Deta Studio

How to highlight a PDF

Draw a freehand highlight over a detail or drag across PDF text to highlight words.

Updated

Find the tool

HighlightG

Left toolbar → Highlight

Watch the walkthrough

Before you start

Open your PDF in Deta. Text highlighting requires readable PDF text; use freehand highlighting for scanned text or images.

Steps

Choose Highlight tool icon Highlight in the left toolbar, or press G. Then use either method below.

Draw a freehand highlight

  1. Start dragging away from text and draw over the detail you want to highlight.
  2. Release to finish the stroke.

Hold Shift while dragging for a horizontal or vertical stroke. To draw freely even when starting on text, hold Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ Command (Mac) before dragging.

Freehand yellow highlight over a wall in the drawing

Highlight text

  1. Start dragging on a word and drag across the text you want to highlight.
  2. Release. The highlight follows the selected words.

Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) before dragging to select text even when you start in a blank area. To highlight just one word, double-click it.

Text highlight snapped to the words in a drawing note

Troubleshooting

  • “Loading text…” is shown: wait for the text to load before highlighting words.
  • “Text snapping unavailable” is shown: reselect Highlight to retry. You can still draw freehand highlights.