While you can use conditional formatting in Excel to automatically highlight cells, you may have data that doesn’t change or simply want to apply a single highlight. In just a few steps you can apply highlighting in Excel.
How to Highlight Cells Using a Fill Color
One of the simplest ways to highlight a cell, or even a range of cells, is by using a fill or background color. You’ll then see the cell highlighted with your selected color.
Copy Highlighting to Other Cells
If after you highlight a cell, you want to apply the exact same color to another cell or range, you can do so using the Format Painter. Note: This action will copy and paste all formatting. This means if you have bold text, for example, that format will be copied and pasted as well. Follow the same process to copy and paste the cell highlighting to additional cells.
How to Highlight Cells Using a Cell Style
Another way to highlight a cell in Excel is using a Cell Style. You can use a preset style or create a custom style of your own.
Use a Preset Style
Using a preset style, you can apply a cell color with a click. Some options let you format the text at the same time. You can then use that same style to highlight additional cells the same way.
Create a Custom Style
If you want to create a particular style, like one that uses a custom color, you can set up your own reusable style.
Use a Custom Style
To use your new custom format, choose a cell and open the Cell Styles drop-down menu on the Home tab as described earlier. You’ll see your new style at the top below Custom. Choose the style to apply it to the active cell. You can continue this process to use your custom style across other cells and sheets in your Excel workbook.
How to Highlight Text Within a Cell
Maybe it’s not an entire cell you want to highlight but text within the cell. You can change the color of all cell contents or just a portion.
Highlight All Text in a Cell
If you want to highlight all text or elements within a cell, this takes only a minute. You’ll then see the text in your cell highlighted in the color of your choice.
Highlight Certain Text in a Cell
If you only want to highlight specific text like a word, number, or other element in a cell, this is also doable.
Make Your Data Pop
Highlighting in Excel gives you a simple way to make your data stand out. Whether a cell, group of cells, or certain text, set up your worksheet with the most effective way to view your data. For more, look at this helpful list of Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts to make quick work of navigating, formatting, and more.
