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How to Highlight Text and Cells in Google Sheets? (3 Easy Methods)

February 20, 2024 4.8K views

We occasionally find ourselves digging through Google Sheets to find important information amid a sea of data. In such cases, highlighting text and cells comes in handy. When highlighting a cell in Google Sheets, users sometimes find themselves navigating through approaches that may lack flexibility. In this article, we'll show you how to highlight text in Google Sheets step-by-step so you can quickly call attention to essential information, arrange and classify data, and improve visual communication.

How to highlight text and cells in Google Sheets


How to Highlight in Google Sheets?

Google Sheets doesn't have a "one-click highlight all" option but it does offer several easy ways to highlight specific text and cells. Let's explore three simple methods tailored to individual requirements:

Method 1: Change the text color

Highlighting text or cells in Google Sheets is a professional and efficient way to emphasize important data points within your spreadsheet. By changing the text color, users can quickly draw attention to critical information, aiding in better organization and analysis. Follow the outlined steps to seamlessly implement this method, enhancing clarity and readability in your spreadsheets.

Step 1: Open your web browser and go to Google Sheets. Sign in to your Google account if not already signed in.

Easy sign-up to Google Sheets


Step 2: Create a new spreadsheet by clicking the "+" sign or open an existing one from your Google Drive.

Create new spreadsheet in Google Sheets


Step 3: Click and drag to select the text or cells that you wish to highlight. You may choose a single cell, a range of cells, or even a complete row or column.

How to select cells to highlight in Google Sheets


Step 4: At the top of the Google Sheets interface, you'll see a menu bar. There, click on  the "Text color" option.

Text color option in Google Sheets

Step 5: After clicking on “text color”, a dropdown menu will appear with a palette of colors to choose from. Click on the color you want to use for highlighting the selected text or cells.

Text color option in Google Sheets

Step 6: When you decide to opt for a color, the text and cells you have chosen will be highlighted with that color.

Change the color of text in spreadsheet

Method 2: Fill the background color

By changing the background color of selected text or cells, you can effectively emphasize key information and enhance the visibility of important data in your Google Sheets with the Fill color method. Follow the steps below for a streamlined approach to highlighting, and improving the clarity and organization of your spreadsheet.

Step 1: Either create a new spreadsheet by clicking on the "+" sign or open an existing one from your Google Drive.

Create new spreadsheet in Google sheets

Step 2: Click and drag to pick the text or cells you wish to highlight. One cell, a group of cells, or even whole rows or columns can be chosen.

How to select cells in spreadsheet

Step 3: At the top in the menu bar. Click on the "Fill color" option.

Fill color option in Google Spreadsheets

Step 4: Once you click “Fill color",  a submenu with various color options will open. Click on the color you want to use.

Color Palette to fill cells in spreadsheet

Step 5: After you have chosen a color, that color will fill the background of the text or cells you have selected, highlighting them. You should now see the highlighted text or cells in your spreadsheet.

Color fill cells in Google Spreadsheets

Method 3: Using Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is a powerful tool in Google Sheets that allows users to automatically format cells based on specified conditions. It enables users to highlight cells according to their values, facilitating easier identification of crucial information or trends within datasets. With customizable conditions and formatting options, users have flexibility and control over their spreadsheet's appearance to suit their specific needs.

Here’s how you can use this function to highlight cells:

Step 1: First select them with a click-and-drag gesture. You can select a single cell, a range of cells, or even entire rows or columns.

Click and drag to select Multiple cells in a spreadsheet

Step 2: Click on the "Format" menu at the top, then select the "Conditional Formatting" option. This will open the Conditional formatting pane on the right side of the screen.

Conditional Formatting in Google Spreadsheets

Step 3: Choose the desired condition to apply from the "Format cells IF" dropdown menu. For example, you can choose "Greater than", "Text contains", or "Custom formula is". In the text field that appears beneath the dropdown menu, type the condition's parameters.

Conditional formatting options in Google Spreadsheets

Step 4: Below the condition, select the formatting style you want to apply to cells that meet the condition. This can include options such as text color, background color, bold, italic, etc.

Formatting styles in Conditional formatting

Step 5: After you have defined the condition and selected a formatting style, click the "Done" button to apply the conditional formatting rule.

Conditional Formatting in Google Spreadsheets

Step 6: You can add new rules using the options in the Conditional Formatting pane. Click on the "Add another rule" button.

