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How to Highlight Text in a PDF or Converted Word Document
Question details
The user wants to know how to highlight text within an original PDF file and in documents that have been converted from PDFs, such as Word documents.
- Product
- PDF and Word Documents
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Reviewing, annotating, or editing PDF files and documents converted from the PDF format.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs to apply visual highlights to specific text passages but is unsure of the different procedures required for PDF files versus converted Word files.
Ensure that your PDF document contains searchable text rather than flattened images. If your PDF is a scanned document, you will need to perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR) first so the software can recognize and select the text.
Highlight Text Directly in a PDF
Use standard PDF editing tools to select and highlight text within an original PDF file.
If you are working with an original PDF file, you do not need to convert it to highlight text. Professional PDF software, such as Adobe Acrobat, includes built-in annotation tools specifically designed for highlighting, underlining, and striking through text.
Launch Adobe Acrobat or your preferred PDF editor and open the PDF file you wish to annotate.
Navigate to the top menu, select 'Tools', and then choose 'Edit PDF'. This allows the software to process the document text and make it selectable.
Click on the Highlighter tool icon located in the annotation toolbar at the top of the screen.
Click and drag your cursor over the specific text you want to highlight. Release the mouse button to apply the color, then save your document.
Highlight Text in a Converted Word Document
If you have already converted the PDF to a Word document, you can use Microsoft Word's built-in text highlight tool.
Highlight Text in PDFs and Word Documents Easily with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a comprehensive PDF toolkit and a powerful Word processor in one application. You can directly highlight, annotate, and edit text in PDF files or effortlessly manage converted Word documents without losing the original layout.
- 1. Open your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF or converted Word document within the application.
- 2. Highlight in PDF: If you are viewing a PDF, go to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon and click the 'Highlight' icon.
- 3. Highlight in Word: If you are viewing a Word document, select your text, navigate to the 'Home' tab, and click the 'Text Highlight Color' button.
- 4. Apply and Save: Drag your cursor over the desired text to apply the highlight color, then press Ctrl+S to save your changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I select or highlight text in my PDF file?
If you cannot select the text, your PDF is likely a scanned image rather than a text-based document. You must use an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool to extract and recognize the text before the highlight tool will work.
How do I remove a highlight from my document?
In a PDF, right-click the highlighted text and select 'Delete' or 'Remove'. In a Word document, select the highlighted text, click the arrow next to the 'Text Highlight Color' icon on the Home tab, and choose 'No Color'.
Does converting a PDF to Word alter the original formatting?
Conversion quality depends on the complexity of the PDF and the tool used. While modern converters usually retain the original layout, complex graphics or tables might shift slightly. Highlighting text in the converted document, however, works exactly like any standard Word file.
