how do i highlight text in a pdf document

[Sally Star]

how do i highlight test in PDF document?

[Bill12 · Accepted solution]

With the highlight tool. That assumes that it is actually text and not a graphic. If it is a graphic, you can use some of the drawing tools to do the job.

[Sally Star]

Thank you so much, Bill, for your reply. My problem was/is that I could

not get the highlight tool to work. I tried countless times before posting

my query on the website. You assumed correctly; I was/am working with text.

I was using Adobe reader to highlight text in an Adobe doc I had created

and need to forward to a third party. I wanted to highlight that text in

the document that is salient to the actions I am asking of the third party.

Perhaps the highlight tool cannot be used in a previously created Adobe

document. In any event, I do appreciate your reply.

[Allta Media]

Are you able to search for any words in your PDF? In order to use the highlight tool, the words need to be actual text in the document and not just an image (i.e., scanned). If you are able to search for a word then you should be able to select the text and highlight it.

[c29792744dacq]

Likewise, I cannot get the highlight tool to work at all! I have never had this problem before when using Adobe and it is extremely frustrating and incredibly inefficient. No, I don't want to have to create a text box or a comment box. I just want to highlight. These "workarounds" are not helpful, but the effort to help is appreciated. 

[metropolitanm75637850]

I am having the same problem.  Highlighting text is a basic feature I would expect and this makes Acrobat useless to me. This used to work.  Now clicking "highlight" gives me an icon shaped like capital I. I can select text but nothing highlights.  I've tried right clicking and gone back to the Highlight tool which is checked. But no highlighting.  I just updated (reinstalled) Acrobat Pro today because it wouldn't open files.  Highlighting didn't work before the update and its not working now.  Help.

[EnchantedHeart]

Left click and drag the pointer (with the mouse) across the text you want to highlight...THEN click the highlight tool. You cnanot click the highlight tool and drag it first for something to happen. You have to select and then choosed the highlight tool.

[bepabepoHuka]

I'm not able to view the highlighter tool - it's "greyed out" and nothing I have done (under view, show/hide or in the tools makes any difference - it's as if the highlighter tools and the sticky notes is barred from use, as are all the other annotations. I've gone through "help", searched online, and a myriad of other things but this tool is still not available to me. Can anyone please help? I have just updated to Adober Reader XI - I used to be able to highlight with the previous version.

[Allta Media]

Is there any type of security set on the file? Are you able to use the Find command to search for a word? If not maybe the file is an image and you need to run Text Recognition first.

[Christina98C6]

I know this is an old thread, but I was having the same issue (highlighter was greyed out). I clicked & dragged across the text that I needed to highlight, and when I right clicked, I was able to select "highlight text" without any issues!

Thank you!!

[donnar39199468]

And where is the highlight tool

[~graffiti]

That depends. What version of Reader do you have? This is a very old thread and some things change every version or two.

[Guest]

Does anyone know how to fill in highlighted text? For some reason it only outlines it for me.