How to Change Highlighter Color in Nitro PDF Pro 14

Quick Answer

In Nitro PDF Pro 14 for Windows, select an existing highlight annotation to access its properties, then use the available color setting to change its appearance. You can also right-click the highlight and open its properties to look for the color and transparency options.

To change the color for new highlights, select the Highlight tool and check its available properties before marking text. The exact controls may vary depending on the selected annotation and the ribbon layout.

Method 1: Change the Color of an Existing Highlight

1. Open the PDF document in Nitro PDF Pro 14.
2. Click once on the highlighted text you want to change. Make sure you select the highlight annotation rather than simply placing the text cursor in the document.
3. Look at the top ribbon for the contextual Properties or annotation formatting controls that appear when the annotation is selected.
4. Locate the available color control. Depending on the annotation interface, it may be labelled Color, Border Color, or another appearance-related option.
5. Select the required color from the palette, if available.
6. Click elsewhere in the document to deselect the annotation and check the result.

If the contextual ribbon does not provide the required option, use the right-click method below.

Method 2: Change the Color Through Properties

1. Right-click the existing highlighted text.
2. Select Properties if that option is available in the context menu.
3. Inspect the annotation properties for an appearance or color setting.
4. If the dialog provides a color selector, choose your preferred color. Adjust the opacity or transparency control if one is available.
5. Close the properties dialog and verify that the highlight looks correct.

Note: The available controls can differ by annotation type. If a particular color option is missing, do not assume that every highlight has separate border and fill color settings. Check the properties exposed for the selected annotation.

Method 3: Set the Color Before Creating New Highlights

1. Open the PDF in Nitro PDF Pro 14.
2. Go to the Review tab and select the Highlight tool, if that is where the tool appears in your ribbon layout.
3. Before selecting text, inspect the tool's available properties or color controls.
4. Choose the desired color if a suitable control is available.
5. Drag across the text you want to highlight.
6. Check the resulting annotation to confirm that the selected color was applied.

If the tool does not expose a color option before highlighting, create a test highlight and inspect its properties. Avoid assuming that Nitro Pro 14 will always retain the last-used color across every tool, document, or configuration.

How to Change the Color of Multiple Highlights

If you need to recolor several annotations, first check whether your Nitro Pro 14 interface allows multiple highlight annotations to be selected together.

1. Open the Comments panel, if available, to view the document's annotations.
2. Try selecting the relevant highlight entries using the selection method supported by the panel.
3. If multiple annotations can be selected, open their shared properties or formatting controls.
4. Change the color only if the selected annotations expose a common color setting.
5. Inspect each affected highlight to confirm the result.

Multi-selection and batch formatting may depend on the annotation list and the available commands. If the application does not support changing the selected highlights together, edit them individually. Test the process on a copy of the PDF first if the document contains important annotations.

How to Adjust Highlight Transparency

Transparency controls how strongly the highlight color covers the page. A more transparent highlight allows the underlying text to remain easier to read.

1. Select an existing highlight annotation.
2. Open its Properties dialog or available appearance controls.
3. Look for an opacity or transparency setting.
4. Adjust the value if the control is available, then inspect the highlighted text.

Not every annotation interface exposes a separate transparency control. If you cannot find one, use the available color options rather than searching for an assumed setting.

Troubleshooting: Color Options Are Missing

The Properties ribbon does not appear

Click directly on the highlight annotation. Clicking the text next to it or activating the text-selection tool may not select the annotation itself. If necessary, right-click the highlight and check whether Properties is available.

The color changes are not applied

Confirm that the highlight annotation is selected and that you are changing its appearance rather than the text color or another markup setting. Deselect the annotation and check the result again.

The PDF is read-only or protected

Check whether the document has editing restrictions or whether your access is limited to viewing. If permissions prevent annotation changes, obtain an editable copy or the required authorization from the document owner. Do not attempt to bypass document security.

The highlight is difficult to select

Zoom in on the text and click the highlighted area carefully. If the PDF contains overlapping annotations, use the Comments panel, if available, to locate the intended annotation.

The color looks different from the palette

Check the annotation's transparency settings, if available, and compare the highlight against the page background. A translucent color can look different when displayed over white, colored, or scanned content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change a highlight from yellow to red in Nitro PDF Pro 14?

You can change an existing highlight to red if the selected annotation's properties expose a suitable color control. Select the annotation, open its properties, and choose red from the available palette.

Can I change the color of a highlight after saving the PDF?

Yes, if the highlight remains an editable annotation and the document permits annotation editing. If the highlighting has been flattened into the page content, it may no longer be editable as a separate annotation.

Will changing one highlight change every highlight in the document?

Not necessarily. Changing a single selected annotation normally affects that annotation. Multiple highlights can be changed together only if the application supports multi-selection and exposes a suitable shared formatting option.

Can I use a custom highlight color?

That depends on the color selector available in your Nitro PDF Pro 14 interface. Check whether it offers custom color selection in addition to its preset palette.

Why does a new highlight use a different color from my previous highlight?

The tool may be using a different appearance setting or default. Inspect the Highlight tool's properties before marking text and check the properties of a newly created test annotation.

Sources

• Nitro PDF: Highlight, Underline or Strikethrough Text
• Nitro official website