Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Noting Table Rows Containing a Character.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 21, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365
Sub HilightRows()
Dim TargetText1 As String
Dim TargetText As String
Dim oRow As Row
'initialize the target characters to find
TargetText = "("
TargetText1 = ")"
'Make sure we're in a table
If Selection.Information(wdWithInTable) Then
'Clear all the old shading
Selection.Tables(1).Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorWhite
'do all the rows
For Each oRow In Selection.Tables(1).Rows
If InStr(oRow.Range.Text, TargetText) > 0 Then _
oRow.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorYellow
If InStr(oRow.Range.Text, TargetText1) > 0 Then _
oRow.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorYellow
Next oRow
End If
End Sub
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11435) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Noting Table Rows Containing a Character.
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