How to add new rules in conditional formatting

Step 7: Google Sheets will apply conditional formatting to the selected text or cells based on the rules you have set. You should now see highlighted text or cells in your spreadsheet.

Conditional Formatting to highlight cells in Spreadsheet

Consider the following examples for a better understanding:

Highlighting High Sales: Let's say you want to highlight sales figures that are greater than $1000. So first in the format rule field select “Greater than” and set the value to 1000 to set up conditional formatting then apply the desired formatting, such as choosing "Red" to fill the cell.

How to use Conditional Formatting to highlight sales figures

Identifying Negative Numbers: If you have a dataset containing financial data and you want to identify negative numbers, you can simply select "Less than" in the "Format cells if" dropdown. Enter "0" to indicate negative numbers, then apply the desired formatting, such as choosing "Red" for font color.

How to use Conditional Formatting in Google Spreadsheets

When highlighting in Google Sheets, consider the pros & cons of each method. Changing text color is simple but only alters text. Filling background color enhances visuals but can obscure data. Conditional formatting offers dynamic highlighting but requires an understanding of rules. Experiment with each method to see what works best for you, keeping in mind the balance of simplicity and flexibility.

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WPS Spreadsheet's intuitive interface, which resembles Excel, allows users to easily navigate and confidently create, edit, and format Excel sheets. Plus, with support for 17 file formats including .xls, .xlsx, .xlsm, .csv, and .pdf, WPS Spreadsheet preserves the integrity of your data, formulas, formatting, and charts, making it an indispensable tool for both personal and professional use.

How do I highlight text and cells in the WPS Spreadsheet?

Highlighting text and cells in WPS Spreadsheet is a straightforward process with four practical methods. Whether on PC Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS devices, users can refine data presentation. Choose from changing text color, filling background color, or using conditional formatting to improve clarity and organization. Explore these easy methods to elevate professionalism in WPS Spreadsheet data management.

Method 1: Change the text color

Highlighting text in WPS Spreadsheets offers a straightforward means to emphasize crucial information within your document. By altering the text color, users can readily underscore significant data points, facilitating improved organization and analysis. Follow the provided step-by-step instructions to employ this method and enhance the clarity and legibility of your spreadsheets.

Step 1: Open the WPS office application on your device and click on “Spreadsheets” or open an existing file by clicking on “Open” at the left side of your screen.

WPS office interface

Step 2: Click and drag to select the text or cells that you want to highlight. One cell, a group of cells, or even whole rows or columns can be chosen.

How to select cells in the WPS spreadsheet

Step 3: At the top, you'll see a ribbon bar; click on the "Home" tab.

Home tab in the WPS Spreadsheets

Step 4: In the "Home" menu, click on the "Text color" option.

How to change text color in WPS Spreadsheets

How to change text color in WPS Spreadsheets

How to change text color in WPS Spreadsheets

Step 5: After you click on the “Text color” option, a drop-down menu with a color scheme will appear. Choose your desired color. Click on the color you wish to use to highlight text that you have selected.

Color palette in WPS office Spreadsheets

Step 6: Once you've selected a color, the text or cells will be highlighted in that color. Your spreadsheet's highlighted text should now be visible.

Highlight text in the WPS Spreadsheets

Method 2: Fill in the background color

With the Fill Color method, users can easily emphasize key information by changing the background color of selected text or cells. Follow the simple steps outlined below to efficiently implement this method and improve the organization and clarity of your spreadsheet.

Step 1: After opening the spreadsheet, simply click and drag to highlight the desired text or cells in Google Sheets. You can select individual cells, groups of cells, or entire rows and columns with ease.

How to select cells in the WPS Spreadsheets

Step 2: At the top of the screen click on the "Home" tab.

Home tab in the WPS Spreadsheets

Step 3: Select the "Fill color" option from the "Home" tab.

Fill color option in WPS Spreadsheets

Step 4: A drop-down menu will appear, offering a variety of color options. Click on the color you prefer to highlight with.

color options in WPS spreadsheets

Step 5: After choosing a color, the text or cells you've selected will be highlighted with that color, making them stand out in your spreadsheet.

How to highlight text in WPS office using color fill

Method 3: Change cell styles

You can enhance the appearance of your spreadsheet data effortlessly with the Cell Style feature. By selecting from predefined styles or creating custom ones, you can effectively highlight important cells for better organization and clarity. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions provided below to implement this method.

Step 1: At the top of the you'll find a Ribbon. Click on the "Home" tab.

