Word document without showing the on-screen text highlights on the printed pages.

How to Prevent Highlighted Text from Printing in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing a document for printing where highlight marks are necessary for on-screen review but should be omitted from the final physical printout.
Observed behavior: By default, highlighted text in Word prints with the highlight colors visible on the paper. The user needs a way to temporarily disable this behavior before printing.

Before you start

Verify that your document uses the standard 'Text Highlight Color' tool rather than paragraph shading, as the specific display option only controls standard highlighter marks.

Solution 1Recommended

Temporarily Disable the Show Highlighter Marks Option

You can prevent highlighted text from printing by manually turning off the highlight display setting in Word before you print.

This built-in setting applies globally to all Word documents. Because it hides highlights both on the screen and on paper, you must remember to turn it back on after printing if you want to continue seeing your highlights.

Open Word Options

Click on 'File' in the top ribbon menu, then select 'Options' at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Navigate to Display Settings

In the Word Options dialog box, click on the 'Display' tab in the left-hand panel.

Hide Highlighter Marks

Look under the 'Page display options' section and uncheck the box labeled 'Show highlighter marks'.

Print and Restore

Click 'OK' and print your document. Once printing is complete, return to this menu and re-check the box to make your highlights visible again.

Temporarily Disable the Show Highlighter Marks Option

Tip: Turning off this setting does not delete your highlights; they are preserved safely in the background.

Solution 2

Use a VBA Macro to Toggle Highlight Marks

If you frequently need to print without highlights, a simple VBA macro allows you to quickly toggle the highlight setting on and off.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Seamless Word Processing Experience

If you frequently encounter formatting or printing challenges in Microsoft Word, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative with intuitive printing controls and document management tools.

1. Download the Software: Visit the official WPS website and download the free version of WPS Office.
2. Install and Launch: Follow the simple on-screen instructions to install the application, then launch WPS Writer.
3. Open Your Documents: Open your existing Microsoft Word documents directly in WPS Writer and enjoy seamless formatting and printing.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) file formatsIntuitive print and display settings for managing document highlightsFree and lightweight alternative to Microsoft OfficeFamiliar interface with zero learning curve for seamless migration

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off the highlight setting permanently delete my document highlights?

No, disabling the highlight setting only hides the marks temporarily from the screen and physical printouts. Your highlights remain intact and will instantly reappear when you re-enable the setting.

Why are my text highlights still printing even after changing the setting?

If highlights are still printing, you may have applied paragraph shading or character background color instead of using the standard Text Highlight tool. The 'Show highlighter marks' setting only affects text formatted strictly with the highlight tool.

Does this setting apply to all my Word documents?

Yes, the highlight display option is an application-wide setting in Word. It will hide highlights on all documents you open until you manually turn the setting back on.

Document & File Issues