Microsoft Word Font and Highlight Color Palettes Missing: How to Fix
Question details
The user needs to restore the drop-down color palettes for font color and highlight in Microsoft Word, where the main highlight button works but the palette arrows do not open.
- Product
- Microsoft Word for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- While formatting a Word document, the user clicks the drop-down arrows for highlight and font color, but the color palette does not appear.
- Observed behavior
- The main highlight button applies color, but the drop-down arrows for highlight and font color do not open their palettes.
Before troubleshooting, save the Word document and note your Microsoft Word version via Word > About Word. Also test in a blank document to see whether the issue affects all files or only the current document.
Update Microsoft Office for Mac and Test Word in Safe Mode
Use this first because an outdated Office installation or a conflicting add-in often prevents the font and highlight color dropdowns from opening.
The drop-down arrows may fail when Microsoft Office is outdated or when an add-in interferes with the color picker. Updating and Safe Mode isolate the most common causes.
Open the Word menu, select About Word, and note whether the version is 15.x or 16.x.
For version 15, download a fresh copy of Microsoft AutoUpdate. For version 16, select Help > Check for Updates and install all available Office updates.
Restart Word in Safe Mode, then click the font color and highlight drop-down arrows to see whether the palettes now open.
Check macOS Accessibility Display and Contrast Settings
Use this when updating Office and Safe Mode do not resolve the issue, because macOS display settings can hide Word color palette panels.
Use WPS Office Writer for Reliable Font and Highlight Color Palettes
If Microsoft Word for Mac keeps showing missing color palettes, WPS Office Writer is a free, lightweight Office alternative that opens and saves .docx files while giving you reliable font color and highlight controls.
- 1. Download WPS Office free: Click Download WPS Office Free, install WPS Office, and open WPS Writer.
- 2. Open the Word document: Choose File > Open and select the .docx file that was affected in Microsoft Word.
- 3. Apply font or highlight colors: Select the text and use the Home tab font color and highlight drop-down arrows to choose a color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't the Word highlight or font color drop-down arrows open?
This often happens in an outdated Microsoft Office for Mac installation or when an add-in or macOS display contrast setting interferes. Check Word > About Word, then run Help > Check for Updates.
Does the missing color palette issue affect all Word documents?
Open a new blank document and test the font and highlight drop-down arrows. If only one file is affected, the document may be corrupted or restricted. If all documents are affected, the cause is app-level or system-level.
What should I do if updating Word doesn't fix the palette?
Start Word in Safe Mode, check macOS Accessibility display contrast and transparency settings, and test in a new document. If the problem continues, contact Microsoft support or switch to WPS Office Writer.
Can WPS Office open Word documents and use font and highlight colors?
Yes. WPS Writer opens .docx and .doc files, and the Home tab provides font color and highlight drop-down palettes that work similarly to Microsoft Word.
Is WPS Office free to use for Word files?
Yes. WPS Office is free, supports Microsoft Word formats, and provides a familiar interface for editing, formatting, and applying highlight colors.
