Highlighting a text is a great way of drawing users’ attention to a particular portion of a text.
Like other graphic design software, you can also highlight text in Canva to improve your design’s eye appeal and distinctiveness. But many users don’t know how to do it.
In order to highlight a text in Canva, select any Text box, click on Effects, and select the Background option under the Style section. Your selected text will become highlighted. Now, you can change the highlighted color, roundness, spread, and transparency.
There are two different ways to highlight a text in Canva. Let’s take a closer look at these two methods.
Table of Contents
Method 1: Highlighting Text In Canva
This method will explain how you can highlight or shade a text box. This method will highlight an entire text box.
If you want to highlight a particular word or portion of a text, head over to method 2.
Follow the given few steps:
Step 1: Add Text Box To Your Design
On the left pane, select the Text section and add an appropriate text box like a heading, subheading, or simple body:
Then, write your desired text in that text box and use formatting options like size, font family, color, etc. to give your text a beautiful look.
Step 2: Navigate To Effects
First, select the text box container that you need to highlight.
Then, choose Effects on the upper properties menu:
Step 3: Choose Background Style
Under the Style section, many text effects will be listed. Chose the Background option from them:
Your selected text box will become highlighted.
Step 4: Customize The Background
Canva provides plenty of features to work with the background.
Like, you can change the background color, its spread, roundness, and transparency.
Also, you can change the shape of the text as well. According to your design, you can use the Curve text effect as well to make your text skew:
This is the easiest method to put color behind the text in Canva. As mentioned earlier, this method highlights the entire text box with color.
If you only have to apply a highlighter effect on one or two words then, either you can add multiple text boxes or follow the next method.
Method 2: Shade Text In Canva
What if you want to highlight a particular word(s) or portion of a text box?
By following this method, you can highlight an entire text box and a part of the text as well.
Follow the given step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Add Square Shape
On the left pane, go to the Elements tab, and choose Square figure under Lines and Shapes. You can directly type “Square” in the search bar as well:
Choosing only a square isn’t necessary. If another shape would fit your design better, then go for that.
For instance, you can add a rounded square as well depending on your design.
Step 2: Customize Shape
Now, move the square in front of the word(s) you need to highlight:
Use the shape properties pane to change the color and size of the shape.
Step 3: Move Shape Backward
Note: If the Square shape is already positioned backward then, skip this portion.
Now, we have to move the square shape backward of the text that you want to highlight.
First, right-click on the square shape, and click on Send Backward.
Note: Alternately, you can press CTRL+[ shortcut key after selecting the square shape.
The shape will be positioned backward and the desired portion of the text will be shaded. You can apply this method to an entire text box as well.
If you still need to customize the shape then, select the text box, where you placed the square, and press CTRL+ALT+[ shortcut key to select an element behind another element.
The square will come forward, now, make customizations and press CTRL+[ to again position the shape backward.
This method is very handy if you want to only highlight particular words or a part of a text. Moreover, you can apply this method to an entire text box as well.
Editing in the Canva app doesn’t require a high-speed internet connection so it’s fine to connect with a lower GHz frequency WiFi.
Further, Canva doesn’t consume too much internet data, so your friend can share the internet with you even without a hotspot so you can create your designs.
How To Highlight Text In Canva App?
If want to shade a particular text in the Canva mobile app then, this section will guide you on how you can do that.
Again we have two methods in the Canva app as well. The first method highlights a text box and the second one uses a square shape.
Method 1: Highlight A Text In Mobile
In this method, we’ll highlight a text box in the Canva app.
Due to the Canva app interface, the steps in the app are slightly different.
Follow the given Steps:
Step 1: Add Text Box
To add a text box, tap on the + icon:
Now, navigate to the Text section and add a text box:
Step 2: Tap On Effects
Select the desired text box, that you want to highlight.
Then, tap on Effects, located under your design:
Step 3: Select The Background Option
In the Style section, choose Background text effect:
Your text box will become highlighted.
