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Learn to use the Notes app's limited highlighter tool, or download an alternate app
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If you use the iPhone or iPad Notes app regularly, you may be curious if you can highlight the text you write. Unfortunately, there is no way to highlight typed text in Notes , but you can highlight handwritten text or use markup on scanned documents that you can then place into your note. [1] X Research source In this article, we will teach you how to use the Notes highlighter tool, and offer a few third-party app suggestions that have native text highlighting functionality.
Things You Should Know
- You can write directly into your note using the pen tool and then use the highlighter tool to highlight that text.
- If you tap the camera icon in your note, you can add a scanned document and use the Markup tool to highlight text.
- While you can't highlight typed text in Notes, you can do so in note-taking apps like Noted, Notion, and Zoho Notebook.
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Highlighting in the Notes App
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Tap the pencil icon at the bottom of your note. While you can't highlight typed text in the Notes app, you can highlight handwriting. -
Select the first pen tool. This is the standard pen and is best for handwriting. However, you can use any of the writing tools to handwrite your note, so feel free to play with the different tools to see which you like best.Advertisement -
Use your finger to write text. You can handwrite directly into your note with your finger. If you're using an iPad, you can also use an Apple Pencil if you prefer. -
Tap the highlighter. It's the third tool from the right, with the angled chisel nib. -
Select your opacity, thickness, and color. You can adjust your highlighter's settings before you begin highlighting your handwritten text. -
Drag your finger over the text to highlight it. You can use this tool to highlight the handwritten text you just placed in your note.- You can't use this highlighter over typed text.
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Tap Done in the upper-right corner when you're finished. This will bring you back to the note and take you out of the handwriting menu.
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Section 2 of 3:
Highlighting a Scanned Image
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Tap Scan Documents . Your device's camera will activate. -
Position the document on the screen. Your device will automatically scan the document. Continue with the rest of your document's pages if necessary. -
Tap Save in the lower-right corner. This will add your scanned document into your note. -
Tap the scanned document you inserted. -
Tap the Share button in the upper-right corner. A menu will pop up from the bottom of your screen with various options. -
Scroll and select Markup . It has a pencil icon next to it. -
Select the highlighter. It's the second tool from the left with an angled chisel tip. Before beginning, you can choose your highlighter's color, opacity, and thickness. -
Drag your finger across the screen to highlight the text. -
Tap Done in the upper-left corner when you're finished. Then tap Done once more. The highlighted scanned document will be in your note.
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