Easily highlight text in Apple Notes using your Apple Pencil by selecting text and choosing a highlight color, or by using the marker tool for handwritten content.
The Apple Notes app, paired with an Apple Pencil, transforms your iPad into a versatile digital notebook. Highlighting is a fundamental feature that allows you to emphasize crucial information, making your notes more organized and scannable. Whether you're working with typed documents or handwritten annotations, your Apple Pencil provides intuitive ways to mark up your content.
Highlighting Typed Text with Apple Pencil
The most precise way to highlight typed text in Apple Notes involves using your Apple Pencil to select the desired words or phrases, then applying the built-in highlighting feature.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Select Text: Using your Apple Pencil, tap and hold on a word. Once it's selected, drag the blue selection handles to cover all the text you wish to highlight.
- Access Highlight Option: A small pop-up menu will appear above or below your selection. You might need to tap the right arrow (or "More") until you see the "Highlight" option. Tap it.
- Choose Your Color: After tapping "Highlight," a colored circle will appear. Tap this circle to reveal five distinct color options for your highlight: purple, pink, orange, mint, and blue. Select your preferred color to instantly apply the highlight to your chosen text.
This method offers a clean, non-destructive way to emphasize important information within your typed notes, similar to using a physical highlighter on printed text.
Highlighting Handwritten Notes or Drawings with Apple Pencil
If your notes primarily consist of handwritten content, sketches, or drawings, you can use the marker tool within Apple Notes to create a freehand highlight effect with your Apple Pencil.
Follow these steps for freehand highlighting:
- Activate Markup Toolbar: Tap your Apple Pencil anywhere on the note to automatically bring up the Markup toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
- Select the Marker Tool: From the toolbar, tap the marker icon. It typically looks like a thick, angled felt pen or highlighter.
- Adjust Settings (Optional): For a traditional highlight look, you might want to adjust the marker's thickness and opacity. Tap the marker tool again to access these settings. Choose a thicker line and a lower opacity (e.g., 50-70%) to ensure the underlying text remains visible.
- Draw Your Highlight: Use your Apple Pencil to draw directly over the handwritten text or drawings you want to emphasize. The translucent ink will highlight your content.
This method provides full creative control, perfect for personal annotations, diagrams, and emphasizing handwritten notes.
Pro Tips for Enhanced Highlighting
- Remove a Highlight (Typed Text): To remove a highlight from typed text, simply select the highlighted portion with your Apple Pencil again. In the pop-up menu, tap "Highlight" and then choose "None" or the option to remove the highlight.
- Remove a Highlight (Handwritten/Drawn): For freehand highlights, select the eraser tool from the Markup toolbar and gently erase over the highlighted areas. You can choose between a pixel eraser or an object eraser for more control.
- Changing Highlight Color: For typed text, you can change an existing highlight's color by selecting the highlighted text, tapping "Highlight" in the menu, and then choosing a different color from the available options (purple, pink, orange, mint, blue).
- Undo/Redo: If you make a mistake while drawing or applying a highlight, use the undo/redo buttons in the toolbar (or a two-finger double-tap gesture for undo) to quickly revert your action.
To summarize the highlighting methods:
| Feature | Typed Text Highlighting | Handwritten/Drawn Highlighting |
|---|---|---|
| Tool Used | Context menu "Highlight" option | Markup toolbar "Marker" tool |
| Selection | Select text with Apple Pencil | Direct drawing with Apple Pencil |
| Color Options | Purple, Pink, Orange, Mint, Blue | Full color palette via Markup tool |
| Control | Precise text emphasis | Freehand, artistic emphasis |
| Removal | "None" option from menu | Eraser tool from Markup toolbar |
Utilizing your Apple Pencil for highlighting in Apple Notes streamlines your note-taking process, making it easier to review and understand your content.
Learn more about using your Apple Pencil effectively with your iPad on Apple Support.