Step 4: Customize Background
You can, now, change the background color, roundness, transparency, and spread by again tapping on the Background option:
This way, you can highlight an entire text box in the Canva app.
Follow the next method if you want to highlight a portion of a text.
Method 2: Highlight Words In Canva App
If you want to highlight a word(s) or a particular portion of a text on mobile then, this method will help you.
All the steps are explained below:
Step 1: Add Square Shape
Tap on the + icon.
Go to the Elements tab and choose Square figure:
Step 2: Adjust A Shape
Now, change the appearance of a shape like its color and size. In addition to default colors, you can paste your own hex code if you prefer to use custom colors.
After that, move this shape to the front of the text you want to highlight.
Step 3: Position The Shape To Backward
Note: Skip this step if the square shape is already positioned backward.
Select Position, located under your canva design.
Then, choose the Backward option. The text layer will come forward.
That’s it. The portion of the text will be highlighted i.e. you have successfully added color behind the text box in the Canva app.
Why Do We Highlight Text In Canva?
Canva is the most widely used service to create different designs like slides, YouTube thumbnails, infographics, posters, social media graphics, and much more.
The more beautiful the design is, the more viewers it will attract. The use of different effects such as shadow, lift, and echo, will make your text stand out and your design will look much better.
And to make the design more beautiful, highlighting a text plays a crucial role. Let’s see some of the benefits of highlighting a text:
- To draw users’ attention to a particular part: If there’s an important word(s) or a portion of a text, highlighting that text can give you a great benefit. In this way, users will not miss that portion of important information.
- To make the background different: In many designs, the same colors can be boring. Highlighting a particular line or text will make it more eye-catching and visible to the viewer.
- To make a design more beautiful: If you want to create a beautiful design that people will love, you need to emphasize/highlight some parts of your text. It’ll add some beauty to your design too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There Any Keyboard Shortcut Key For Highlighting?
Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut key to directly highlight a text in Canva. You have to go through a manual process to shade or highlight a text.
How To Highlight Part Of A Text?
To highlight a part of the text, navigate to Elements. Under Lines & Shapes section, select a square figure and place it in front of your desired part of a text. You can change color and size of square. Then, click on Position and select Backward.
Can I Highlight Text in the Free Version Of Canva?
Yes, you can highlight a text in the free version. You don’t need to have a premium account of Canva.
How To Add Text Box In Canva?
To add text box in Canva, navigate to Text section located in left sidebar. Here, you can add a text box according to your needs like a Heading, Subheading, body, or simply a text box. Click on any option and the text box will be added to your design.
Can You Outline A Text Box In Canva?
There’s no direct method to outline a text box however, you can still outline indirectly. First, create a duplicate of your desired text box > click Effects > select Hollow under the Style section. Finally, place this hollow text in front of your original text.
Your desired text box will be outlined. You can, then, change the color of the outline as well.
How To Add Background To Text Box In Canva?
To add a background to the text box, select the text box > navigate to Effects > select the Background option under the Style section. The background will be added to a text box. Now, you can change background color, spread, roundness, transparency, and shape as well. This way, you can put color behind the text in Canva.
Can You Do Gradient Text In Canva?
Yes, we can create gradient text in Canva by using letter frames. First, complete a text by using frame letters then, put your desired gradient image or color into those frame letters. In this way, you can create a gradient text and design a beautiful design.
How To Add A Border To Text Box In Canva?
To add a border around your text box, go to Elements. In Lines & Shapes section, search for a Square Border shape and wrap your text box around this shape. This way you can put a border to the text box. There’s no direct way to include a border around the text.
Wrapping Up
Text highlighting is one of the most important and fundamental features of Canva that every designer must be aware of.
You can use any method to highlight a text and give a creative look to your design and grab users’ attention.
So, this is how you can highlight a text in Canva and the Canva app. I hope you loved reading this guide. If so, show your love by spreading this article to others so that they can also get benefit.
