Highlighting Text on Blank Black Template

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Highlighting Text on Blank Black Template

Greets:

I have vision issues, where my sight is more adept to dark mode.

In Pages on Mac, I wish to use the Blank Black template to copy notes taken via Apple Notes, then start to highlight portions of the notes in Pages. The problem is that because the text is yellow, or I reckon it could also be white, the yellow highlight all but blends in with the text color enough to make it impossible for me to see, even at my preferred zoom magnification on my Mac.

I am looking for suggestions to work with this, such as change the opacity, or maybe the color, of the highlight? I'm also open to other suggestions on rectifying this issue.

Thanks!

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 27, 2023 8:17 AM

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Answer 1

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VikingOSX

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Aug 27, 2023 9:10 AM in response to Velanche Stewart

When I paste text from my Notes entry into Pages v13.1 on Ventura 13.5.1, the text transfers as white text onto the black document background.

You do not use the Pages Highlight menu item from the Insert menu as that is not the industry standard text highlighting. It is for document comments. After all these years, Apple still believes that text highlighting is for comments and that one adds a background color to selected text rather than describing that as text highlighting. Its that not-invented-here mindset that ignores the rest of the word processing industry.

Add a highlight effect to text in Pages on Mac - Apple Support

You want the More text options panel which offers a Text background inkwell, or a color chooser globe so you can better choose your true text highlight color:

And, once you have set the proper text background color on selected text, add that character style using + and then you can also assign a function key F1 - F8 to simplify your same color highlighting in that document.

Create and use character styles in Pages on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Aug 28, 2023 3:56 AM in response to Velanche Stewart

For features that you want to span different documents, the character style(s) would need to be defined in a document, and then that document is saved as a custom template. Then, you create a new document using that particular template from the My Templates section of the templates chooser when you launch Pages.

Create a custom template in Pages on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Aug 27, 2023 9:47 AM in response to VikingOSX

Hey thanks @vikingOSX for the info! I tried rushing straight into this, and turned out that it wasn't the best idea. Doesn't look hard, but I need to return to it later when my mind is a bit refreshed and not filled with things to do.

I went into the Text Background, change the color and/or the opacity, and I did not see the results straight away. That's when I knew I may be missing a step, so I'll return to it. But thankfully, at least the solution is there.

Another thing I considered, and not sure how difficult that would be, is to keep the text background color, but change the text from yellow to black. Again, not sure if that could be done.

I got the ideas mentioned from that option you mentioned, the +, that can allow me to use a single character like a function key to easily highlight my chosen option of color/opacity. I will need to look at how it's done, but once it's done, is it applicable to the template, or the document only?

Thanks again!

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Answer 4

Aug 27, 2023 9:56 AM in response to Velanche Stewart

When you select text, and you apply the text background color from the More Text Options panel, you won't see the result until you click away from the text selection. And you certainly can change the foreground text color too if that makes it more usable.

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Answer 5

Aug 27, 2023 9:30 PM in response to VikingOSX

Thanks again, @VikingOSX. I went back in with a clear head and careful reading, and after some trial-and-error, ended up getting what I wanted. And on top of that, creaing a character style and keyboard shortcut are brilliant. I did finally get you when you mentioned of how Apple's interpretation of Highlight differs vastly from most user's interpretation.....wacky!

I don't suppose there's a way to keep the custom character styles permanent and transferable from document to document, or at least baked into a template? That woudl be the last step, if doable.

Almost there, but as it is I can work with this. Thank you!

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Answer 6

Aug 28, 2023 8:20 PM in response to VikingOSX

@VikingOSX - Thanks very much for the assistance, all the way through. I can now focus on highlighting properly, albeit in a pretty substandard way.

Really appreciate your time in helping out!

V.

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Answer 7

Aug 29, 2023 6:28 AM in response to Velanche Stewart

You are welcome.

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Highlighting Text on Blank Black Template

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