Save mouse clicks with Word's highlight shortcut by Susan Harkins in Microsoft Office, in Software on January 3, 2012, 10:57 PM PST. Apr 12, 2018 Spell check does not work in Word for Mac 2011. And then Microsoft. Select an option in the References section of this article to look for more help.
Change the text size of the sidebar, message list, and reading pane (*This feature requires macOS 10.11 and later.)
You now have the ability to increase the display size of the sidebar (1), mail list (2), and reading pane (3) text.
- Microsoft Office (From $149.99 at Best Buy). Open Microsoft Word on your Mac. (highlight which one you'd like to change by clicking on the list item), or the 'Replace All' button to.
- Highlight one piece of text. Select the text that you want to highlight. On the Home tab, select the arrow next to Text Highlight Color. Choose a color. The text you selected will be highlighted.
- Go to Outlook > Preferences > Fonts.
- Move the slider left or right.
Change the font size temporarily for messages
To temporarily increase or decrease the font size of messages:
- Select a message from your Inbox or other folder, including Sent and Drafts.
- Select Format > Increase Font Size or Decrease Font Size.The changes will be applied to all mail in the selected folder, or subfolder. However, if you navigate to a mail in another folder or subfolder, you will lose your changes. For a more permanent solution to change the font size, you can change the text size of the sidebar, message list, and reading pane and change the font size of incoming or outgoing messages.
Note: Incoming HTML messages often have font styles and font sizes applied to the text. The default font and font sizes that you select will not affect the formatting of these incoming messages.
Choose a default font
To change the default font for incoming and outgoing messages:
- Select Outlook > Preferences > Fonts.
- In the Default fonts for composing messages section click the Font button next to the composition style you want to edit. For example, click Font next to New mail to select a default font for new messages, or next to Reply or forward to set a font for outgoing messages.
- On the Font tab, choose the default Font, Font style, Size, Color & Underline, and Effects.
- On the Advanced tab, adjust default character spacing and typography.
- Click OK to save the changes.
- Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each composition style you want to edit.
Change the text size when composing an email
You can make your text larger or smaller when composing an email message. This is a temporary setting that's only used during the compose phase. The font returns to its default size once you send the message.
- Place the cursor in the body of the email message you're composing.
- Select Format > Zoom.
- Select a zoom percentage or enter a custom percent.
See Also
The following sections contain information on how to highlight text on any computer, device or program. We've also included keyboard shortcuts, tips, and areas where you can practice highlighting text on this page.
How to highlight text on a desktop or laptop computer
Below are all of the different methods of highlighting text, icons, and other objects on your computer using a desktop mouse, touchpad, and keyboard.
How to highlight text using your mouse
To highlight text using your mouse, position your cursor at the beginning of the text you want to highlight. Press and hold your primary mouse button (commonly the left-button). While holding the mouse button, drag the cursor to the end of the text and let go of the mouse button. Once completed, all text from the beginning to the end should be highlighted. Below is an example of how text can be highlighted.
There is no limit to how much text can be highlighted. You can move to the end of a paragraph to highlight the full paragraph or keep holding the mouse button down and select multiple paragraphs or pages of text.
TipYou'll know that text can be highlighted when your mouse pointer changes to an I-beam cursor.
How to highlight using a touchpad on a laptop
To highlight text using a touchpad on a laptop, move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to highlight. Press and hold down the primary mouse button below the touchpad. While continuing to hold down the button, move another finger (or one from your other hand) along the touchpad in the direction you want to highlight.
TipIf your touchpad acts as a button, you can press down on the touchpad until you feel a 'click,' and then drag your finger in either direction to highlight text.
Select text with the mouse button
Double-clicking a word highlights the word and triple-clicking a word highlights the full line or paragraph of text.
How to highlight text using your keyboard
To highlight with the keyboard, move to the starting location using the arrow keys, then hold down the Shift key, and press the arrow key in the direction you want to highlight. Once everything you want is highlighted, let go of the Shift key.
TipIf you want to highlight one word at a time, press Ctrl key while holding down Shift, and then press the left or right arrow key.
TipIf you want to highlight a whole line of text, move your cursor to the start of the line, hold the Shift key, and then press the down arrow. You may also use the shortcut key combination Shift+End.
Tip:If you want to highlight all text, press the shortcut key Ctrl+A.
NoteIf you are not working with text that can be edited (e.g., this paragraph), you cannot highlight text using these methods. However, they work in word processor documents, text documents, and any text field.
Practice highlighting text
Below is a text field that can be used to practice highlighting text using the keyboard.
How to highlight text using your keyboard and mouse
Use the keyboard and mouse in combination by moving the cursor to where you want to begin highlighting, hold down the Shift key and then click where you want to finish highlighting.
TipYou can also practice this technique in the above text box.
How to highlight an icon or another object
To highlight an object such as an icon in Windows, single-click the item. Once clicked, the icon or text should change to a different color indicating it is highlighted.
To highlight multiple icons or other objects, drag a box around all files you want to highlight.
TipIf you want to individually highlight files, hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard and while still holding the Ctrl key, single-click each file you want to highlight.
How to highlight multiple e-mails, files, icons, or other objects
Users may highlight multiple objects at once by using the mouse or mouse and keyboard. In many programs, you can draw a marquee around the items you want to highlight. To draw a marquee, click-and-hold the left mouse button outside the area of the items, and then drag the marquee to the opposite diagonal corner. Once you release the mouse button, the items contained in the box are highlighted. In the animated picture, we are selecting nine picture files.
If a program doesn't support a marquee, highlight the first object in the series, hold down the Shift, click the last item you want to selected, and then let go of the Shift key. For example, clicking 'Example' in the select field below, and then holding down Shift and clicking 'Items' highlights all four available options.
TipTo select only certain items from the list, hold down Ctrl, and click each item you want to highlight. Repeat this action to deselect an item.
How to highlight text on an Android smartphone and tablet
Press and hold down on any text with your finger, drag your finger over the text you'd like to highlight, and then let go. Upon letting go, a menu should appear in the top-right corner of the screen (shown to the right) that allows you to cut or copy.
TipYou may also press and hold on one word, the use the side bars to adjust the amount of highlighted text.
How to highlight text on an Apple iPhone and iPad
Press and hold down on any text with your finger, drag your finger over the text you'd like to highlight, and then let go. Upon letting go, a menu should appear. Press your finger on the Select option.
TipYou may also press and hold on one word, the use the side bars to adjust the amount of highlighted text.
How to highlight text on a Chromebook
For Chromebooks that have no mouse buttons, you can copy and paste text by following the steps below.
Pressing down on the touchpad and, while continuing to hold down on the touchpad, drag your finger in the direction you want to highlight text. When you're finished highlighting, lift your finger.
Highlight And All Caps A Section In Microsoft Office Mac Free
TipYou can also use many of the mouse and keyboard tips mentioned in our desktop and laptop section on a Chromebook.
How to highlight text on a Kindle
Press and hold down on the starting word with your finger. Once that word is highlighted, drag your finger over any additional text to select it as well. When you're finished highlighting, lift your finger.
Additional information
- See our highlight definitions for further information and related links.