The Tool Desk
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To draw a visible outline around text in Word, use Insert > Shapes > Oval, drag the shape around the text, then set Shape Fill > No Fill so the words remain visible. Hold Shift while dragging to make a true circle instead of an oval. If you mean circling text to select it for formatting, use Ink Editor on a supported touch or digital-pen setup; that gesture selects text rather than adding an outline.
Draw a visible circle or oval around text
- Click Insert, then select Shapes.
- Under Basic Shapes, choose Oval.
- Click and drag around the word or phrase you want to mark. For a circle rather than an oval, hold Shift as you drag. Microsoft Support gives this instruction in its Draw a curve or circle shape guide.
- If the shape hides the text, select it and choose Shape Fill > No Fill on the formatting tab. The oval outline remains while the text beneath it shows through.
This method inserts a shape in the document, so the outline remains as an annotation. The shape instructions list Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016; the exact ribbon layout can vary by version and screen size.
Circle to select text for formatting
On supported touch-enabled devices or devices that work with a digital pen, choose Draw > Ink Editor pen and draw a circle around the target text. Word selects the enclosed words, sentence, or paragraph so you can apply formatting such as bold, italic, or font color. When using touch without a digital pen, Microsoft directs users to Draw with Touch > Ink Editor pen. See Microsoft’s Ink Editor instructions.
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This is a selection gesture, not a persistent oval annotation. The documented workflow covers Word for Microsoft 365 and Word Mobile in specified Windows touch or digital-pen contexts; it should not be assumed available on every device or Word edition. If the Draw tab is not available, the documented Windows route to enable it is File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Draw.
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Choose another effect when an outline is not what you need
| Goal | Word feature and path | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Emphasize text with a colored background | Select the text, then choose Home > Text Highlight Color and a color. | Highlights the text instead of drawing an oval. For continuous marking, the tool stays active until you stop it with Esc, as described in Microsoft’s highlighting instructions. |
| Make the lettering itself curve or form a decorative shape | Choose Insert > WordArt, enter the text, select it, then use Shape Format > Text Effects > Transform. | Transforms WordArt lettering; it does not circle ordinary body text. Word for the web can display existing WordArt, but adding WordArt requires desktop Word, according to Microsoft’s WordArt instructions. |
| Put text in a movable box | Choose Insert > Text Box. | Creates a box for placing or calling attention to text rather than marking existing text with an oval. See Microsoft’s text box instructions. |
Why the oval can cover the words
Word shapes have a fill by default. When you place an oval over existing text, that fill can obscure the words inside its boundary. Set Shape Fill > No Fill to remove the interior while keeping the outline. If you only need a colored background emphasis and do not need an outline, use highlighting instead.
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