Removing shading from text in Microsoft Word is a straightforward process that can be done quickly using the ribbon menu.
Steps to Remove Text Shading
To remove shading applied directly to selected text or words in your document, follow these simple steps:
- Select the text or words: Begin by highlighting the specific text or words that have the shading you wish to remove. You can do this by clicking and dragging your mouse over the shaded area.
- Navigate to the Home tab: Once the text is selected, look towards the top of your Word window for the ribbon. Click on the Home tab if it's not already selected.
- Find the Shading icon: Within the Home tab, locate the Font group. This group contains various formatting options like font style, size, bold, italic, underline, text highlight color, and text effects. The Shading icon is typically located near the text highlighting options. It often looks like a paint bucket tipping paint, but specifically for shading blocks of text or paragraphs, not just highlighting the text itself.
- Open the Shading menu: Click directly on the Shading icon. This action will open a drop-down menu displaying various color options and settings.
- Choose "No Fill": From the menu that appears, select the option labeled "No Fill". This tells Word to remove the background shading from the text you previously selected.
Following these steps will instantly remove the shading applied to your chosen text, leaving the text on a plain background.
Understanding Different Types of Shading
It's worth noting that shading applied using the Shading tool (often in the Font or Paragraph group) is different from using the Text Highlight Color tool (usually in the Font group). This guide specifically addresses shading applied with the Shading icon, which typically applies a background color block to the selected text area or even entire paragraphs if paragraphs are selected.
If you're trying to remove a highlight color applied over the text itself (like a digital highlighter), you would use the Text Highlight Color icon (looks like a marker) and select "No Color". If the shading is part of a border and shading applied to a paragraph or table cell, you might need to access the "Borders and Shading" dialog box (often found via the Paragraph group or Table Design tab) and select "No Color" or "None" for the shading there. This method focuses specifically on shading applied via the Shading icon in the Font or Paragraph group.
