Hiding text in Microsoft Word is a nifty trick that can be useful in various situations. Whether you’re sharing a document with sensitive information or creating a fun scavenger hunt, hiding text is a simple process. Basically, you’ll need to select the text you want to hide, right-click, and choose Font. From there, tick the ‘Hidden’ checkbox, and voila! The text becomes invisible until you decide to reveal it again.
Step by Step Tutorial on How to Hide Text in Microsoft Word
Before we jump into the steps, let’s understand what we’re about to do. Hiding text in Microsoft Word makes the selected text invisible in the document. It’s still there, but it won’t show up unless you choose to display it. This can be really handy when you want to keep some information private or just out of sight for a while.
Step 1: Select the text you want to hide
Highlight the text you wish to make invisible by clicking and dragging your mouse over it.
Once you’ve selected the text, it will be highlighted in blue (or another color, depending on your settings). Make sure you only select the text you want to hide, as this process will apply to everything that’s highlighted.
Step 2: Right-click on the selected text
After selecting the text, right-click on it to bring up the context menu.
This menu is full of options, but for our purpose, you’ll want to look for the ‘Font’ option. It’s usually towards the bottom of the menu.
Step 3: Choose ‘Font’ from the context menu
Click on ‘Font’ to open the Font dialog box.
This box controls all sorts of text attributes, like size, style, and color. But we’re focused on the ‘Effects’ section today.
Step 4: Tick the ‘Hidden’ checkbox
In the Font dialog box, under the ‘Effects’ section, you’ll find a checkbox labeled ‘Hidden’. Click it to place a checkmark there.
Once the ‘Hidden’ checkbox is ticked, the selected text will be set to hide once you click the ‘OK’ button at the bottom of the Font dialog box.
Step 5: Click ‘OK’ to apply the changes
Hit the ‘OK’ button to save the changes and close the dialog box.
After you click ‘OK’, the text you selected will disappear from view. It’s not gone, just hidden!
After completing this action, the text you’ve hidden will be invisible in the document, as if it was never there. However, don’t worry; it’s still present and can be revealed by reversing the process or by adjusting the Word settings to show hidden text.
Tips for Hiding Text in Microsoft Word
- Always double-check which text is selected before hiding it. You wouldn’t want to hide something important accidentally!
- Remember that hiding text doesn’t delete it. It’s still there and can be found by someone who knows how to look for it.
- If you’re hiding sensitive information, consider password-protecting your document as well for extra security.
- Hidden text will not print by default, so keep that in mind if you’re preparing a document for printing.
- To quickly display all hidden text in a document, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box launcher, go to the ‘Home’ tab, select ‘Paragraph’ and then check the box for ‘Hidden text’ under ‘Nonprinting Characters’.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reveal hidden text in Microsoft Word?
Simply reverse the process. Select the area where the hidden text is located, right-click, choose ‘Font’, and then uncheck the ‘Hidden’ box.
Can hidden text be searched in a Word document?
Yes, the Find feature in Word will still locate hidden text even if it’s not visible on the screen.
Will hidden text in Word show up in a PDF?
Not by default. If you save or convert the Word document to a PDF, the hidden text will not appear unless you’ve changed the settings to show hidden text before converting.
Can I hide an entire page in Word?
You cannot hide an entire page the same way you hide text, but you can create a section break and format the section to be hidden.
Is hiding text the same as deleting it?
No, hiding text simply makes it invisible in the document; the text is still there and can be retrieved.
Summary
- Select the text you want to hide.
- Right-click on the selected text.
- Choose ‘Font’ from the context menu.
- Tick the ‘Hidden’ checkbox in the Font dialog box.
- Click ‘OK’ to apply the changes.
Conclusion
Hiding text in Microsoft Word is a clever feature that can serve multiple purposes. It’s easy to overlook, but once you know how to do it, you’ll find it’s a handy tool to have up your sleeve. Whether it’s for fun or for privacy reasons, hiding text can be done in just a few quick steps. Just remember, even though the text is out of sight, it’s not out of the document, so always use this feature responsibly, especially when handling sensitive information. Happy hiding, and may your hidden text always serve its purpose well!
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.