How do you now highlight text without automatically creating a comment box?

Hi all,

This is a fairly recent addition as I used to be able to click on the "Highlight" icon and highlight text without it bringing up a pop-up comment box automatically.

Is there a way to de-select this so it will just highlight with no pop-up comment box appearing or is this fixed and unchangeable?

Hoping for the former.

Thanks in advance.

Phil