Set Up Highlighty for Your Workflow: Whitelists, Colors, and Hotkeys

Most people install Highlighty, use the defaults, and get a lot out of it. But fifteen minutes spent in the settings can shape the tool around how you actually work — which sites it runs on, what your highlights look like, which keys do what.

This is a walk-through of the settings genuinely worth setting once. We'll use the exact labels and locations from the popup, so you can find each one without hunting.

TL;DR

• Decide where it runs: Allowed and Disallowed websites at Popup → Advanced → White/blacklist features.
• Make highlights yours: per-query colors from the palette or randomizer, with text color that adapts for readability automatically.
• Tune the hotkeys: Navigation bar keys, Manual search mode, Quick disable, and Highlight on select at Popup → Basic → Hotkey features.
• Tidy the popup: Compact view of query list, Focus input on startup, and the Total found badge at Popup → Basic.
• See matches at a glance: X-Ray (Context Minimap) and Scrollbar markers.
• PRO extras: Grow found query size (a fixed 25px), and Backup & restore to sync settings between computers.
• Set it up once for how you work, and the defaults fade into the background.

Decide where Highlighty runs

Under Popup → Advanced → White/blacklist features you control which sites Highlighty touches. "Allowed websites" makes it run only on the domains you list — everywhere else it stays out of the way. "Disallowed websites" is the opposite: it runs everywhere except the domains you name.

Use one or the other depending on your habit. If you only highlight on a few work tools, an allow list keeps things tidy. If you mostly want it everywhere but off your bank and email, a disallow list does the job.

Make your highlights look the way you want

Each query in your list gets its own color. Pick one from the palette, or let the randomizer assign colors so a long list is instantly distinguishable. The highlight's text color adapts automatically to stay readable against whatever color you chose, so you don't have to fuss over contrast yourself.

Tune the hotkeys to your hands

All of these live at Popup → Basic → Hotkey features.

• Navigation bar — assign the keys you use to step up and down through matches (Shift plus a key you choose for each direction).
• Manual search mode — search only when you press Shift+F, instead of re-searching automatically. Good for heavy pages or while editing a long list.
• Quick disable hotkey — Shift+D turns off highlighting of found queries on the current page only.
• Highlight on select — Shift+L adds the text you've selected to your query list with a random color.

Turn off the ones you don't use so their keys do nothing, and keep the ones that fit your flow.

Tidy up the popup itself

A few Basic-tab settings make the popup nicer to live in. "Compact view of query list" (Popup → Basic → User-interface settings) packs a long list into less space. "Focus input on startup" (same group) puts your cursor straight in the query input when the popup opens, so you can type a new term without clicking first.

"Total found badge" (Popup → Basic → Notification settings) shows a running count of matches on the extension icon, so you can tell a page has hits without opening anything.

See your matches at a glance

Two features help you spot where matches are on a page. "Highlighty X-Ray (Context Minimap)" (Popup → Advanced → Searching options, on by default) is a draggable floating panel that pulls context snippets from around your matches across the page — including matches tucked inside collapsed sections, tabs, and layered UI. Disabling it removes the panel entirely.

"Scrollbar markers" (Popup → Basic → Notification settings) puts tick marks along the scrollbar showing where matches sit on the page, so you can jump between them without scrolling blind.

Two PRO settings worth knowing

"Grow found query size" (Popup → Advanced, at the top) sets the font of highlighted matches to a fixed 25px so they're easier to spot on a dense page. It's a PRO feature.

"Backup & restore" (Popup → Advanced → Backup & restore) exports your queries and settings so you can import them on another computer — the simplest way to keep two machines in sync. It's also PRO. The free "Download/upload query list" covers moving just the list if that's all you need.

Set it up once

You don't have to touch every setting. Pick the handful that match how you read and search — usually a whitelist or blacklist, a couple of hotkeys, and your color preference — and leave the rest on their defaults. Once it fits your workflow, Highlighty mostly gets out of your way.

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop Highlighty from running on certain sites?

Go to Popup → Advanced → White/blacklist features. Add sites to "Disallowed websites" to keep Highlighty off them, or use "Allowed websites" to make it run only on the domains you list and nowhere else.

Can I choose the highlight colors?

Yes. Each query gets its own color from the palette, or you can let the randomizer assign them. The text color adapts automatically to stay readable against the highlight color, so you don't have to set that yourself.

Where do I change the keyboard shortcuts?

At Popup → Basic → Hotkey features. That's home to the Navigation bar (assignable keys for moving through matches), Manual search mode, the Quick disable hotkey, and Highlight on select. Each can be turned on or off.

What's the difference between X-Ray and Scrollbar markers?

X-Ray (Context Minimap) is a floating panel that shows context snippets around your matches, including ones hidden in collapsed sections or tabs. Scrollbar markers are tick marks along the scrollbar that show where matches sit so you can jump between them. X-Ray lives under Advanced → Searching options; Scrollbar markers under Basic → Notification settings.

How do I sync my setup between two computers?

Use "Backup & restore" (Popup → Advanced → Backup & restore), a PRO feature that exports your queries and settings so you can import them on another machine. If you only need to move the keyword list, the free "Download/upload query list" does that.

Which settings are free and which are PRO?

The whitelist and blacklist, colors, Navigation bar, Manual search mode, Quick disable, Highlight on select, Compact view, Focus input on startup, Total found badge, X-Ray, and Scrollbar markers are all free. Grow found query size and Backup & restore are PRO.