Home tab in WPS Spreadsheets

Step 2: In the "Home" tab, click on the “Cell Style” option. This will open a submenu with various predefined styles of cells to choose from. You can also create your new style by clicking on “New cell style”.

Cell styles in WPS Spreadsheets

Step 3: Once you've selected a style, it will be applied to the selected cells, highlighting them.

How to Highlight cells in WPS Spreadsheets using cell styles feature

Method 4: Using Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is a robust function within WPS Spreadsheets, enabling users to automatically highlight particular text or cells based on established criteria. By following the outlined steps, you can efficiently implement conditional formatting to emphasize significant data within your spreadsheet. Whether it involves highlighting cells exceeding a specified value or containing specific text, this feature provides adaptability and customization to suit your requirements.

Step 1: Click and drag to choose the text or cells for applying conditional formatting, whether it's a single cell, a range, or even entire rows or columns.

Select cells in WPS Spreadsheet

Select cells in WPS Spreadsheet

Step 2: Click on the "Home" tab at the top and then click on the "Conditional Formatting" option. By doing this, the conditional formatting pane will appear.

Conditional Formatting in WPS Spreadsheet

Conditional Formatting in WPS Spreadsheet

Step 3: Click on the "Highlight Cells Rule" button in the Conditional formatting pane.

Highlight cells Rule in Conditional Formatting WPS Spreadsheets

Highlight cells Rule in Conditional Formatting WPS Spreadsheets

Step 4: In the "Highlight cells Rule", choose the condition you prefer, such as "Greater than," "Equals to", or "More rules".

Highlight cells automatically by Conditional Formatting

Highlight cells automatically by Conditional Formatting

Step 5: After clicking the preferred condition, enter the corresponding criteria in the text box. Select the formatting style for the cells that meet the condition. This may include options like text color, background color, bold, italics, and more.

 Conditional Formatting Criteria in WPS Spreadsheets

Conditional Formatting Criteria in WPS Spreadsheets

Step 6: To apply the conditional formatting rule, click "OK" after defining the condition and selecting the formatting style.

How to apply Conditional Formatting rules

How to apply Conditional Formatting rules

Step 7: The WPS office will automatically apply conditional formatting to the selected text or cells based on the rules you've defined. You should now see the highlighted text or cells in your spreadsheet.

Highlight cells via Conditional Formatting in WPS Spreadsheets

Highlight cells via Conditional Formatting in WPS Spreadsheets

WPS Office offers various highlighting methods, providing flexibility for diverse situations. Whether changing text color, filling the background color, or using conditional formatting, WPS Spreadsheet equips you with tools to customize your data presentation.

In my experience, WPS Spreadsheet's highlighting feature has significantly enhanced my workflow efficiency. Its intuitive interface and versatile options have made it easy to prioritize and identify essential information within spreadsheets.

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FAQ

Q1. How to remove highlight color in Google Sheets?

To eliminate highlights in Google Sheets, follow these steps:

Step 1: Highlight the cells you wish to de-highlight. The specified range might encompass cells that are not highlighted.

Step 2: Click on the Fill Color or Text Color icon, depending on the highlighting type.

Step 3: Select the Reset option. You'll find the Reset option at the top of the color palette, which appears after clicking the Fill Color or Text Color icon.

Q2. Can I remove the highlight in WPS Spreadsheet?

Here are two methods to remove highlights in the WPS Spreadsheet:

  • Method 1: If you've accidentally highlighted something and want to reverse it, you can use the "Undo" function.

  • Method 2: Another way to remove highlights is using the "Clear Formatting" feature. This function allows you to delete formatting selectively, including highlights.

Q3. How do I highlight cells in Google Sheets based on numerical values?

In Google Sheets, you can facilitate data analysis by utilizing Conditional Formatting. This feature allows you to automatically highlight cells based on specific numerical values, enhancing the efficiency of your data interpretation procedure.

Exploring Highlighting Techniques: Google Sheets & Beyond

You've successfully learned three straightforward methods to highlight text and cells in Google Sheets. These techniques will help you emphasize critical information, organize data, and improve readability in your spreadsheets.

In wrapping up, remember that mastering these highlighting methods is essential for efficient data management. As you continue to refine your skills, consider exploring the convenience of the WPS Spreadsheet. Its user-friendly interface and practical features make it a solid option for various document needs. Enjoy the benefits of effective data highlighting and enhance your spreadsheet proficiency today!


15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.