How do I change the highlighter color in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC permanently?

I downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader and cannot figure out how to permanently change the highlighter color for all future uses. In the version I have on another computer, I can simply right click on the highlighter icon and select the color and transparency I wish to use. Is this still possible in the new version? I don't like the harsh yellow that is the default and it's not practical to change the color of every highlight I make.

asked Feb 25, 2016 at 13:06 struggleBus struggleBus 365 2 2 gold badges 5 5 silver badges 20 20 bronze badges

mine is set to green and I have no idea how to change it. It used to be simple and intuitive to change the color in previous versions and in DC it seems to be impossible. :(

Commented Jun 1, 2016 at 18:55

6 Answers 6

You can change the highlight color using the Highlight Text tool, which is available from the (rather hard to find) Comment Toolbar like this:

Go to View > Tools > Comment > Open to enable the Comment Toolbar
Click on the Highlight Text tool button
The Color Picker button now turns from greyed-out (disabled) to blue (enabled)
Two options here:

Option 1. Click on the Color Picker button and select the color you want your Highlight Text tool to be (limited colors).
Option 2. Ctrl + E (Windows) or command ⌘ + E (Mac) to open the Tool Properties menu (broader selection of colors, as others have pointed out).

Go forth and Highlight text

Screenshot for context:

Adobe Highlighting Options

answered Jun 1, 2016 at 19:15 2,699 1 1 gold badge 26 26 silver badges 44 44 bronze badges

Can't, however, get the same shade of yellow as before - See this image: Good old on "point out", Bad New on "from the"

Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 8:47 @BrianD, I set em up, you knock em down! :) Commented Apr 3, 2017 at 13:59 Also +1 @KyleMit for use of freehand circles Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 16:37 nicely explained. Commented Jan 10, 2018 at 19:12

Here's the easiest way: Ctrl + E

(If the "Highlight text" tool is not selected, select it first by clicking on it.)

Screenshot to help you better

Now you can choose your favorite color from color panel at left corner box

11.2k 5 5 gold badges 56 56 silver badges 76 76 bronze badges answered Sep 22, 2017 at 19:34 Mohammad Heydari Mohammad Heydari 4,140 2 2 gold badges 27 27 silver badges 33 33 bronze badges It was way easier. btw. Works on mac os.. use cmd + e Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 16:16 More important, this is the only way to set a "No color", for example when filling ovals. Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 1:12 Nice thing about this solution is that it gives more color options than Brian's answer. Commented Oct 14, 2018 at 19:45

Yes it is still possible. Go to the Highlight tool and right click, and then click on tool default properties. This is where you can select the new colour.

*I tested this on Version:

2015 Release: Version 2015.009.20069

Version File Version: 15.009.20069.28170

answered Feb 25, 2016 at 15:14 644 8 8 silver badges 12 12 bronze badges

I wasn't able to find "tool default properties" but I did find "Show properties toolbar" and that worked perfect. I think part of my problem was that I was also using Reader on only half my computer screen and the smaller window hides some of the functions. Thanks for you help though!

Commented Feb 25, 2016 at 17:32

Right clicking on the highlight tool in Acrobat Reader DC (Windows 7, 2015 Release: Version 2015.016.20041) does not open a menu that contains a "tool default properties" option.

Commented Jun 1, 2016 at 18:56

I haven't tested it in Reader, but this works on Acrobat Pro DC:

If you need to change an annotation's color on the fly, you can click on it and then press CTRL + E (CMD + E for a Mac). After you chose the color, click "More. " and check "Make Properties Default" to permanently store your prefered color as the new highlight color.

This is almost the same as right-clicking a comment and choosing "Properties", but the interface is nicer and it's quicker to change properties this way.

An observation: if you press CTRL + E and, without having selected any specific comment, click on a comment tool (Highlight, Underline, etc.) and change its properties in the new interface opened by CTRL + E, it will make those properties the default properties for that comment tool, but only for this session of Acrobat. That is, as soons as you close all Acrobat instances and start the program again, it will revert to the "default properties" you've set as "default" through the "Make Properties Default" method above mentioned.