Sometimes, when you send a colleague a link to a lengthy document or webpage, you need them to see one specific paragraph or sentence — perhaps a critical contract clause, a technical specification, or a key finding in a report. According to a WIRED article by Justin Pot, modern browsers offer a feature called Copy Link to Highlight that eliminates the guesswork. Instead of taking a screenshot (which loses context) or pasting a generic URL, you can generate a link that not only loads the page but jumps directly to the selected text and highlights it.
How to Use Copy Link to Highlight
The feature is available in Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Mozilla Firefox. In Chrome and Firefox, simply highlight the desired text, right-click, and select Copy Link to Highlight. On Safari, the command is Copy Link with Highlight — function identical, name slightly different. Once copied, the URL can be pasted into any chat, email, or document. When the recipient opens the link, the browser scrolls to the relevant section and highlights the chosen words.
This approach is far more efficient than a screenshot, according to Pot, because the recipient can read surrounding context if they wish. The highlighted excerpt is displayed in context, preserving the flow of the original document.
How Text Fragments Work
The underlying technology is a web standard called Text fragments, which has been built into browsers for years but rarely gets attention. The URL generated contains either the entire highlighted phrase (for short selections) or a reference to the beginning and end of the excerpt (for longer passages). The browser then locates that text on the page, highlights it, and jumps to it. Importantly, the URL structure is standardized across browsers, so a link created in Chrome works seamlessly in Safari or Firefox.
There are minor visual differences: Safari highlights in yellow, while Chrome appears to prefer purple, per Pot's tests. However, functionality is consistent.
Limitations and Considerations
The feature does not work in all contexts. If the page is behind a paywall and the recipient lacks access, they will not be able to see the excerpt. Additionally, Text fragments do not function inside PDF files, even when opened in a browser. For enterprise users, this means the tool is best suited for publicly accessible web content or internal knowledge bases that are not paywalled.
Despite these constraints, sharing a text fragment is far more useful than a static screenshot for many collaboration scenarios. As Pot notes, it is a simple way to share a specific line "in context, a concept that is totally lost if you just take a screenshot with a highlight."
Browser Comparison
| Browser | Feature Name | Highlight Color (per WIRED) |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Copy Link to Highlight | Purple |
| Safari | Copy Link with Highlight | Yellow |
| Firefox | Copy Link to Highlight | Not specified |
All three browsers support the same underlying Text fragments standard, ensuring cross-browser compatibility.
Why This Matters for Enterprise Leaders
For CTOs and technology procurement heads, this built-in browser capability can improve the precision of communication in distributed teams. It reduces the friction of pointing colleagues to exact information, whether in technical documentation, policy pages, or analyst reports. No extra software or plugins are required — the feature is already available in the browsers employees likely already use. Adopting this practice can save minutes per interaction, accumulating into significant productivity gains over time.
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