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Adobe InDesign is a powerful desktop publishing tool used by designers to create everything from books and magazines to brochures, flyers, and digital publications. With its advanced features and intuitive interface, InDesign allows users to create visually stunning layouts. Among the essential tools for working with text are the options to highlight and underline text, which can help draw attention to important information or make a design more engaging. In this article, we will cover the different methods to highlight and underline text in Adobe InDesign, providing step-by-step guides for each technique.

Highlighting Text in Adobe InDesign

Highlighting text is a common way to draw attention to certain words or phrases. However, Adobe InDesign does not offer a direct “highlight” button as some other programs do. Fortunately, there are multiple ways you can achieve a highlighting effect using InDesign’s robust features.

Method 1: Using Paragraph Shading

The Paragraph Shading feature in Adobe InDesign allows you to add a colored background to an entire paragraph, creating an effect similar to text highlighting. This is a simple and effective way to add emphasis to a block of text.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Paragraph Shading

1. Select the Text: Use the Type Tool (T) to select the paragraph you want to highlight. You can also simply click anywhere within the paragraph without selecting individual characters.
2. Open the Paragraph Panel: Go to Window > Type & Tables > Paragraph to open the Paragraph Panel if it’s not already visible.
3. Activate Paragraph Shading: In the Paragraph Panel, click on the Paragraph Shading button. This button looks like a shaded square and will activate shading for the selected paragraph.
4. Customize the Shading Color: To change the color of the shading, click on the Shading Color drop-down menu and select the desired color. You can choose from default swatches or create a custom swatch.
5. Adjust the Shading Offset: You can adjust the Offset settings to control how close the shading appears to the text, giving you control over the appearance of the highlight. This allows you to add a bit of padding around the text to create a balanced look.

Using Paragraph Shading is an ideal option for highlighting entire paragraphs or blocks of text, and it allows for a uniform look across your document.

Method 2: Using a Highlight Box with the Rectangle Tool

Another effective method for highlighting text is to create a colored box behind the text using the Rectangle Tool. This allows you to highlight specific words or phrases rather than entire paragraphs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Highlight Box

1. Select the Rectangle Tool: Press the M key or select the Rectangle Tool from the Tools Panel on the left-hand side of your workspace.
2. Draw a Box Around the Text: Draw a rectangle around the text that you want to highlight. Make sure the rectangle is large enough to cover the entire text area, and you can adjust its size as needed.
3. Send the Box to the Background: With the rectangle still selected, go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back. This will place the rectangle behind the text.
4. Set the Fill Color: With the highlight box selected, go to the Swatches Panel and choose a fill color for your highlight. You can use a solid color or even add a gradient for a unique effect.
5. Adjust Opacity if Needed: If you want a subtle highlight effect, you can reduce the opacity of the highlight box by opening the Effects Panel (Window > Effects) and adjusting the Opacity setting.
6. Align the Box: Ensure that the highlight box is properly aligned with the text. You can manually adjust the position of the box to achieve a clean, professional appearance.

This method is great for highlighting individual words or phrases within a paragraph and provides greater flexibility in terms of design and customization.

Method 3: Using Underline Options as a Highlight Effect

You can also simulate a highlight effect by creatively using the Underline Options in Adobe InDesign. This method is particularly useful for highlighting specific words without manually creating shapes or using paragraph shading.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Underline Options

1. Select the Text: Use the Type Tool to select the text that you want to highlight.
2. Open Character Panel: Go to Window > Type & Tables > Character to open the Character Panel.
3. Add Underline: Click on the Underline button in the Character Panel to add an underline to the selected text.
4. Customize Underline: With the text still selected, open the Character Panel Menu (accessible from the panel options in the top-right corner) and click on Underline Options.
5. Adjust the Underline Settings:

• Weight: Increase the weight of the underline so that it becomes thicker, giving the appearance of a highlight rather than just an underline.
• Offset: Adjust the Offset value so that the underline overlaps with the text, effectively creating a highlighted effect.
• Color: Choose a color for the underline that will act as the highlight. You can select a color from the Swatches or create a custom color.

This method works well for highlighting specific words or phrases without having to draw additional shapes, and it is an efficient way to create a clean and simple highlight effect.

Underlining Text in Adobe InDesign

Underlining text is one of the most straightforward ways to add emphasis, and Adobe InDesign makes it easy to do this while also giving you control over the appearance of the underline.

Basic Method: Adding Underline

1. Select the Text: Use the Type Tool (T) to select the text that you want to underline.
2. Open the Character Panel: Go to Window > Type & Tables > Character to open the Character Panel.
3. Add Underline: Click on the Underline button in the Character Panel to apply an underline to the selected text. By default, InDesign will add a simple underline to the text.

Customizing Underline Options

If you want to customize the appearance of the underline, Adobe InDesign provides several options for making it unique and more visually appealing.

Step-by-Step Guide to Customizing Underline

1. Select the Underlined Text: Select the text that you have underlined.
2. Open Underline Options: Click on the Character Panel Menu (the hamburger menu in the top-right corner of the Character Panel) and select Underline Options.
3. Adjust Weight and Offset: You can adjust the Weight of the underline to make it thicker or thinner. The Offset setting controls the distance between the underline and the text.
4. Change the Color: Click on the Color drop-down menu to choose a color for the underline. You can use the same color as the text, or you can choose a contrasting color to make the underline stand out.
5. Add a Dashed Line: If you want to add some style to your underline, you can choose from different types of lines, such as dashed or dotted. This can add an interesting visual element to your design.

Using these customization options allows you to create underlines that are not only functional but also visually aligned with the overall design of your document.

Tips for Highlighting and Underlining Text

• Maintain Readability: When highlighting or underlining text, it’s important to ensure that the text remains readable. Choose colors for highlights and underlines that contrast well with the text color, making the text easy to read.
• Use Styles: For consistency, use Character Styles or Paragraph Styles for your highlights and underlines. This allows you to apply the same style across multiple parts of your document easily, saving time and ensuring a uniform look.
• Avoid Overuse: While highlighting and underlining can be effective for emphasizing important information, overusing them can make your design look cluttered and reduce their impact. Use these features sparingly to maintain a clean and professional layout.
• Check for Print and Digital: Make sure to test how highlights and underlines look in both print and digital formats. Colors that look good on a screen might not print well, and subtle effects might not be visible in certain lighting conditions or resolutions.

Conclusion

Adobe InDesign provides several methods for highlighting and underlining text, each offering different levels of customization and control. Whether you are using Paragraph Shading, creating custom highlight boxes with the Rectangle Tool, or creatively using Underline Options, you can effectively emphasize key parts of your text to make your design more engaging and impactful.

By mastering these techniques, you can enhance your layouts, ensure important information stands out, and create professional-quality designs that capture your audience’s attention. The key to using highlights and underlines effectively is to maintain a balance—use them strategically to add emphasis without overwhelming your audience.